W+K Portland launched a new campaign for Yoplait with a 30-second spot presenting tough guy actor Dominic Purcell as “A Man of Yogurt.”
“You see this look on my face?” asks a scowl-sporting Purcell at the beginning of the ad. “That’s not anger, that’s hunger.” As he picks up a diminutive spoon and package of Yoplait Greek 100, he adds, “So I’m going to have a snack to make me feel better, and once I do you’ll see a look of satisfaction and contentment blossom across my face.”
While the tough guy defying expectations trope is hardly new to advertising, we can’t recall seeing it in this category. That, coupled with Purcell‘s perfectly deadpan delivery, make for an entertaining and memorable spot. It’s certainly a big step up from the agency’s debut work for Yoplait Original back in June. There’s also a second spot, called “Texture” where Purcell describes Yoplait Greek 100 Whips! as “like a little fluffy cloud in my mouth.”
“Where the most fun came in was when you took what makes Yoplait Greek 100 so unique – its great taste, its unique flavors and its light and fluffy texture when it’s whipped – and applied those softer, gentler attributes to our tough guy,” said W+K creative director Karl Lieberman, in a statement. “Suddenly, this man of pure intensity gained a lighter, softer side that made the whole thing pretty funny and interesting in our minds. We talked about various potential ‘tough guys’ for the campaign, but Dominic was inevitable.”
Credits:
W+K PORTLAND
Creative Directors: Karl Lieberman/Eric Baldwin
Copywriter: Shaine Edwards
Art Director: Matt Carroll
Producer: Ben Grylewicz
Strategic Planning: Angela Jones / Carly Presho-Dunne
Media/Comms Planning: Zenith Optimedia and W+K Media
Account Team: Ken Smith/Kelly Quinn
Business Affairs: Anna Beth Nagel
Project Management: Carolyn Domme
Executive Creative Directors: Joe Staples/Mark Fiztloff
Head of Production: Ben Grylewicz
PRODUCTION
Production Company: Anonymous Content
Director: Mark Romanek
Executive Producer: Eric Stern
Line Producer: Paul Ure
Director of Photography: Robert Hardy
EDITORIAL
Editorial Company: Joint Editorial
Editor: Steve Sprinkel
Post Producer: Lauren Pullano
Post Executive Producer: Leslie Carthy
VFX
VFX Company: Joint Editorial
VFX Supervisor: Alex Thiesen
Flame Artist: Pilon Lectez
Titles/Graphics: Joint
MUSIC + SOUND DESIGN
Music+Sound Company: Extreme Music
Sound Designer: Noah Woodburn