Creative Briefs

Time to Eat the Donuts As it did with Fred the Baker, Dunkin' Donuts is again touting working stiffs. This time, they're the customers. In 1982, Fred first uttered his sleepy refrain "Time to make the donuts" in ads from Ally & Gargano, New York, led by creative director Ron Berger, now a partner and CD at Messner Vetere Berger McNamee Schmetterer/Euro RSCG. The chain estimates that Michael Vale played Fred in some 200 spots before switching to a public relations role in 1997 as the "Dunkin' Diplomat." Ads breaking next month from Hill, Holliday, Connors, Cosmopulos, Boston, urge harried consumers to "loosen up." One man removes his toupee during a coffee break; another licks jelly off his tie. The humor is intended to "delve deeper into the human condition" than previous slapstick ads, says agency partner Tim Foley. Actors Rally at Convention Capitalizing on the buzz at the Demo cratic National Conven tion, SAG/AFTRA ran an ad in the Los Angeles Times last week criticizing AT&T for not signing a contract with the unions. The full-page ad in the special convention section labeled AT&T as "unfair to working actors" and made a special reference to online advertising—one of the strike's points of contention. "AT&T is one of the prime sponsors of the convention. We want them to make the right choice," says SAG spokesman Greg Krizman. Burke Stinson, a spokesman for AT&T, Basking Ridge, N.J., was aware of the ad but had not seen it. The company, which belongs to the Association of National Advertisers, prefers to stay neutral regarding the strike, Stinson says. "For us to sign an agreement with one side or the other does not help the negotiators," he says.SAG/AFTRA also distributed leaflets at AT&T's convention reception for Gov. Gray Davis at Spago and held a candlelight vigil outside the Shrine Auditorium. Actors Rally at Convention HotlineCross-Training With Adidas Adidas takes a look at Olympic sportsthat are outside its line of products in two new 60-second TV spots from 180. The ads feature Olympians from other sports trying their hand as equestrians and sailors, with humorous results. In the first spot, shot in Spain and set to the tune of "Chili Sauce" by Louis Prima, they saddle up horses and jump obstacles. In the second, shot in Florida, they haul and rig boats to the ditty "How Beautiful Could a Being Be" by Caetano Veloso. Among the 22 athletes are British heptathlete Denise Lewis and Trinidadian sprinter Ato Boldon. The tagline, "Forever sport," remains. The spots break today on ESPN in the U.S. and will air in over 40 countries. This is the second Adidas work from 180, Amsterdam, Netherlands. Client PR manager Tom Kennedy says 180 was given the project over Adidas' U.S. creative shop, San Francisco's Leagas Delaney, because the latter was busy developing ads for the Euro 2000 soccer tournament, held earlier this summer. Remembrance Memorial services for Jhoan Camitz, 38, were held in his native Sweden last week. Sam Walsh, general manager of Propaganda/Satellite Films, Camitz's U.S. rep since 1998, says the company is planning an event in September in memory of the award-winning director and "dear member of our family." Camitz directed Nike's "What are you getting ready for?" campaign, which won awards including Lions, Clios and D&AD Pencils. He also helmed spots for brands such as Volkswagen, Diesel and Orangina. His most recent ads were for MarchFIRST, featuring peoples' reactions to famous firsts, including Cubism and the miniskirt. Camitz was killed earlier this month when he was struck by an out-of-control vehicle in New York's SoHo district. Crosscuts No occasion is too small for Gardetto's Snacks, suggest two spots that broke last week from Campbell Mithun, Minneapolis. In one, a young man in a doctor's office accompanies Strauss' "Blue Danube" with his own "hand music"—in flatulent-like tones—and celebrates with a bag of Gardetto's. "Why wait for special occasions?" a voice over asks. ... Lowe Lintas & Partners' first TV work for 3Com pokes fun at the pitfalls of office and home life. One spot, set in an office, shows a woman cringing as a man behind her deeply inhales nose spray. "Wireless network, anyone?" screen copy asks, as a voiceover explains, "3Com lets you get up, work wherever you want and stay connected to the network." The tagline is, "Simple sets you free." The $100 million campaign, which also includes print ads, broke this month. ... D'Arcy Masius Benton & Bowles, St. Louis, continues its otherworldly approach to Skittles candy with in-cinema spots that broke this month, to be followed by a TV spot in early September. In the first line extension for the brand in 10 years, M&M/Mars has launched Sour Skittles. The 30-second spot shows a tree that magically blooms and bears fruit in the form of Sour Skittles. Bob Gamgort, M&M/Mars marketing vp, says the mystical element of the campaign has been a success. "You don't want to walk away from a brand campaign that works so well," he says.

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