• by Amy Corr , Staff Writer @MediaPostOTL, April 28, 2004

Nationwide launches an integrated campaign. Ireland launches its very own Vodka. Hewlett-Packard targets enterprise customers in its latest campaign. Welcome to highlights of ad campaigns launched recently.

Nationwide's latest campaign portrays the insurance and financial services provider as driven by its clients' best interests and always willing to go the extra mile. The "Life Comes At You Fast" campaign consists of TV, print, online, outdoor, bus wraps, transit shelters, mall posters and airport dioramas, and will run throughout the year. "Car Seat," one of five 30-second TV spots, features a young couple placing their little boy into a car seat. They double-check his safety and then shut the car door and proceed to get in the car. As they get into the car, they turn around see that, instead of a little boy, their son is now a 20-year-old young man strapped in the car seat. The voiceover says, "Life comes at you fast. Be ready with Nationwide. Investments. Retirement. Insurance." Print ads will appear in Bon Appetit, House & Garden, Forbes, Fortune and Newsweek, to name a few. Temerlin McClain created the campaign. The online aspect of the campaign, created by Temerlin McClain Interactive, will run on Bloomberg.com, BHG.com, CNN.com, ESPN.com, Forbes.com, NYTimes.com, USAToday.com, Weather.com, WSJ.com, Yahoo, iVillage.com, and TheStreet.com.

Ireland has launched Boru, it very own vodka. How will the vodka stand out in an already crowded category? By positioning itself as the "Clarity from Ireland." The campaign uses wit and wisdom to illustrate mental and social clarity and by extension the unrivaled clarity of the Boru product. Look out for various Boru-isms on construction wraps, subways, and phone kiosks throughout New York City beginning May 1 and in Boston late summer/early fall. Fathom Communications created the campaign. Some Boru-isms include: "Boru on rush hour: Life is too short not to be in a hurry" and "Boru on enjoying life: It's better to spend money like there's no tomorrow than to spend today like there's no money."

Hewlett-Packard has launched a campaign targeting enterprise customers under the tagline "change +hp." The ads, the latest in the company's brand campaign, tackle the subject of change by showcasing actual HP customers who use technology to master change. The 16-page insert appeared in the Wall Street Journal and New York Times, and included HP customers such as Kimberly-Clark, United States Postal Service and the Screen Actors Guild. Each company is profiled in a two-page spread - like a mini-case study - detailing how HP products and services helped them deal with change. Television, online and outdoor components launched in March; the campaign debuted in 17 additional countries in April. Goodby, Silverstein and Partners developed the campaign.

The Advertising Council and the United Nations Foundation have launched PSAs to raise national awareness of the global AIDS epidemic and encourage Americans to get involved in the fight against AIDS. According to UNAIDS, every day, more than 8,000 people die of the disease and, currently, more than 40 million people worldwide are living with HIV. The TV spots feature scenes from an elementary school that is entirely deserted except for a few maintenance workers who are removing the furniture and artwork. The PSAs conclude with a voiceover by actor Michael Douglas revealing that the number of children who have died from AIDS (six million) is more than the total number of children in every pre-school, grade school and high school in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Washington, Miami and Atlanta combined. The spot ends with the tagline, "AIDS is preventable. Apathy is lethal." The campaign was created pro bono by Leo Burnett USA. Radio, print, online and outdoor ads will follow.

The San Diego Convention & Visitors Bureau has launched a branding campaign designed to attract new visitors to the city this year. The campaign, called "Good Vibes," launched in February and includes collages of special moments that speak to a variety of audiences, from couples to families to friends of all ages. Leisure, one of the recurring themes of the campaign, is shown through San Diego's beach culture, and activities including nightlife and golfing. Print ads will appear in InStyle, Conde Nast Traveler, Travel & Leisure, Travel & Leisure Family, Vanity Fair, Gourmet, Men's Health, Parents, Organic Style and Yoga Journal.Di Zinno Thompson created the campaign.

TBWA/Chiat/Day LA designed two TV spots for Infiniti's G35 campaign. The thirty-second ads, "Seasons" and "Snow Chains" are currently airing nationwide on spot TV and national cable. The spots launch Infiniti's intelligent all-wheel drive feature on the 2004 G35 sedan. "Snow Chains" features a fleet of generic vehicles with snow chains clanking noisily over the dry pavement of city streets as the new G35 smoothly glides along without them. "Seasons" shows the G35 driving down a road as weather conditions dramatically change from rain to sunshine to snow, then ends with a shot of the vehicle showing the same range of weather. A52 provided visual effects work on the campaign.

Chrysler, featuring the Chrysler 2005 300C sedan, has become the exclusive automotive sponsor of Discovery Channel's upcoming series, NO OPPORTUNITY WASTED (NOW!), launching in fourth quarter 2004. NOW is about seizing the moment and creating a once-in-a-lifetime experience. To support the partnership, Chrysler will also receive other product integration opportunities throughout the series, and be featured in co-branded customized vignettes airing on the Discovery Channel. Chrysler will also serve as the category-exclusive sponsor of a new broadband content area on Discovery.com.

In website launches this week:

Mohegan Sun has redesigned its website. Mintz & Hoke, Avon, CT restructured the casino's website to enable the company's interactive program to increase interest in its many offerings and attendance. Users can now sign up for newsletter promotions online. Those who sign up can receive monthly giveaway offers, each promoting a different part of the casino - from concerts, sporting events, and gaming, to dining and entertainment.

Abstract Edge created an online activism and community website for the American Legacy Foundation. Streetheory provides a centralized resource for youth across the country that empowers them to be proactive in the fight for healthier, smoke-free communities. The online community features articles that dispel myths about various aspects of tobacco and cigarettes, historical quotes, and an array of fun advertising and marketing ideas.