• by Amy Corr , Staff Writer @MediaPostOTL, February 28, 2007

Quirky bank campaigns. Visa creates a life to-do list. Brand Jordan continues to impress. Let's launch!

Don't lose your Latin roots! Mun2, the bilingual cable network for young Latinos, launched "Check Your Balance," a series of three TV spots that pose the question, "Are You Becoming Too Gringo?" "Fences" highlights the dangers a gringo diet poses to Latino skills, like jumping fences. Watch it here. "Dream" shows a teenage boy dreaming of gringo things... like war. Even penguins looks threatening. Click here to watch. "Quiz Show" features the ramifications of becoming too Americanized. For instance, geography skills go down the tube. Watch the ad here. All spots end with the tagline "The Daily Latino Dose That You Need." La comunidad created the campaign and media buying was handled in-house.

The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat are physically felt in a 60-second spot for Brand Jordan. Set to Mozart's Requiem, the ad promotes the Air Jordan XX2 shoe with such raw emotion, it's probably the first time I've ever had classical music stuck in my head. The ad shows a player steal the basketball and the game away from his opponent, making the winning shot before time runs out. Home team fans erupt in utter dismay. Watch it here. The ad launched Feb. 7 exclusively on ESPN during Rivalry Week, when University of North Carolina played Duke. "Take Over" is running nationally on ABC, MTV, BET, Comedy Central, and TNT. Print ads are running in Sports Illustrated, ESPN the Magazine, Vibe,Complex, and Slam, among others. Click here, here and here to see the ads. Wieden+Kennedy New York handled all aspects of the campaign.

Visa launched a print and online campaign that's one giant to-do list for affluent Visa Signature card members. Running through September in travel, food, and home electronics magazines, the campaign targets "new affluent" customers (nouveau riche?). One ad features a lone couple viewing artwork at MoMA, while in the background is a list of suggestions of things to do while you're alive. Spend a weekend in Vegas (for me, check); bathe in the Blue Lagoon; float in the Dead Sea and drink a pint of Guinness in Dublin (another check); are some of the ideas listed. Click here to see the ad. There's also a microsite that integrates content from NationalGeographic.com, Concierge.com and NewYorker.com, bringing the to-do list to life. The Ice Hotel makes me shiver and intrigues me at the same time. TBWA/Chiat/Day created the print ads and AKQA created the Web site.

It's man vs. dolphin in two games promoting the Filet-O-Fish sandwich or the limited edition Double Filet-O-Fish sandwich. Don't get me started on the McDonald's double filet. At least the games are fun. In "Aquatic Tennis," man and dolphin use a Filet-O-Fish as a tennis ball. The dolphin is victorious, but its luck runs out in "Ocean Commotion." The object of the game is to keep your filet balanced on your nose longer than the dolphin. I won this battle. Moroch Partners created the games.

Cambridge Savings Bank launched a print campaign that screams, "We know our clients' businesses intimately." The ads portray the bank as uber-dedicated to tailoring a service plan to individual customers, so much so that they send employees into the trenches of their clients' workplace. One ad shows a woman getting her hands and suit dirty making pizza, and another features an eager-to-assist banker handing scissors to a surgeon. Click here and here to see the ads. The ads ran in publications such as Boston Business Journal and Lawyers Weekly. Fort Franklin created the campaign.

Chittenden Bank launched a series of regional ads during the Super Bowl that use stop-motion animation to describe the bank's relationship with quirky Vermont businesses. "Where does the best music come from?" profiles Advance Music, a store for music novices and legends. Watch the ad here. "Homemade Chef. Homemade Oven" describes the humble beginning of pizza business American Flatbread, a company supported by Chittenden from the start. Click here to watch the ad. "A Perfect Fit" features the story of two New York City transplants growing their burgeoning children's clothing store, Zutano. Click here to watch.Kelliher Samets Volk created the campaign and handled the media buying, while Imaginary Forces handled the design and production.

UCLA launched a TV and print campaign touting its numerous athletic accomplishments: 99, to be exact. "Trophy" launched Feb. 22 and shows that trophies can be made anywhere, but the making of champions is a less common feat. The spot uses the new tag line, "Champions Made Here." Click here to watch the ad. The print ad "99" is a compilation of winning jerseys. Look closely for Troy Aikman's college jersey. Click here to see the ad.RPA created the pro bono campaign.

Sharp AQUOS launched an advertorial featuring designer Jonathan Adler. Known for his colorful approach to home decorating, Adler peddles the AQUOS for its space-saving ability... and sharp colors. The advertorial debuts in the March 11 issue of the New York Times Magazine. See the ad here. The ad will also appear in issues of Dwell, Elle Décor and Met Home later this year. Colby & Partners handled all aspects of the campaign.