Boru Vodka Unveils 'Reclaim the Spirit' Marketing Campaign
Castle Brands' flagship product, Boru® Vodka, kicked off its "Reclaim the Spirit" US marketing campaign. The idea behind the campaign suggests that vodka should be pure. Boru's honesty and lack of pretense rise above vodka offerings that rely solely on image.
"Fight and Defend" is the approach Boru has taken on the visual executions of the campaign. The marketing campaign began with trade advertising and the new brand website. Point-of-sale materials also bring the "Reclaim the Spirit" theme to life.
Martha Stewart Crafts Line Launches
Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia is launching the Martha Stewart Crafts(TM) line debuting this May. The line features more than 650 SKUs, including a wide array of materials for paper crafting and scrapbooking, with exclusive paper designs, beautiful embellishments, smartly designed tools every crafter needs, as well as convenient binders and storage systems that help keep everything organized. Debuting exclusively at more than 900 Michaels stores in the U.S. and Canada, the Martha Stewart Crafts line will be a complete crafts destination, including products, inspiration, and educational materials, all arranged to create a "store-within-a-store" feel.
Minute Maid Debuts Enhanced Juice Line
Minute Maid is offering a new line of 100 percent orange juice products with health benefits from added nutrients and functional ingredients. The Minute Maid Enhanced Juice line includes new Minute Maid Multi-Vitamin and Minute Maid Active™ -- as well as new packaging for Minute Maid Heart Wise®. All three products are available now in stores nationwide. Responding to the needs of the health-conscious shopper, the Minute Maid Enhanced Juice line provides consumers with functional benefits: Minute Maid Multi-Vitamin contains 16 essential vitamins and minerals; With 750 mg of Glucosamine HCl per 8 fl. oz. serving, Minute Maid Active helps support healthy joints; and Minute Maid Heart Wise is the first and only orange juice clinically proven to help reduce cholesterol.
Tarpon Spoon, New Florida Brew, Offered By Anheuser-Busch
Just in time for peak tarpon fishing season, Anheuser-Busch is introducing Tarpon Spoon, an all-malt, Bohemian pilsner named after the famed sea icon and brewed exclusively for Floridians. Available on draught in select bars and restaurants, Tarpon Spoon is characterized by its classic toasted malt flavors, which are balanced by its complex blend of spicy, citrus and floral Saaz hop aromas.
This specialty beer was crafted by a small, hand-picked group of beer experts at Anheuser-Busch's Jacksonville, Fla., brewery. The group chose the beer style, created the recipe and selected Tarpon Spoon's name and tap marker design. The beer's unique tap marker, designed to lure local beer lovers looking to try a new and different style of brew, features the tarpon fish and highlights the shiny spoon portion of the lure -- the piece that tempts the fish into biting.
Boots, Leading U.K. Healthy & Beauty Brand, Displayed In U.S. Target & CVS Stores
Boots, the legendary U.K. health and beauty expert, is expanding its presence in North America. The incredibly popular British brand will significantly increase distribution of their acclaimed beauty products at Target and CVS stores in the U.S. and Shopper's Drug Marts throughout Canada this spring.
The launch will include five proprietary ranges: The enormously successful No7 - Britain's best-selling cosmetic and skincare brand; Botanics cosmetics, skin, bath and body care, created using plant extracts at levels that really work, and developed in conjunction with the Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew, London; Time Dimensions, an easy-to-understand anti-aging skincare system, created by Boots skincare specialists for proven results; Mediterranean bath and body care, inspired by the nature and lifestyle of the region, and containing wholesome, organic ingredients including almond and olive oils, citrus fruits and fragrant herbs and Feel the Difference, a range of supplements and vitamin plans to cleanse, purify and revive your body and skin from the inside out.
"Boots prides itself on bringing the very best of beauty and health to our customers in a very straightforward way," says CEO of Boots Retail USA, Martin Waters. "We enjoy a tremendous relationship of mutual trust with our customers in the UK, and look forward to developing the same with Target and CVS guests here in the US."
The Boots company was established in England in 1849, and holds a Royal Warrant, a highly distinguished mark of recognition for companies that regularly supply goods to the Royal Family.
Hand Held Products Adds New IK8570 To Line Of Self-Serve Mini-Kiosks
Hand Held Products, a leader in image-based data collection solutions, has added the Image Kiosk(TM) 8570 to its line of self-serve mini-kiosks.
