Commentary

Out to Launch

Pepsi changes its tagline. BIC goes mobile. AT&T Wireless launches a branding campaign. Welcome to highlights of ad campaigns launched this week.

AT&T Wireless has launched a brand advertising campaign to encourage people to "reach out on the wireless service America trusts." The ads tell stories about how AT&T Wireless helps people reach out to each other. TV, print, retail, and outdoor advertising began last month. The TV ads consist of both 30- and 60-second spots. In one of them, we see a tired businessman on a trip. We watch him take a wild taxi ride, get hassled by airport security, and then arrive at his departure gate only to learn that his flight has been delayed. While waiting, we watch his tension ease as he begins talking to his young daughter, who seems to be sitting next to him. But then, she is no longer there. The man has in fact been speaking to her on his AT&T Wireless phone. In another spot, a young married couple is getting ready for work and they have a fight and aren't speaking to each other. We then see the wife in a business meeting and the husband appears to walk into the room holding up a sign that says, "I'm an idiot. I'm sorry." But we realize the husband isn't there. He has sent the apology as a text message his wife reads on her AT&T Wireless phone. She responds with her own text message: "Me too." Goodby, Silverstein & Partners developed the campaign.

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Britney. Beyonce. Dave Chappelle? Pepsi has changed its focus and tagline for its latest campaign. The new tagline, "Pepsi. It's the Cola," highlights the soft drink that goes with everything from food to fun. TV spots debuted last Sunday on primetime and NFL telecasts and will be seen on highly visible programs such as the "Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade" and ABC's three-week miniseries, "Trista and Ryan's Wedding." Outdoor ads on billboards and bus stops launched this week. BBDO, New York, created three commercials for the initial TV campaign. In "Summer Job," a Pepsi brings together two young adults working in an unglamorous profession (a hot dog costume and a Pepsi cup costume). In "Vacuum," comedian Dave Chappelle and a robotic vacuum take the expression of "eat my shorts," to a whole other level. The final ad is a tribute to NFL Films and features a group of tailgaters preparing for a Sunday showdown in a commercial called "Tailgating." Radio, print and online ads will roll out by the end of the year.

The Digital Edge, the digital division of Mediaedge:cia, has launched a campaign for Rayovac's IC3 Charger and Rechargeable Battery. The campaign leverages the popularity of digital camera use among adults 25 to 54 by showcasing the Rayovac brand on photo-affinity websites. The ads have category exclusivity on Yahoo! Photos and AOL "You've Got Pictures." The campaign also includes a Yahoo! front-page Expando unit and a contest, which produced over four thousand contestant entries the first day of the launch. The campaign launched on Oct. 15, and runs through Jan. 15, 2004.

BIC Consumer Products USA, with help from Asphalt Media, has launched its first mobile marketing campaign highlighting the BIC Grip Permanent Marker. Asphalt Media is a division of Donovan/Green, who designed the mobile ads with BIC. The three-month campaign began this week and features 53-foot long ads on the sides of trailers in the New York area. The campaign hopes to register nearly 23 million impressions in that time frame.

Oxford Health Plans launched two commercials to raise awareness of its Medicare+Choice product, a plan that provides supplemental coverage, like dental or prescription drugs, not available in traditional Medicare. Oxford's ads reflect upon the memories of two different individuals that use this plan. Oxford employed actual members in its ads, and Vogt Goldstein created the campaign.

In website launches this week:

PTMG/PROJECT 13 MEDIA has redesigned their website. Designed in-house, the interface has been updated to reflect the three leading departments of the company: Advertising Solution, PR and IR Services, and News Segments. Each department section has individual pages for print, radio, television, and media placement, complete with full page descriptions, pricing, case studies, downloadable PDF kits, and streaming videos. The company provides print and broadcast production, national and local programming, and ready-made news features to over 20,000 media outlet subscribers.

National Jeweler and the World Gold Council have launched a website designed to help retailers learn about the latest developments in gold jewelry. Updated every business day, the Online Gold Profit Guide features the latest gold jewelry news, sales and marketing strategies related to gold jewelry, a portfolio of new gold jewelry fashions, and online polls which allow retailers to learn new ideas and information about gold jewelry.

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