Client: Seattletimes.com, Seattle
Agency: McCann-Erickson, Seattle
Creative Director: Jim Walker
Copywriter: Jennie Meyer
Art Director: Zach Hitner
Planning Director: Ed Cotton
McCann-Erickson tries to dispel the notion that The Seattle Times' Web site is little more than an online version of the newspaper in new ads breaking this week. The shop has developed outdoor, print and transit ads that position the site as a value-added resource familiar with the nuances of Seattle living. The work follows newspaper ads placed earlier this year that familiarized consumers with the site.
"We want to tell consumers that for any information about this area, this is the place to go," said Jim Walker, agency managing/creative director and executive vice president.
The ads use colorful photos of people in various Seattle settings. One outdoor execution, touting the site's restaurant reviews, couples an image of a woman eating with the headline, "Don't eat the duck." The work will run in various Washington markets through the end of the year and may extend through the first quarter. --Angela Dawson
Client: Giant Bicycles, Rancho Dominguez, Calif.
Agency: Hammerquist & Halverson, Seattle
Creative Director: Fred Hammerquist
Copywriter: Matt McCain
Art Director: Mike Proctor
Photographer: Lynn Sugarman
Giant Bicycles' new "Ticket to Ride" ads liken the experience of bike riding to going on an amusement park ride.
"Sometimes you want to scare ... yourself; sometimes you want to take it easy, just enjoy the ride," said Fred Hammerquist, agency principal and creative director.
One colorful consumer ad for Giant's new XtC series, dual-suspension cross-country race bike shows a cyclist headed toward a tunnel called "Belly of the Beast." Copy suggests the bike is built for "thrill-seekers only."
A second ad, geared toward bicycle dealers, shows cute cartoon animals that might be found in an Old West-style theme park. The ad supports the introduction of the Giant/Eddie Bauer series touring bike. "Rock steady, yet oh so comfortable, they're designed for putting a healthy cloud of dust between your customer and the entirely too civilized world.
The ads will run in bike enthusiast and trade publications through the end of the year, and will be followed by new executions. --Angela Dawson
Client: Fireman's Fund Corp., Novato, Calif.
Agency: Katsin/Loeb Advertising, San Francisco
Creative Directors: Jef Loeb, Carlton Taylor
Art Director: Allison Burton
Copywriter: Jon Dietrich
Production Company: RSA, Los Angeles
Director: Marcus Nispel
Katsin/Loeb compares life to an unpredictable and worrisome tornado watch in a new TV campaign for Fireman's Fund. The estimated $3-5 million effort, which broke in several markets nationwide last week, is the client's first major campaign in nearly a decade.
The 30-second launch spot features a giant middle-aged man sitting atop a Victorian-style house. The sky grows menacingly dark, and the wind blows leaves around the man, who is staring up confidently at the sky. The voiceover says, "Life is a tornado watch. You can hunker down in the basement, or get up on the roof and yell, 'I knew you were coming! That's why I didn't rake the leaves!'" The tagline is, "License to get on with it."
"We've created a campaign that encourages audiences to rethink insurance--that lets them know how Fireman's Fund's products can help them actualize their goals in a concrete way," said agency creative director Jef Loeb.
Colorful "painted" print ads, which are more product-specific, break in November in support of the effort. They are planned to extend into 1999.
--Jane Irene Kelly