Powered by Adaptus(R) Imaging Technology 5.0 and based on the Microsoft(R) Windows(R) CE 5.0 operating system, the IK8570 enables retailers to assist customers effectively and efficiently by providing them with a range of self- service functionalities, including price checking, product information look- up, and frequent shopper or loyalty program administration.
"Today's customers are busier than ever and demand fast, efficient service. With the Image Kiosk 8570, they can bypass the need to find a store associate and quickly access information through a simple scan or touch of a button," says Jessica Penizotto, Product Manager for the IK8570. "This gives retailers an opportunity to provide an enhanced level of service to their customers in a cost-effective way."
For more information, call Hand Held Products at 1-800-582-4263 or visit
(Web site) www.handheld.com/8570
VACANCY Movie's GlowSkin Billboards Create Illusion For Promotion
GlowSkin™ Active Illumination Technology manufacturer Safe Lites, LLC is using GlowSkin printed illumination to create the feel of a rural motel's neon "vacancy" sign, as part of a marketing campaign for the movie release, VACANCY, starring Luke Wilson and Kate Beckinsale.
"Safe Lites is pleased to be working with Sony Pictures and Universal McCann to introduce a very innovative capability of our GlowSkin systems technology on billboards in New York and Los Angeles," said John T. Golle, Safe Lites founder, Chairman, and CEO. "The new 'flicker' effect we have been able to create is distinctive, memorable and ties in perfectly with the whole theme and promotion of the movie."
GlowSkin is Safe Lites' proprietary specification of industrial-grade electroluminescent (EL) lighting that glows, rather than shines, and is designed to stand up to harsh outdoor conditions while improving visibility. GlowSkin is extremely thin and flexible, requires minimal energy to power it, can be produced in nearly any color, size, or shape, and does not diminish or impair night vision, all features that make it an ideal technology for advertising and promotional applications. For more information about Safe Lites' GlowSkin, visit (Web site) www.safelites.com or call 1-866-206-0566.
CVS/pharmacy Conducts 'Digital Sundays' Workshops For Consumers Nationwide
CVS/pharmacy has launched its first-ever "Digital Sundays" program featuring free digital photography workshops for consumers in every store location with one-hour photo. The national program offers consumers advice on printing digital pictures.
The digital revolution has made it easy for consumers to capture more images, but with so many options available for printing -- online, photo labs and at-home printers -- many consumers are looking to understand how it all works. Starting April 29, 2007, workshops will be held every Sunday from noon until 2:00 p.m. through August 2007.
During the Workshops, participants will explore digital camera quality settings and what to consider when purchasing media cards, batteries and storage. Digital Experts will teach basic editing skills and provide hands-on instruction using the Digital Order Stations. Participants will learn how to make collages, calendars, photo mugs and other photo gifts at home and in-store and coupons are available at each workshop.
"Digital Sundays will provide consumers with the opportunity to learn the basics of digital photography and the various options available for printing at a convenient location -- their local CVS/pharmacy," said Mike Bloom, Senior Vice President of Merchandising for CVS/pharmacy. "Many consumers feel overwhelmed by the numerous printing options for digital photos. These interactive workshops will give them the freedom to have fun with their photos and will end some of the technology mysteries of digital cameras."
Circuit City Teams With Napster To Launch New Digital Music Service
Building on the combination of strong offerings of both music CDs and MP3 players, Circuit City Stores is joining with Napster to offer a new digital music service, Circuit City + Napster, for consumers to explore and enjoy music.
The new service will be powered by Napster's digital music subscription service and will include all the same great music discovery and community features such as personalized recommendations, message boards, and the ability to browse other members' collections and share music and play lists. In addition, all customers at Circuit City + Napster will enjoy continuing access to exclusive songs and new releases on a weekly basis.
"Our goal with music and movies is to excite and inspire our customers to fully enjoy their portable and in-home electronics, and we're thrilled to enter this strategic relationship with Napster," said Irynne MacKay, Circuit City's senior vice president and general merchandise manager for entertainment. "Circuit City + Napster will offer our customers a new avenue to find, share and delight in music. Increasingly, consumers are turning to the digital environment for entertainment and this new service will give our customers easy access to the content they want, when and how they choose to enjoy it."
