Both the Winn-Dixie and BI/LO banners ran a Bacon promotional event. Because, I guess, 100% market saturation isn’t enough. I mean, they’re in the South, where people order a side of bacon with their bacon. Myself included. Anyway, we created a lot of fun print, POS and social elements in this campaign. And had a lot of fun doing it. This tongue-in-cheek execution elevated bacon to its proper station.
Some of the print ads I’ve concepted, written, crafted, and creative directed over the years.
Everybody Loves Bacon Event ad
Bacon Awareness Month
As many as 9 in 10 Americans report that they don’t eat bacon as often as they’d like. This has to stop. At Winn-Dixie, we’re doing our part by offering an entire month of bacon samples, bacon recipes and bacon sales on America’s favorite food. Eating more bacon. It’s the right thing to do.
Mississippi Tourism campaign
A vacation to Mississippi is an easy notion to make fun of — if you assume you know what Mississippi is like. Which a lot of people do. So we flipped the switch and made fun of the things folks tend to make fun of. And in the process showed how cool they actually are. You might’ve seen “How to Eat Grits” in the Communication Arts exhibit section.
How to eat grits and other things you make fun of until you try them.
1. Don’t overthink it. Sometimes it’s called hominy. All you need to know is it comes from corn. And you already eat corn, so don’t worry. There’s not a grit bush. And it’s not some exotic animal part. It’s corn. And it’s good for you. In fact, healthy stuff.
2. Choose the right utensil. The Fork. Not a bad choice, depending on the consistency of your grits. Thick — you’re safe. Watery — you’d be better off with a straw. The Knife. Among the quickest ways to starve to death with a bowl of grits in front of you. The Spoon. Hands down, the utensil of choice for enjoying all varieties of grits.
3. Choose a condiment. a. Butter. The old standard. b. Cheese. Typically cheddar. c. Shrimp and Cheese. Haute cuisine.
4. Utter your phrase of choice to relate the pleasure of the meal. Some good ones are “Mmmmmm,” and “Hey you, get your eyes off my grits!”
5. Now put down that spoonful of grits and pick up the phone! Grits are an excellent source of energy. Which makes them a great choice before a game of golf, a bass-fishing trip, a picnic in the Homochitto National Forest or a re-enactment of the Battle of Champion Hill. All the things you can read about when you call the number below and get your free Mississippi Travel Planner. Call 1-800-WARMEST (927-6378).
How to drink tea and thousands of fun ways to work up a thirst.
After a long day on the Gulf of Mexico, a little iced tea is sure to put the wind back in your sails.
1. Please do: Pour yourself a tall, cool glass from the pitcher.
2. Please do not: Chug from the pitcher, unless you’re in a group of golf buddies and everyone else has just poured themselves a glass.
3. Consider this fact: While most human beings are 90% water, Mississippians are actually 50% water and 40% iced tea—sweet or unsweet. Though we like to think most are sweet.
4. Put your feet up and enjoy!
It cools you down. It picks you up. Iced tea is lightning in a jar. Or glass. Or pitcher. Or whatever you’re drinking from. It has the energy boosting capability of coffee, without any risk of burning your tongue. Iced tea is perfect after a day of antiquing, sunbathing on the beach, touring antebellum mansions or hitting the casinos—all the things you can read about when you call the number below for your free Mississippi Travel Planner. Which, in and of itself, is a great way to sit down and relax with, you guessed it, a tall, cold glass of iced tea. Call 1-800-WARMEST (927-6378).
Iced Tea (A Mississippi recipe)
3/4 cup sugar
1 qt. boiling water
2 lemons, halved
1 tea bag
Mix ingredients, cover and let stand.
How to wage war and make sure no on gets hurt.
1. Remember. Though this is war, no one needs to get hurt. Bring sunscreen, drink plenty of fluids and don’t overexert yourself. Trust us, the same armies that won the battles 135 years ago will win them again today.
2. Facial hair, the Civil War’s secret weapon. Grow sideburns or a handlebar mustache. As a re-enactor in some of our country’s most significant battles, you must look authentic. The integrity of American history lies on your face.
3. Have fun. But at the same time, keep in mind that, though re-enactments are enjoyable, they represent actual occurrences. People fought valiantly on the very ground you tread upon. So take a moment and consider them. Their deeds. Their courage. Their sacrifice. And visit them, thankful that we live in a country where you can.
