Out to Launch
Wednesday, January 18, 2006
Dr. Phil finds his match online. Middle-aged women go to college. Finn the goldfish is back. Let's launch!
  • Dr. Phil finds his match online. Middle-aged women go to college. Finn the goldfish is back. Let's launch!

    The Food Network has launched four TV spots promoting its new show "Ham on the Street." "Wiseguys," "Break Down," "Bus," and "Welder" show Ham, aka chef George Duran, preparing food using some everyday appliances in unconventional ways. One spot shows a welder putting the finishing touches on Ham's crème brulee; another spot shows mobsters tenderizing meat; Ham even uses an overheated car as a way to boil lobster. The ads are running on Food Network, DIY, and HGTV. filter created the campaign.

    Ever wonder what it'd be like if your mom dropped everything and went off to college... and lived on campus? Me either, but Oxygen's campaign revolving around this premise has piqued my interest. Oxygen broke its $8 million campaign to support Campus Ladies on January 1, using TV, radio, print, online, outdoor and guerilla components. TV spots feature a group of middle-aged women cheering about what's it like to be over 40--they have hot flashes, sagging boobs, constipation and experience... if you know what I mean. Outdoor ads in New York and Los Angeles feature a 3D bra, belonging to a middle-aged woman, slung over the billboard. Bus sides feature comments from "critics" applauding the show with endorsements such as, "An inspiring tale of two women"--who are doing keg stands. Print ads are running in People, InTouch, US Weekly, TV Guide and Entertainment Weekly. Online ads appear on AOL, Yahoo!, and E! Online. And I can't forget the Campus Ladies branded toilet paper that's making the rounds in Manhattan bars. Toy NY created the campaign.

    Pepperidge Farm Goldfish has launched its latest campaign featuring the animated goldfish "Finn," and three new friends: Gilbert, Brooke and X-treme. The four spots follow the four friends, each one with a different flavor and personality. "Is Finn an Irish name?" asks one of the goldfish. "No, it's Cheddar," Finn responds. The 60-second ad, "Leaving Home," shows how Finn meets the new characters. He decides to "think outside the bag," and leaves home to find friends from different walks of life (the snack bowl, plastic baggie). Three 30-second spots show the four Goldfish cracker characters in various situations. "Slumber Party" shows Finn telling a scary story at a slumber party about crackers... that are square and flat! That spot ends with Gilbert saying to himself, "there's no such thing as square crackers," over and over. The ads are running on Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network. Y&R New York created the campaign.

    Match.com has launched a campaign to support MindFindBind, an online program created in partnership with Dr. Phil. The tagline of the campaign is "Match.com will show you who. Dr. Phil will show you how." The TV campaign launched on Jan. 15 during ABC's "Desperate Housewives" and will air during prime-time shows including "CSI," "How I Met Your Mother," and "Lost." The print work debuts in the Jan. 30 issue of People magazine and will run for three consecutive weeks. The ad features a photo mosaic of Dr. Phil comprised of headshots of single people, representing the 15 million members of Match.com. Three 30-second radio spots, "Dating World," "Help" and "Attitude," focus on the benefits of the Match.com and Dr. Phil partnership. Hanft Raboy and Partners created the campaign.

    Neiman Group has launched an integrated campaign for Sheetz convenience stores. The chain has more than 300 locations throughout Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Maryland, Virginia, Ohio and North Carolina. "Every Day Rocks" targets 16- to 25-year-olds with an edgy vibe to keep the youth interested. The campaign consists of wild postings, billboards and a newly launched Web site. Everydayrocks.com features web trailers, ring tones, podcasts and online virals that follow up and coming bands. Outdoor and POP ads feature codes that can be entered online for a chance to win free food, Sheetz coupons, iPod Nanos or an Xbox 360. The campaign is currently live in Pennsylvania, and launches on April 1 in the remaining markets.

    Following a two-year hiatus from TV advertising, AND1 Basketball, a basketball footwear and apparel manufacturer, has returned to TV with a campaign featuring streetball players from its Mix Tape entertainment property and with NBA player Marcus Camby. "Streetballers" and "Label" are both black and white ads, save for the red sneakers and the red wall behind the basketball hoop. "Label" is the more serious of the ads, featuring Camby talking about the public's opinion of his career. The ads are running on ESPN, ESPN2, TNT, ABC and MTV2. Ammirati created the campaign. Follow the link to view both ads.

    Phoenix Suns forward Brian Grant stars in a PSA for the Men's Anti-violence Network, a group of business and community leaders dedicated to stopping domestic violence. The black and white ad discusses the difference between the roughness in a basketball game and that in a domestic violence situation. "A lot happens in a game," Grant says at basketball practice. "It's intense." Grant then walks up to the camera and smacks it with the palm of his hand, causing it to shake and blur. "When a player does it during a game, he gets a technical," says Grant. "But when an abuser does it, they're just getting started. Now you see why we've got to put an end to domestic violence." The spot concludes with contact information for the Men's Anti-violence Network. Cramer-Krasselt created the campaign and audioEngine provided sound design. The spot runs through April.

    This week's Web site launches are all business.

    Nationwide has relaunched its consumer Web site. The redesign is the first phase of a multi-year overhaul. The home page includes resources and articles related to life-changing events such as retirement, marriage, having children, graduating, changing a job or pursuing a dream.  Visitors can take an online tour by clicking on a link on the homepage. New features added are enhanced privacy protections, easier navigation and increased accessibility.

    CNN is launching a Web site at the end of the week to educate prospective clients about direct response advertising. This big media kit allows clients to determine the best outlet to reach their target audience by featuring programming clips, ad samples, CNN programming highlights, audience profiles and ratings information. The site also contains a "community" page that describes how direct response advertising can build brand awareness, along with a list of upcoming industry events.