Smirnoff Raw Tea Launches Nationwide
Diageo NA has added Smirnoff Raw Tea to its fast-growing Progressive Adult Beverages category. These flavored malt beverages are arriving just in time for the key summer selling period, with the popular Smirnoff Raw Tea brand launching nationwide including a new Green Tea flavor as well as new flavors being added to the Smirnoff Ice and Captain Morgan Parrot Bay portfolios, Pomegranate Fusion and Pineapple Colada, respectively.
"To maintain our leadership position in the PAB category, we need to continue to expand our product offerings to a consumer base that demands innovation and variety," said Mark Breene, vice president, Diageo Progressive Adult Beverages.
Clif Bar Debuts Clif Nectar Cacao Line
Clif Bar & Co. has created a new line of organic dark chocolate, fruit and nut bars, CLIF Nectar® Cacao. Rooted in simplicity, sustainability and true taste, the dark chocolate in CLIF Nectar Cacao bars is sourced from organic and fair trade cooperatives of the Caribbean and South America, the birthplace of cacao. CLIF Nectar Cacao comes in three flavors: Dark Chocolate Mocha, Dark Chocolate Walnut and Dark Chocolate Raspberry. The line will be available in natural food and select grocery stores nationwide beginning in June.
"We wanted to enter the world of specialty chocolate while keeping true to our commitment to providing healthy food for busy people," said Jennifer Yun, brand manager for CLIF Nectar. "CLIF Nectar Cacao ingredients are 100 percent organic, and that means grown in harmony with nature."
Alize Rose Added To Alize Premium Liqueur Family
Alizé, the premium French liqueur brand, is debuting Alizé Rose, a blend of French vodka, strawberries, lychees and rose petals. The inspiration for Alizé Rose comes from the Pink Chateau and opulent antique rose garden at Chateau Loudenne in France.
"Alizé Rose is the perfect addition to our family of flavors," said Charles Palombini, President, Kobrand, Corp. "Over the past twenty years we've had great success with the Alizé franchise; rather than produce a flavor for the sake of doing something new, we waited until we discovered the perfect compliment to our already distinctive line of exotic cordials." Alizé will also unveil its new packaging and bottle design across all of its five flavors to reflect a 21st century image. The new frosted bottle is much taller and sleeker with an updated logo and silkscreened label that underscores the cache of the French import brand.
Hillshire Farm Entree Salads Offer Convenient Option For Salads At Home
Sara Lee Food & Beverage is introducing Hillshire Farm Entree Salads, which provide all the great tasting ingredients needed to make a quality restaurant-style entree salad without the hassle of time-consuming preparation. By just adding lettuce, consumers are able to prepare a tasty, fresh entree salad in the comfort of their own home. Hillshire Farm Entree Salads are the first of their kind on the market and will be available in four different varieties. They offer a longer shelf life than "ready made" salads because they include every ingredient, except lettuce. Hillshire Farm Entree Salads are available nationwide in the refrigerated lunchmeat section of the grocery store.
American Express Launches Special Occasion Gift Cards For Year-Round Gifting
Targeting the increasing consumer demand for Gift Cards throughout the year, American Express is launching three new special occasion Gift Cards: The American Express Gift Cards Especially for Dining, Especially for the Bride and Groom, and Especially for Movie Lovers. The three new Gift Cards, for sale now at americanexpress.com/gift and available later this year in supermarkets and drug store chains nationwide, come with access to special offers related to the gift-giving occasion. For example, recipients of the Especially for the Bride and Groom Gift Card can take advantage of special offers at Pier 1 Imports®, Shutterfly, or Kosta Boda. Especially for Dining Gift Cards offer specials at participating restaurants nationwide, including California Pizza Kitchen and The Palm Restaurants. The Especially for Movie Lovers Gift Card features offers at cinemas operated by Cinemark Theaters and Clearview Cinemas.
Staples Offers Identity Theft Protection Service & Internet Security Solution
To help make protecting personal information easier, Staples is launching Staples® Identity Theft Protection service powered by PrivacyGuard®, and an exclusive two-pack bundle of Symantec's Norton Internet Security 2007 plus Staples Identity Theft Protection (three-month trial service as added value with purchase) available at Staples stores nationwide. Staples Identity Theft Protection powered by PrivacyGuard is a service that provides consumers with daily credit monitoring, identity fraud resolution support and identity theft insurance. The Staples exclusive two-pack bundle brings both Norton Internet Security and Staples Identity Theft Protection service together for easy and complete on and offline protection.
