• by Lindsey Fadner , May 23, 2002

Every week new ad campaigns and websites are launched, and it’s hard to keep up with them all. If you missed a few, here are this week’s highlights: Campaigns tied in with summer movies, summer drinks, summer food and even summer concerts are set to launch.

Dodge announced a new summer promotion that puts the band Aerosmith and Dodge vehicles together on movie screens nation-wide and will award 500 Aerosmith fans a private concert by the legendary band. The campaign, entitled “Legends of Rock – Legends of Roll” is handled by Daimler Chrysler Corporation, and features a spot that is a fast-paced montage divided between Aerosmith concert footage and rolling footage of current and future Dodge cars and truck models.

In a different approach, and to further highlight some of the practical aspects of both its Dodge and Jeep brands, Daimler Chrysler’s Corporation and PentaMark enlisted Producers Color Service and AudiO2/Brad Music for new advertising spots for both makes. The Dodge spot, entitled “Do-it-Yourselfers,” focuses on two home improvement fanatics who need the trunk space Dodge offers to haul more lumber and tools, while the Jeep spot employs action movie techniques including wide angles, overhead shots and quick cuts, to show a convoy of red Jeeps escalading a winding, treacherous mountain road at high speed while a helicopter follows closely in pursuit. In a surprise climax, when the Jeeps reach the summit the pilot playfully calls out, “Give me a head start next time.”

As for summer drinks, SoBe Beverages began its first ever television commercial on May 20th. The spot, entitled “SoBe or Wannabe,” takes place in a “mom and pop” store setting based on the Rockridge Deli in Rye, NY (one of the first retailers to carry SoBe products), and is based on the “ultimate poser” who simply can’t seem to be himself. Three SoBe athletes, Biker Sherlock, Shonny Vanlandingham and Bode Miller visit the store and purchase SoBe, while a decidedly unhip SoBe non-drinker (played by Patrick Renna from “The Sandlot”) looks on in awe. The message carried throughout the spot is “SoBe Yourself.” The company worked with Oneworld Communications on the creative concept for the spot, which is airing on national cable channels including MTV, E!, ESPN and OLN through August 1st.

Yet another malt beverage alternative is set to debut this summer! Brown-Forman Beverages Worldwide and Miller Brewing Co. have announced their joint flavored malt drink, Jack Daniel’s Original Hard Cola, will join the battle among alternative alcoholic drinks. The cola-flavored beverage, which comes on the heels of several new “malternatives,” (think Stolichnaya Citrona, launched by Miller and Allied Domecq; Bacardi Silver, compliments of Anheuser-Busch Cos. Inc.; and Smirnoff Ice, the category leader produced by Diageo) will be available in pubs and restaurants in July and in U.S. stores by September. Commercials for the new drink will appear on national and cable television this fall.

Milk, the world’s most popular drink next to water, is getting ready to shake the Hispanic market this summer. The California Milk Processors Board, the folks behind the Got Milk? campaign, on Monday will unveil two TV spots on Spanish network TV that explore the issues of working Latina women. The commercials, via Anita Santiago, Santa Monica, Ca., will break on Telemundo and Univision and run under the Board's longstanding "Familia, amor y leche" (Family, love and milk) effort.

As a tribute to its late founder and pitchman, Dave Thomas, Wendy's International in mid-June will start using his name and likeness in a new campaign. The new spots state Wendy's hamburgers and salads are "prepared Dave's way," the company said. "We're trying to recognize Dave's memory as a way to honor him in a way we could be proud of," a spokesman said. The line will be incorporated into new TV ads for its SuperValue Menu that break in mid-June and that continue the "It's better here" campaign that broke in April. Additional commemorative images and statements will be added to in-store displays and posters. Mr. Thomas' image and likeness will only be used on in-store posters that say "thanks for stopping by," rather than for "commercial" purposes.

The Mexican fast-food king is also going out on a limb, be it a limb more traveled, with the launch of it’s new campaign. Taco Bell is indeed preparing an estimated $20 million to $30 million push behind the introduction of Border Bowls, a line of Mexican frozen meals-in-a-bowl. In the freezer case, bowl meals have recently reached just shy of $500 million in sales. Masterfoods’ Uncle Ben’s line alone has surpassed the $189 million sales mark, and that’s before the addition of its breakfast bowl variety. Taco Bell was promoting the bowls in test markets with a kitschy TV effort from the Interpublic Group of Cos.’ Foote, Cone & Belding Worldwide, San Francisco. While the agency is said to be prepping a new set of creative executions, an existing 30-60 second spot for the Southwest Steak Border Bowl declares, “If you want the total package you have to think outside the bun.”

