Out to Launch
Wednesday, June 24, 2015
Valspar brings color to the colorblind. LG creates a leather print ad. Let's launch!
  • Geico has launched its third "It's What You Do" ad, and this one has a torture scene that begins like an episode of "Game of Thrones" -- but it's really more "Princess Bride." A king hurries to his dungeon for an update on a prisoner who's strapped to a table, being tortured for information. The king's minions claim they will soon break the prisoner and learn his secrets. When the king leaves, the table flips down and the minions resume their game of ping-pong, using the prisoner as a net. "If your boss stops by, you act like you're working. It's what you do," closes the ad, seen here. The Martin Agency created the campaign.

  • Don't drink this beer in the shower; lather your hair instead. Carlsberg Laboratories, the research and development arm of Carlsberg Breweries, teamed up with cosmetics producer Urtegaarden, to create a series of male grooming products made from Carlsberg beer. Ingredients in beer, like barley, hops and yeast, are rich in vitamin B, which is found in many skin and hair products. Carlsberg beer is frozen in liquid nitrogen and added to custom lotions, shampoos and conditioners. Watch a video on making the beauty products here and buy merchandise here. CP+B Copenhagen created the campaign.

  • How much did this media buy cost? To promote its G4 phone, which is encased in leather, LG ran a print ad in a limited edition of SvD/Perfect Guide, a luxury weekend magazine based in Stockholm, that was made of all leather. I can't be the only person who loves the smell of a new car, but new-phone smell isn't doing it for me. And cleaning this case sounds like more of a hassle. Still, the "Smell The Difference" print ad lets users enjoy the smell and touch of leather. Think of it as a less invasive perfume ad. I'd be the person getting as many copies of the SvD/Perfect Guide so I could make something nice from all that leather. See a video of the ad here, created by M&C Saatchi Stockholm.

  • Ihave my eye on the Bocce set and pogo stick. Skittles launched a campaign that rewards fans of the brand who have a large social media presence. Every week until Aug. 6, five different and unique Skittles-branded collectibles will be up for grabs. If you see something you like, simply log in with your Facebook account to like it. The person with the most likes on a shared item wins the prize. No need to dole out money, just use the currency of oversharing and have your pals like your coveted collectible. This week, users can win a canvas painting, soccer ball, headphones, vase or an acoustic guitar. In the upcoming weeks, look for a beanbag chair, snowboard, mini trampoline, yo-yo and turntable, among other quirky items. Check out the site here, created by BBDO Toronto.

  • Valspar launched a wonderful video, free of branding, that brings color to the lives of people who are color blind. "Color for the Colorblind" interviews a group of color blind adults who candidly describe the things they wish they could see. Valspar partnered with EnChroma, and the company created glasses that enables color-blind people to see the full spectrum of colors. It's so touching to see the adults see full color for the first time. One man was able to see his child's colorful drawings and experience the beauty of a sunset. See it here. The glasses cost $400, but Valspar is giving away glasses to some folks who share their story at ValsparColorForAll.com, using the hashtag #ColorForAll. Watch the video here, created by FCB Chicago.

  • S7 Airlines, a Russian-based carrier, launched a 2:30 video illustrating that the airline can fly to numerous locations, even places found in dreams. The airline asked a group of kids if they could go to one place, what would it look like. The children longed for a world with spaceships, dragons, mermaids, an underground world  -- and chocolate, lots of chocolate. One girl was asked if this "world" existed and the child replied: "Not on this planet." The remaining half of the video follows the airline as it finds every fantastical image the children dreamed of throughout the world. The best part is, the imagery is synced with the children's voices, making dreams a reality. I need to find where the chocolate lakes exist and get there, stat. The video concludes with a list of cities the airline travels to and the tagline: "Fly to any place you can imagine." See it here, created by Wieden+Kennedy Amsterdam.

  • Sony launched a futuristic TV campaign for its PlayStation Vue, a cloud-based TV service that launched earlier this year in select markets. A 60-second TV spot, "Wouldn't You," highlights potential futuristic gadgets that we wish existed because we'd use them frequently. Like a button that can turn back time or a force field that protects regular folks from phone zombies (people always walking with their heads down and not paying attention to life). If these were more than a science fiction fantasy. The last futuristic item shown is the PlayStation Vue. "If you had a TV experience -- better than you ever imagined -- just waiting for you inside your PlayStation, you'd use it, wouldn't you?" asks the handsome star of the ad. "Start Vueing" closes the ad, seen here and created by Johannes Leonardo. Fredrik Bond of MJZ directed the ad.

  • This is not your typical tourism campaign. To draw visitors to Saga City, Japan, Geometry Global Japan and Ogilvy & Mather Japan created "Alien of Ariake," a video that researches the mysterious WRSB, an alien creature that lives in the nearby Ariake Sea. The video begins with a couple finding the skeletal remains of an unknown creature washed ashore. One researcher looks at the skeleton and declares that the creature will eat "everything." Naturally, panic ensues. Visit before it's too late. See the video here.

  • Random Apple Watch App of the week:TV Guide Digital has launched an app for the Apple Watch that provides real-time updates on trending topics and customizable alerts so TV fans won't miss when their favorite show airs live. I love TV, but not to this extent. Users can set up a personalized Watchlist to save and organize favorite shows, sports teams, movies and celebrities and find out where and when to watch them. Download the free app here.