by Jonathan Marshall

As we are sitting here creating a full page ad for Vitamin Water for the next issue of College Magazine, we figured it would be a good time for a blog about what they are up to. VitaminWater Revive has paired with Nick Swardson to offer mad tips to survive the NCAA tournament – “Watch as many tournament games as possible in person!” While the team at JTCG are all Nick Swardson fans from movies like “Blades of Glory,” we feel the creative agency really didn’t nail it with this ad.

Big names like VitaminWater have a lot of brand recognition, and when a company has a lot of brand recognition, they like to team up with other big brands or popular events and take advantage of some good ol’ cross-promotional advertising. So its not uncommon for many Creative Agencies to create timelines for their advertising campaigns around nationally-recognized events.

When major brands join forces like this, they can take advantage of one another’s popularity, even if the two don’t necessarily relate to each others product or service- like March Madness for example. Granted- March Madness is for college basketball fanatics (both fans and players), and basketball players are athletes, and athletes drink a lot of VitaminWater, yada yada ya… and the toe bone’s connected to the foot bone, and the foot bone’s connected to the ankle bone, and the ankle bone and so on and so forth… – I get it. But neither March Madness nor the NCAA Tournament is a main focus for VitaminWater during any other month of the year. For big brands, this is time-sensitive creative advertising and yet another effective way to stay in the minds of the consumer by using something that is currently relevant. March Madness is reoccuring yet rare, lasts for an entire month but only that month, and is an overall great opportunity for VitaminWater to latch-on to the coattails of the event and reap the attention it is already receiving.

by Jonathan Marshall

The fragrance of hops and the lightness of froth, for the first time in a gloss. On Valentine’s Day – the gift for her that makes you happy too.

Advertising Agency JWT nailed this concept – “Shining lips, golden highlights and an irresistible taste. For a long-lasting effect- repeat application.

“In this advertising campaign, JWT uses the simple yet comical differences between men and women as the foundation concept for Heineken’s creative advertising. Another good example of this would be their “Walk-in Fridge” spot they made about a year ago, also included below.

Bottomline – according to Heineken, men and women have completely different priorities, and at their most basic of levels, they want different things – a walk-in fridge of Heineken instead of a walk-in closet, and a lip gloss (for their gf) that tastes like Heineken instead of a lip gloss like Pink Whisper or Midnight Mocha Boom…

by Jonathan Marshall

Depending on where you live, yesterday’s Superbowl was more about watching an exciting football game and some great commercials than it was about the Colts vs. the Saints. Nobody in San Diego has really cared for a couple of weeks, although I must say – happy to see ex-Charger Drew Breeze get his first Superbowl.

While there were many memorable, funny and entertaining commercials from yesterday, my favorite was the one with the Green Police, and the Audi A3 TDI clean diesel. Audi recently received Green Car Journals 2010 Green Car of the Year, which provided the creative foundation for their million-dollar-plus Superbowl commercial.

The Audi commercial was clever and sharp on many different levels, and ultimately it probably provoked more than laughs because it dared to satirize what is typically a taboo subject: the environmental movement.

Most would say that is sensitive and unfamiliar ground for an automaker to tread, but Audi – and its advertising agency, Venables Bell & Partners – pulled it off in a skillful and light-hearted manner. Their creative agency convinced them to spend all or most of their Super Bowl budget on an ad campaign that would spoof the same environmental ideas that many Americans are beginning to deal with today: the paper-or-plastic grocery-store guilt and even whether we should be allowed to choose the temperature of our own hot tubs. I would definitely get in trouble for that last one…

Anyway, what was your favorite commercial? And why? Let us know…

by Jonathan Marshall

Maybe it’s because Gordon just got a little french bulldog puppy, or maybe it’s because I think this commercial is pretty funny… maybe it’s both. This TV spot is the first of several spots that advertising agency TBWA/Chiat Day has released for Pedigree’s 2010 advertising campaign. TBWA/Chiat Day is one of the largest, and most internationally-recognized creative agencies in the world.

I had no idea that 4/5 dogs over the age of 3 have gum-disease. I did know that tartar build-up can be a contributing factor, but if your dog uses Dentistix from Pedigree, apparently it won’t be a problem.

Also, props toTBWA for really pulling out the big guns with the David Duchovny voice-over…