• by Fern Siegel , January 15, 2025

Argonaut has released its first brand work for California Olive Ranch since becoming creative AOR last year.

The new campaign — "The Real Taste of California" — features a 9-inch spokesman, Tiny Rancher Call, with a big message. He extols the virtues of the olive oil in "Pesto," "Dry Salad" and "Meet Cal."

The Tiny Rancher spots run on social, streaming platforms and display ads.

“We created the Tiny Rancher because we wanted a character who could tell our story in a fun, unexpected way,” says Stu Beck, chief marketing officer at California Olive Ranch. “Instead of taking the traditional route, we decided to bring the farmer from our logo to life — someone who could represent the heart of what we do and make the brand feel more personal.”

The spots introduce Cal and place him in different scenarios, such as assisting a home chef or a grocery shopper.

"We really wanted to create something in Cal that would not only provide product attribution for people when they're in that shopping moment, but also become a recurring memory structure for the brand that we can build on over time. This is just the beginning and you can expect to see more of Cal as we expand our reach in years to come," Hunter Hindman, CEO-CCO, Argonaut, told Agency Daily.

In September 2024, Forbes tested 22 popular, high-quality bottles made from a multitude of olive types harvested around the world and named California Olive Ranch the Best Olive Oil for Cooking. it’s made exclusively from California-grown olives, and the types grown in the region include Arbequina, Arbosana, Koroneiki and Sikitita.

Since 1998, California Olive Ranch has grown from a single grove in Oroville, California, into the largest olive oil producer in the United States.

The agency has created ads for Cricket Wireless, Nerd Wallet, Fitbit and Appleton Estate Rum.