FCB Chicago and Blue Bunny’s Uncanny Valley Mascot May Have Stolen Your Pants

By Patrick Coffee 

When FCB Chicago beat out four other agencies to score the Blue Bunny account in December, we wondered: what more can one possibly do to promote the undeniable joy that is quality ice cream?

An animated rabbit with attitude.

Debut effort “Give in to the Bunny,” which the release tells us is the brand’s first fully integrated campaign, compels you to do just that via the undeniable allure of an azure spokesperson who isn’t afraid to get a little too real.

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For example, he knows you really don’t want to be wearing any pants right now.

And just because he’s not a cat doesn’t mean he can’t be cool.

This dude is the solution to every problem you didn’t know you had.

From FCB Chicago ECD Jon Flannery, who led the project: “Everyone wants to say yes to fun, but we put up a lot of restrictions and conditions around actually doing it. From the beginning, Blu has always been about instigating fun, and by reinventing Blu, we were able to encourage adult consumers to knock down their hang-ups and ‘give in to the bunny.'”

But that’s not all. The campaign also promotes new line Chilly Cow, which is “the first protein packed, lower sugar ice cream to use ultra-filtered milk.” So it’s a light ice cream, but it’s not just any light ice cream.

And don’t call it Skinny.

That one comes with a social component asking influencers and regular Joes to call out friends who need a #PINTervention.

Brand manager Josh Tubbs described the campaign’s tone as “unapologetic” while ECD Lisa Bright said, “Instead of fueling the health craze like the brand’s competitors, we decided to stand out and take a bold, more realistic creative approach by calling out our consumer’s craziest health habits.”

It was a very thorough rebranding, though our favorite part of the whole thing may have been all the YouTube comments demanding to know whether that was Ray Liotta voicing the rabbit. (It wasn’t.)

CREDITS

Blue Bunny: “Give In To The Bunny”

Liz Taylor / Chief Creative Officer
Jon Flannery / EVP Executive Creative Director
Marisa Groenweghe / VP Creative Director
Kathleen Wille / VP Creative Director
Morgan Richter/ Sr. Copywriter
Paige Miller / Sr. Art Director

Will St. Clair / Sr. VP Director of Integrated Production
Jen Passaniti / Senior Producer
Lindsay Tyler / Executive Producer, Social
Jeff Cowie / Director of Business Affairs

Melanie Hellenga / SVP Group Management Director
Tracy Draksler Brown / VP Management Director
Christina Banuelos / Account Supervisor
Stephanie Calderon / Account Executive

Katie Lowman / VP Strategic Planning Director
Joanna Moy / Strategic Planning Director

Joe Brooks / VP Premium Brands
Jamee Pearlstein / Sr. Brand Manager
Liz Croston / Sr. Manager Integrated Field Marketing
Shannon Rodenburg / Associate Brand Manager

Chilly Cow: “Save Yourself From Yourself”

Liz Taylor / Chief Creative Officer
Lisa Bright / Sr. VP Executive Creative Director
Dean Paradise / Creative Director
Bruno Mazzotti / Creative Director
Alice Crippa / Associate Creative Director
Miguel Mayen / Associate Creative Director
Mike Norgard / Copywriter
Dwight Williams / Art Director
Victoria Rosselli / Associate Art Director

Will St. Clair / Sr. VP Director of Integrated Production
Chris Wickman / Executive Producer
Lindsay Tyler / Executive Producer, Social
Justin Casselle / Producer

Melanie Hellenga / SVP, Group Management Director
Tracy Draksler Brown / VP Management Director
Christina Banuelos / Account Supervisor
Julie Rickert / Assistant Account Executive

Katie Lowman / VP Strategic Planning Director
Joanna Moy / Strategic Planning Director

Joe Brooks / VP Premium Brands
Joshua Tubbs / Brand Manager
Shannon Rodenburg / Associate Brand Manager

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