Out to Launch
- by Lindsey Fadner , August 29, 2002
Zenith Electronics Corporation is kicking off its massive fall advertising campaign with new television commercials designed to help position Zenith as "the ultimate authority" in digital high-definition television (HDTV). The new 30- and 15-second spots, which will debut on Sept. 1, capture experience of HDTV, which Zenith pioneered. The commercials, along with a comprehensive consumer and trade print campaign, are the major part of a $30-million-plus marketing effort. Produced by Zenith and its New York-based ad agency Avrett Free & Ginsberg, the new commercials coincide with the September premieres of fall network TV programming -- much of which is now available nationwide in HDTV.
Lugz Footwear this week breaks a national TV and print campaign, per the Interpublic Group of Cos.' Avrett, Free and Ginsberg, New York. The ads will run through September on MTV, BET, WWE, Much Music, "Mad TV," Jerry Springer and others. Print will appear in Source, Vibe, Maxim, ESPN, Spin, XXL, Slam, FHM, Lowrider, Mass Appeal, URB, Urban Latino, Strength and Stance. The campaign, called "The Arrow", features three animated characters that breakdance through urban settings to the beats of track created exclusively for Lugz by DJ Funkmaster Flex. Each character has its own breakdancing style and a pair of Lugz shoes. While the characters navigate through the ad, a black 3D graffiti arrow simultaneously follows their graceful moves. The arrow darts around spinning legs, is captured by one character's cupped hands, and is propelled on to the next scene by the Lugz on his feet.
Bugle Boy Industries' Bugle Boy jeans has launched a $5 million campaign via agency Gigante Vaz Partners, Inc., New York, which includes TV spots showing a dog's attraction to the leg of a boy wearing the jeans. In one spot, the boy is waiting at a Department of Motor Vehicles when a Jack Russell Terrier approaches and rubs against the Bugle Boy clad pants leg. In a second, the terrier chases the boy in a parking lot.
Also out with a TV and print push is mavi Jeans. In a campaign from San Francisco shop Leagas Delaney, mavi emphasizes four letter words, such as legs and hips with a tag line: mavifits. In one spot, running on MTV and MTV2 in the U.S. and MuchMusic in Canada, teens taking over a home tug a woman wearing the low rise jeans into a bathtub where a number of partygoers have congregated as they soak each other. Mavi print will run in YM, Teen People, Jane, Interview, Blackbook and Wallpaper magazines as well as Elle Quebec, Norway and Sweeden.
Saks Fifth Avenue is launching a new integrated campaign around the tag, "Make it your own." The effort, which includes print in magazines and newspapers, radio and in-store, is expected to run for several years. Ads break in September issues of Vogue, Vanity Fair, Architectural Digest, House & Garden, Gourmet, Grace and others. Budget was not disclosed, and agency is in-house. "Make it your own" is the result of focus group studies that indicated it resonated with the store's customers. "They feel very proprietary about Saks Fifth Avenue," said a company spokesperson. "They truly believe it is 'their' store. "Creative focuses on a mix of merchandise rather than a single designer. Copy is lighthearted and sophisticated with lines such as, "My psychic said I see Saks in your future" and "Saks lets me play dress up whenever I want."
KFC Canada this week will launch a nationwide campaign in which Colonel Sanders returns to celebrate the brand's history. KFC Canada's "Heritage Days" effort will include TV, print, radio and POP that will incorporate packaging and pricing from the 1950s. Colonel Sanders has not been used in KFC Canada advertising since the 1970s. The effort, per Ogilvy & Mather Toronto, will run through Oct. 6. A TV spot, "Dream," uses original 1970s ad footage featuring the Colonel and a group of KFC employees singing and dancing to the "Colonel's Boys" song, a jingle that KFC used in its advertising throughout the '60s and '70s. A modern scene is then integrated into the spot in which a KFC customer in 2002 dreams that he has become one of the "Colonel's Boys" in the song-and-dance routine. The spot will run in 30- and 60-second versions.
The next time you look up in the sky your eyes may suddenly focus on a new and unusual sight -- a low-flying mini-airship created by SkyMedia Airships, Inc. (www.skymediaairships.com) to take aerial advertising to new heights. Greater San Diego merchants soon will be among the first nationwide to be able to display their promotional messages day or night, in the form of banner ads, commercials, or full color video presentations. They'll be seen on 30-by-60 foot display areas on both sides of the new 144-foot long airships, built to fly at altitudes of 500 to 1,000 feet and at speeds of 35 mph. messages can be purchased in 15 to 60 second segments, and be digitally programmable by the airship's ground controllers. SkyMedia Airships hopes to have its first and perhaps second airship ready to be visible to attendees at the next Superbowl in San Diego's Jack Murphy Stadium, as well as to hundreds of millions of others worldwide who'll be tuned into the premier event. To date, without any advertising of its own, SkyMedia has received more than 300 inquiries from companies in 35 countries, all of them interested in taking their messages to the air via SkyMedia's pioneering airships.
Under Armour Performance Apparel will launch its first national TV ad on Aug. 31. The 30-second spot will debut on ABC's Kickoff Classic during the college football game between Maryland and Notre Dame. Creative was developed by Under Armour owner and founder Kevin Plank and Producers Video of Baltimore, MD. Under Armour is a collection of moisture-wicking microfiber apparel that pulls moisture away from the skin to keep athletes cool and dry during workouts. The line includes apparel for all seasons and climates. The commercial is set to a re-mixed version of Iron Butterfly's classic song, "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida," and climaxes with Ogbogu power lifting 364 pounds. The words Lighter, Faster, Stronger and Better appear on the screen throughout the spot.
MetroPCS, a wireless service provider offering unlimited, anytime local calls for $35 per month with no contract, will roll out new general market and Hispanic advertising campaigns on September 2. These campaigns will mark the company's first venture into television advertising. The new ads deliver the message that wireless service should be priced by the month, not by the minute, and extend the "no nonsense" appeal of MetroPCS' offer within its core markets of Miami, Atlanta and Sacramento. MetroPCS worked with Dallas-based advertising agency The Richards Group and Seal Beach, Calif.-based Grupo Gallegos to develop the media strategy and creative concepts for the advertisements. The campaign is closely tied in with an integrated marketing and public relations program supported by Edelman.
On Tuesday, Sept. 3rd, Eddie Bauer will launch the interactive media portion of their multi-million dollar integrated, multi-media fall branding campaign. The campaign runs through September. Interactive agency Avenue A developed the marketing strategy for Eddie Bauer’s online campaign including the media buying, planning and execution. Through exclusive, distinctive home page placement on some of the Web’s highest trafficked sites, Internet users will be the first to be introduced to Eddie Bauer’s new washable suede product line, “Seattle Suede." Using an innovative rich media campaign to introduce its new washable "Seattle Suede," Eddie Bauer will dominate web sites Ask Jeeves, Weather.com, About.com, Excite and iWon.com. The unique online strategy is aimed at re-establishing the company's market position as the leading player of outdoor-inspired apparel.
And finally: Finale Dessert Company has launched www.finaledesserts.com. In a clean and simple way, the new website features photographs of desserts, sample menus, restaurant hours, reservations policy, directions, the story of Finale, awards and a way to get in touch with them. IdentityOne (www.identityone.com) of Boston developed and designed the site.
-- This newsletter is compiled weekly by MediaPost staff writer Lindsey Fadner. Past issues are archived at the MediaPost website. Your comments, questions and submissions are always welcome and appreciated.