Celsius Names E. Heit Mktg. V.P.
Celsius Holdings, the maker of Celsius(R), earth's first calorie burning soda, has selected Erin Heit for the position of Marketing Vice President. Heit previously served as Marketing Manager for Fuze Beverages. Prior to this, she was Marketing Communications Manager at Energy Brands, maker of Glaceau Vitaminwater, where she played a critical role in the brand's growth from $3 million to $10 million in sales.
Red Robin Gourmet Burgers Names Lintonsmith Sr. V.P. & CMO
Red Robin Gourmet Burgers has named Susan Lintonsmith Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer. Lintonsmith is a seasoned marketing executive with nearly 20 years experience building world class brands. Before joining Red Robin, she was V.P. for WhiteWave Foods' Horizon Organic brand. Previous to WhiteWave, she served as V.P. of Global Marketing with Western Union. Lintonsmith also worked at Coca-Cola and Pizza Hut in various marketing positions.
MEGA Brands Appoints Campisano EVP & Chief Mktg. Officer
MEGA Brands Inc. has appointed Kathleen Campisano as Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer. Campisano will be responsible for the strategy, development and management of marketing initiatives for all brands within MEGA(TM) worldwide, including Mega Bloks(R), Rose Art(R), Magnetix(R) and Board Dudes(R). She previously held leadership roles with LeapFrog, Fisher Price and Century Products.
Maxell Appoints Sommer To V.P. Of Mktg.
Maxell Corp. has appointed Barbara Sommer as its new Vice President of Marketing. Sommer will direct Maxell's U.S. based marketing, communications and advertising strategies across the company's portfolio of computer data, professional and its full line of consumer media products. Sommer held marketing positions at Colgate Palmolive, Nabisco, and Revlon and prior to joining Maxell, she was EVP of Marketing for Nielsen Bainbridge.
Altus Athletic, a leading manufacturer of personal fitness equipment, has appointed John Hetzel as Director of Marketing and Product Development. Hetzel brings to the company considerable brand, marketing and management experience in the sporting goods and fitness industry. He was recently with Sportcraft as Director of Marketing and was previously at Escalade Sports as Senior Marketing Manager.
Southern Container Acquires Schiffenhaus
Southern Container Corp., Hauppauge, NY, annnounced it has completed the Acquisition of Schiffenhaus Industries Inc., Newark, NJ, the industry's longest-standing family owned business. It was established in l895. The move strengthens Southern's position in the New York metropolitan marketplace. James Porter, President and COO of Southern, said: "This acquisition has bolstered our capability in high-value graphics packaging as well as growing our market share in the brown box business." Southern will continue to maintain the strong Sciffenhause brand by operating both box plants as Schiffenhaus, a subsidiary of Southern Container Corp. Several family members and executives of the Schiffenhaus organization have joined the Southern Container team in key leadership positions.
Sharp Solar Launches Solar Electricity Awareness Campaign
Sharp's Solar Energy Solutions Group, a unit of Sharp Electronics Corp., has launched a unique awareness campaign that will demystify solar electricity for consumers. Components of the campaign will appear in newspaper ads, internet search results, and web page banners - even a colorful traveling education trailer that will move from town to town throughout California. "Hello Sunshine" will be the tag line, and a lesson about solar electricity, not a sales pitch for Sharp products, will be the message.
"Interest in renewable energy is high, and consumers want very basic knowledge so they can make the right choices. With the 'Hello Sunshine' campaign, we're not pushing our products, we're educating consumers about just what solar electricity is, and helping them understand the real financial and environmental benefits of this important technology," said Ron Kenedi, vice president of Sharp's Solar Energy Solutions Group.
In conjunction with print and online media, Sharp created the "Hello Sunshine" trailer, which will travel throughout California. Powered by an alternative fuel vehicle to lessen the impact on the environment, the trailer will show up at county fairs, conventions, malls, and other events where people can see and touch a solar panel and ask questions about what solar electricity really is and how it can benefit them.
Minute Maid Debuts Amusitronix Squeeze Play Area At Minute Maid Park
Minute Maid, a subsidiary of Coca-Cola, has introduced a new "Squeeze Play" area at Minute Maid Park in Houston, TX. Among the experiences are two interactive baseball games provided by the virtual reality entertainment experts at Amusitronix: "Full Count," a virtual pitching game, and "Swing Away," a home run derby competition. The "Squeeze Play" area will be open to all Houston Astros fans attending games during the 2007 season.
