• by Staff Writers , September 1, 2006

Media no longer sit on the sidelines while everyone else has all the fun. These finalists proved their mettle with creative that was as tantalizing and fun as it was effective.

Genex

Acura

Eric Wegerbauer, Creative Director; Lannon Tanchum, Assistant Creative Director and Copywriter; MJ Gumayagay, Designer; Laurel Gerber, Designer; Dave Mealer and John Ruppel, Flash Developers; Siobhan O'Neill, Project Manager

The next best thing to a test drive may be a spin through Acura's site for its 2007 RDX luxury SUV. Genex designed the luxurious site to complement the whoosh campaign, subtly highlighting the RDX's sleek design in a futuristic showroom environment.

The campaign targets a market segment dubbed "urban achievers," aggressive males in their 30s who seek out trendsetting styles. It launched in conjunction with the International Auto Show in New York, N.Y., in April and the introduction of the 2007 RDX models. The agency coupled the site with a comprehensive media buy, including strategic placement of road blocks and rich-media banner ads to drive users to the minisite.

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MediaVest

Procter & Gamble/Febreze

MediaVest: Brent Poer, VP, Connective Tissue; Carly Feinstein, VP, Strategy; Kathleen Dundas, Associate Media Director; Young Kim, Assistant Media Director

Nick @ Nite: Kim Rosenblum, SVP, On-Air Promotion; Tom Hill, Creative Director

Can a commercial be so entertaining it becomes programming? MediaVest proved it with "At The Poocharelli's," a series of eight 90-second spots for Febreze.

The live-action  not animated  series featured a family of dogs in typical situations. The episodes focused on the living room as "the place to be." Febreze drove the plotline of four episodes, but stood in as product placement in the rest. Mini Febreze commercials separated the acts. Programming guides listed "Poocharelli" episodes, which aired on Nick @ Nite.

The series reminded consumers that Febreze intends to create a clean and fresh-smelling home and reinforced the brand's promise to eliminate persistent canine odors. In one episode, Dad Poocharelli, a police dog, worried that he wouldn't get promoted because he seemed to have lost his sense of smell. Dad realized with relief that his teenage daughter, Tiffany, had merely used Febreze throughout the house.

Zoom Media & Marketing and Mediacom

GlaxoSmithKline/Nicorette

Zoom Media & Marketing: Patrick West, VP, Experiential Marketing; Rudy Duthil, Project Coordinator

MediaCom: Deirdre Prier, VP, Out-of-Home; Nicoletta D'Elia-Napoli, Account Director; Randi Pesso, Buying Director

GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare: Chris Saltmar, Nicorette Brand Innovation Manager; Bill Kollitz, Associate Brand Manager; Karen Schade, Senior Manager Advertising Services

Porter Novelli: Rhys Ryan, Manager

Zoom media targeted the African- American market for smoking-cessation aid Nicorette using graffiti art. The campaign made graffiti the centerpiece of a fully integrated program that included online, PR, charity events, and sampling. The client allowed Zoom's graffiti artists extensive creative control of the murals.

Five artists painted murals on the theme of "change" on prominent wallspaces in the nation's top five African-American markets, using minimal Nicorette branding.

This strategy resulted in five vibrant murals that people actually liked. The proof: Kids and families took pictures of themselves in front of the artwork. More than 140,000 people voted online for their favorites. The agency extended the theme by partnering with local charities to offer art classes for kids, taught by the mural artists.

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