Another food chain giant, Red Lobster, will launch TV and radio executions in support of its new 12-for-$12.99 jumbo shrimp entrees as part of the “Go Overboard” campaign launched in Nov. 2000. Creative for 30-and 15-second TV spots, entitled “Volleyball,” cost over $60 million and was compliments of Euro RSCG Tatham Partners, Chicago. The spots show a dining couple in Red Lobster interrupted by the players in a volleyball tournament they have been watching on TV and will air on ABC, CBS, NBC, BET, Bravo, Discovery, E!, ESPN, Fox News Network, TBS, VH1 and the Weather Channel. Two radio spots, “Doggie Bag” and “Shrimp Catch” were also launched May 20 on local stations.

Meanwhile, OSCAR MAYER is winning approval among children, parents and teachers alike with the launch of its new campaign, “OSCAR MAYER SCHOOL HOUSE JAM.” On Tuesday, 76 fifth-grade students from Albert Einstein Public School in New York struck the right chord as they celebrated winning the national grand prize in the talent search contest. Their unique, high-energy rendition of the OSCAR MAYER Bologna Song won them $10,000 toward their school’s music program and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to appear in a new OSCAR MAYER television commercial.

As for underwear, Hanes is set to launch a June campaign entitled “Hanes comfort. It’s a beautiful thing.” The integrated campaign focuses on “comfort moments,” highlighting new styles of Hanes and Hanes Her Way bras, panties, underwear, casual wear and socks. The ads feature models in colorful, comfortable Hanes apparel playing checkers, drinking tea, sharing a pillow and relaxing with a good book. Outlines of the Hanes and Hanes Her Way logos are subtly incorporated into each setting as a rug, a hairbrush, a pillow, a chair back or a curtain. The ads are its first via The Martin Agency, Richmond, VA, which picked up the $15 million account last July. Print executions break in June, while TV and in-store efforts will break during the back-to-school period.

In the home entertainment category, Philips Electronics North America launched a TV spot this week for its new recordable DVD players. The 30-second ad, per DDB, New York, shows a couple watching a VHS tape of their wedding video and then throwing it out the window because they’ve already preserved it on DVD. They proceed to throw more tapes away until they come to one marked “private,” which the wife doesn’t want burned to disc and the husband doesn’t want to throw away. The spot is already running on national cable including TNT and TBS, and next week will be tagged with a Best Buy offer for 10 free recordable DVDs. Supporting print ads broke in seven publications including InStyle, Money and Time.

In financial services, Charles Schwab Corp. unveiled an ad campaign introducing several new investor services and the first work from its new ad agency, Omnicom Group’s GSD&M, Austin. The campaign, tagged “There’s never been a better time for Charles Schwab,” will feature the return of the company’s namesake founder and co-CEO as pitchman, and will promote Schwab’s three new products: a stock rating service called Schwab Equity Ratings, a portfolio management service called Schwab Advisor Network and Schwab’s Private Client, a personal brokerage service. Schwab expects to increase its ad spending for the rest of the year, according to Jack Calhoun, executive vice president of advertising and brand management.

Another financial institution, Barclays Bank, has Pulp Fiction star Samuel L Jackson set to make his British advertising debut in their first TV commercial in years. The new advertisement will use Jackson's appeal to help reposition the high street bank and appeal to younger consumers. It also continues Barclays' tradition of using celebrities in its ads ( Anthony Hopkins, Robbie Coltrane, Tim Roth and Nick Moran were all featured in the “Big” campaigns). The £15m campaign, created by Barclays' new advertising agency, Bartle Bogle Hegarty, will officially unveil next week.

In a similar effort, Motorola and partner VoiceStream will launch an integrated campaign around the July film, Austin Powers in Goldmember. The campaign, via Ogilvy & Mather, New York and in excess of $5 million, will include TV, print and online, and feature scenes from the film rather than a Mike Myers in-character endorsement. Zipatoni, Chicago, handles promotions and engineered the deal between the cell phone maker and New Line. Motorola and VoiceStream will also launch a site, Getmoremojo.com, with information on the movie.

Speaking of websites, as part of the Studio's ongoing commitment to providing the Hispanic community with high-quality entertainment products, Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment is launching a new site, http://www.FoxHomeEnEspanol.com, the first dedicated home entertainment web site targeting the Spanish consumer from a major studio. To build awareness for the launch of the web site, www.FoxHomeEnEspanol.com is sponsoring this summer's World Cup soccer match, reaching the target demographic of Hispanics 18-49 years of age. Additionally, Fox Home Entertainment will support the site with video viral marketing campaigns and a robust online advertising campaign.

And lastly, for those of you who’ve made it this far, one of the more unique website launches this month has all the information you could ever need about man’s best friend. Exoticdogs.com is a 1000+ page commercial site filled with resources and information for dog lovers everywhere. Features include an extensive database of 207 breeds with over 1000 photos. Detailed information can be found about each breed such as temperament, health issues, compatibility with children and other pets, care and exercise. Other extensive databases include a pet services directory showing veterinarians, groomers, breeders, names and even pet cemeteries across America.

-- This newsletter is compiled weekly by MediaPost staff writer Lindsey Fadner. Past issues are archived at the MediaPost website. Your comments, questions and submissions are always welcome and appreciated.