Amusitronix (www.theVRguys.com), is a special events and entertainment rental company specializing in virtual reality and interactive games, serving nationwide and Canada.
Alloy Acquires Frontline Marketing
Alloy, a nontraditional media services company, has acquired Frontline Marketing, a national in-store advertising and display network comprising approximately 8,000 grocery stores. Frontline has three advertising display media products, Frontloader, FrontLights and the Pharmacy Display Network.
Matt Diamond, Chairman and CEO of Alloy, stated, "I am excited to announce the acquisition of the Frontline assets as it expands our Media segment reach into grocery and mass merchandise stores."
Westinghouse Digital Joins With Adtekmedia To Roll Out 'PumpTop TV' At Over 75,000 Gas Station Pumps
Westinghouse Digital Electronics has formed an exclusive arrangement with AdtekMedia to significantly accelerate the national expansion of "PumpTop TV," AdtekMedia's premier digital media network.
Westinghouse Digital will build and install turnkey display systems for fuel pumps serviced by AdtekMedia's narrowcast network, which will deliver news content and advertising to gas station consumers as they fuel their vehicles. The Westinghouse commitment involves supplying complete systems to be installed onto thousands of gas station pumps in each of sixty of the largest U.S. markets, thus creating one of the largest Out-of-Home Digital Media networks in the U.S., reaching more than 100 million drivers each month.
Westinghouse Digital's technology expertise in displays allows development of next generation, fully integrated systems for gas station narrowcasting. The system includes dual 19" widescreen high-resolution displays (on both sides of the pump), computer, and networking components with wireless delivery along with a server backbone. "With our strong manufacturing capability and leading-edge technology, Westinghouse Digital is well positioned to significantly impact the digital signage industry. Working with AdtekMedia allows us to build one of the world's largest outdoor digital media networks and to deliver a valued information and entertainment experience to a captive audience of adults," said Richard Houng, CEO of Westinghouse Digital Electronics. For more information, visit www.WestinghouseDigital.com , www.PumpTopTV.com or www.AdtekMedia.com.
Heinz Offers Chance To Win $57,000 In 'Top This' Integrated Campaign
For the first time, Heinz® is spinning the bottle on consumers and giving them a chance to create their own TV commercials that celebrate their love affair with Heinz ketchup. One grand prize winner will receive $57,000 when the winning commercial airs on national TV in September.
Consumers may submit their 30-second TV commercials on TopThisTV.com, powered by YouTube, now through August 6. A panel of judges will narrow down the entries to 15, which will be revealed on TopThisTV.com in late August, when Americans will have a chance to vote online for their favorite spot. Additionally, four runner-up ads will air on national TV and the creators will each receive $5,700.
"'Top This' is our most comprehensive, integrated ketchup campaign in the brand's history that truly surrounds the consumer - combining on-pack and in-store promotions, advertising, public relations and online elements," said David Ciesinski, vice president for Heinz® Ketchup. "We expect to see creative commercials that capture the lengths people go to for Heinz® Ketchup's unbeatable taste and give people a taste of fame and fortune at the same time."
Carl Buddig Runs Digital Music Promotion
Carl Buddig, a leading producer of packaged deli meats and specialty sausages, is launching a multi-million piece digital music promotion to spotlight its Buddig and Old Wisconsin brands. The nationwide promotion features an offer for a free song in approximately 15 million Buddig and Old Wisconsin packages.
Tom Padula, director of marketing for Carl Buddig, said, "The universal appeal of music makes it an ideal giveaway for us because our customers transcend demographics. And because the music is delivered digitally, our customers are able to choose from a huge selection of songs and a wide variety of genres, ensuring something for every taste."
Promotional Currency, a Frisco, TX-based marketing strategies firm, developed the digital music promotion for Carl Buddig and Puretracks is the digital music provider.
Kubota Conducts Mobile Marketing Program
Kubota, the third largest tractor manufacturer in the U.S., wanted to provide marketing support to its individual dealers while building overall brand and product awareness for the new "M" series tractor in the marketplace. Kubota turned to strategic marketing partner MICE to develop and manage its first national, mobile marketing program. The first leg of the mobile marketing program has been a resounding success. Annually, scheduled stops include a number of trade shows, Kubota's national dealer meeting and more than 40 dealership locations.
