What’s in a name?
That’s what Fairfield, CT-based creative shop Smartfish Group wants to find out in a new effort for Vermont Hard Cider Company’s Woodchuck Hard Cider line.
The agency, with the help of Caviar Content Director Nick Jasenovec, serves up two different and equally silly theories on how Woodchuck got its name in these :45 ads.
Smartfish Group has found a peculiar way to promote the cider brand’s “authenticity” by conveying these “theories” as tall tales shared by pub pals eager to weigh in on subjects like time travel, a terrible original name and the Woodchuck mascot.
In a statement, Vermont Hard Cider marketing director Bridget Blacklock explains:
“As the pioneer in the US Cider category, we felt it was time for us to reestablish our voice and our positioning with today’s cider consumers. Authenticity matters greatly with our target audience and it was time to shine a light on who we truly are, which makes us unique among many of the cider brands that are out there today. Our friends at Smartfish found a funny and memorable way to highlight our authenticity credentials.”
The Woodchuck campaign from Smartfish–which has also worked with other alcohol brands like Guinness, Bacardi, Magners and Captain Morgan–will include the ads above and below in addition to digital banners, audio and terrestrial radio spanning markets from Austin and Phoenix to Minneapolis and Hartford.
Advertising Agency: Smartfish, USA
Managing Partner: Christian McMahan
Creative Directors: Andy Currie, Lee Seidenberg
Executive Producer: Sherry Lubbers
Production Company: Caviar Content, Los Angeles
Director: Nick Jasenovec
DP: Sean Stiegemeier
EP: Darren Foldes
Line Producer: Eric Escott
Woodchuck Puppet Creators: Alterian, Inc.
Puppeteers: Peter Chevako, Lilo Tauvao
Post Production: Caviar Content Post Production
Editor: Ryan Brown
Editorial Executive Producer: Terry Huynh
Editorial Producer: Amber Ventris