• by Amy Corr , Staff Writer @MediaPostOTL, March 13, 2013

Travelocity launched a brand campaign featuring the Roaming Gnome encouraging consumers to “Go & Smell the Roses.” A series of TV ads feature the loveable gnome visiting different parts of the world and having a blast – or as much of a good time as a gnome statue can have. In the first ad, seen here, roaming gnome goes whitewater rafting, skydiving and relaxes on a beach, noting that he’s not checking email, taking conference calls or making spreadsheets. Roaming Gnome goes running with the bulls in Pamplona Spain in the next ad, seen here. He has a great strategy for not being gored: stand still. “Paint” is my favorite ad. While attending the Holi Festival in India, Roaming Gnome says: “Contrary to popular belief, watching paint dry can actually be fun – but you’ve got to be there to enjoy it.” See it here. McKinney created the campaign.

Carlton MID highlights a set of planned coincidences for the Australian beer brand. The first ad shows a husband and wife, lounging poolside. As the woman compliments her hubby on finding such a gem of a resort, one of his friends walks past. Coincidence? Maybe, had another friend not popped out of the pool and another friend emerge from a nearby table. No more quality couple time. The four men head to the bar and the wives look bewildered. See it here. Thing get worse for the wives in the next ad when they learn their rooms are all connected. Bye, bye, privacy. Watch it here. Clemenger BBDO Melbourne created the campaign, produced by Furlined /Finch Company.

One man has that feeling of “déjà vu” in an ad for Heineken promoting the redesigned Star Bottle. The ad follows a traveling man who visits bars in Ho Chi Minh City and Lagos, Nigeria. Each visit, the man dances with an attractive woman with an angry, “connected” boyfriend. He still gets his Heineken, though, but not in the new star bottle. Not until he visits a club in New York does he find the bottle, another attractive woman -- and a group of thugs on his heels. See it here, created by Wieden+Kennedy New York and directed by Rupert Sanders.

Ever feel like you’re being pulled in a thousand different directions, and all you need is some “me” time? Then “Cast Away,” a TV spot for Corona Extra, is for you. As part of the brand’s “Find your beach” campaign, the ad follows a man walking down the street, thinking about the past week’s events: his co-workers scheduling a weekend conference call, waiting on hold for a customer service rep, a mechanic keeping his car all weekend, and a girlfriend with tickets to see Irish dancers. The man finds his beach when he meets his friends at a bar and grabs a cold Corona. Watch it here, created by Cramer-Krasselt, Chicago.

Gatorade launched "The Lightning Bolt," a great TV spot that illustrates the story of how the sports beverage began in a University of Florida lab in 1965, eventually becoming a staple on sport sidelines. This lightning bolt began in a glass jar with its name written on tape, helping athletes on one team. Then the branded paper cups came that Michael Jordan and company drank on the bench. And when a football coach is doused with a cooler of beverage, it’s always Gatorade. “Continue the legend” closes the ad, seen here, and created by TBWA/Chiat/Day Los Angeles. Matthijs Van Heijningen directed the spot.

Nissan wants to give you that “Office Burn,” tapping Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte and performance coach David Jack to make it happen. Who says you can’t burn calories and exercise while working? Filmed at Nissan Headquarters in Franklin, Tennessee, the video follows office worker Lochte as Jack trains him. Lochte performs Conference Call Calisthenics, Coffee Curls, the Double-Booked Dash, Prairie Dog Plunges, Bumper Blasters and Synergy Sit-Ups. As Lochte does sit-ups, he tells his colleague they should “broaden our vision, by narrowing our focus.” Lochte ends his demonstrations with his one trademark phrase, “Jeah.” It drives me crazy, the way Paris Hilton’s “that’s hot” phrase used to. Watch the vide here, created by TBWA\Chiat\Day Los Angeles.

Clemenger BBDO Melbourne launched a spot for the upcoming Melbourne International Comedy Festival, running from March 27 to April 1. A wife comes home to have a serious conversation with her husband. She attended the comedy festival the previous night and confronts her man: “You’re not funny, are you?” asks the wife. Teary, sad, and still wearing his rubber dishwashing gloves, the husband admits he is indeed not funny. What will the children think? See it here, directed by Brian Aldrich and produced by Furlined /Finch Company.

Not sure if the iPad mini is right for you? Check out a series of print ads showcasing the iPad mini next to a magazine. Ads ran on the backpages of the respective magazines featured, like Time, Marie Claire, The New Yorker and Business Week, showing how the magazine’s front page looks normally and how it looks just as good on an iPad mini. See creative here, here and here, by TBWA\Media Arts Lab.

Random iPad App of the week: Volvo Trucks in North America launched “Fueldrop,” an iPad game that showcases the company’s work in fuel efficiency. The object of the game is to make the most out of every drop of fuel throughout each level. In other words, what I try to do every time I go somewhere in my car. Gamers must traverse through hot, cold and wet elements that can create real-life damage to car engines. The app is free in the App Store.