4. A good soldier is a prompt soldier! The best way to ensure you get to the battlefield on time is to call the number below for your free Mississippi Travel Planner. It has a great Civil War section with all the wheres and whens of such re-enactments as the Siege of Vicksburg, the Battle of Champion Hill and the Battle of Corinth. No soldier is complete without one. Call 1-800-WARMEST (927-6378).
Score your Facial Hair (inset)
Mustache … 5 pts
Handlebar Mustache … 35 pts
Beard … 10 pts
Beard (longer than 6”) … 75 pts
Goatee … 15 pts
Sideburns … 25 pts
Sideburns (hair longer than 1”) … 50 pts
Sideburns/Mustache Combination … 75 pts
Catlin Seaview Survey campaign
More than the largest syndicate in Lloyd’s of London, Catlin is a rare example of a huge company that actually has a soul. Beginning in 2013, the insurance/reinsurance giant sponsored and fully funded the most ambitious study ever of the Earth’s coral reefs—a bellwether for the health of the oceans and entire planet. And they’re making all the critical research and findings available to everyone. Totally free. It’s just too important not to. But not so much that insurance brokers reading a niche industry pub are going to care. Unless you make it relevant to them and their clients.
The changes we’re discovering to the ocean’s coral reefs could affect unexpected places.
Catlin is investing in coral reef research to gain a deeper understanding about the future of risk in industries that are important to you and your clients. Ongoing changes to the ocean environment could affect millions of people, our financial markets and many of the risks we underwrite. Now, in our third year, the Catlin Seaview Survey is focusing on South East Asia to further study coral reef health—a key indicator of these changes.
The changes we’re discovering to the ocean’s coral reefs could affect unexpected places.
Catlin is investing in coral reef research to gain a deeper understanding about the future of risk in industries that are important to you and your clients. Ongoing changes to the ocean environment could affect millions of people and many of the risks we insure. Now, in our third year of research, the Catlin Seaview Survey is continuing on in its study of coral reef health, which is just one of the key indications of these changes.
Bosch VitaFresh campagin
This was one of three campaigns we presented when pitching the Bosch appliance business—which we won. Then something interesting happened. The client took the work back to Bosch headquarters in Germany. No biggie. Just keeping the mothership in the know. Happens all the time. What doesn’t usually go down, though, is another agency producing the campaign for the European market, verbatim, without telling the agency back in the States. But that’s what they did.
Chrysler "House of Blues" campaign
When the California Chrysler Dealer Association ran a promotion at the local House of Blues, we merged the Chrysler products with a Howard Finster art style to fit in with the motif of the venue. If you know Finster’s work, you know how wild, cool, rambling the “sermons” are that he wrote on his paintings. Mimicking his “illogical/logical” voice was a blast. This was really, really fun copy to write.
300C is the car with two V8 engines that do two different things even without stopping. One engine is fast and one engine is smart. Both make their residence under the hood but when you open it you can only see one of the engines. Which one you see depends on what your heart tells your eyes to see. Some see the HEMI V8 with 340 horses to go nice and fast. The engine for outrunning things in the road you want to get by safe or not have catch up to you. Some see the V8 engine that sips gasoline like it only has four cylinders. The engine that uses less gas. It isn’t magic but it’s a magical car. The 300C a work of inspiration by Chrysler, Detroit Michigan U.S.A.
Crossfire is a car that hurts peoples eyes and makes them need special glasses because people want to look at the Crossfire but they cannot see it real good because it goes by them 150 miles per hour. It is hard to see things that go by 150 miles per hour. Even when you know they are coming before they even get to where you are waiting for them. You can look at Crossfire good if you are right beside it going 150 miles per hour next to it. But to go 150 miles per hour you would be in a Crossfire next to the Crossfire you want to look at and there is a better way to see it than this. You can park the Crossfire you are in and get out and look at it because the Crossfire looks just as good parked as it does when you are going 150 miles per hour. You will see. Crossfire 150 miles per hour by Chrysler maker of billions of works of inspiration at Detroit in America.
Daddy-O's "Non-Coupon, Coupon" campaign
The client expected typical bag-stuffer retail coupons. Not talk of spitballs and people eating Milkbones. But boring coupons didn’t jive with the “anti-advertising,” punk attitude strategy we had developed: “The food is so cheap we don’t have money for slick advertising.” So I turned these “coupons” – with no actual offers – into brand statements. And national ADDY finalists. (Yes, the reproduction value sucks. Forgive me Father, for I have sinned …)
