VML Tells Stories of Food Deemed Unfit for Wendy’s Baconator

After winning full creative duties on the Wendy’s account back in March, followed by creative promotions and running a campaign promoting the chain’s Summer Berry Chicken Salad, the agency has turned its attention to the Baconator in a new campaign that debuted with three spots. The campaign marks the first effort with group creative director/recently-announced hire Pat Piper.

The three spots each take a look at food deemed unworthy, for one reason or another, of being part of the baconator, emphasizing how the artery clogging creation never utilizes frozen beef, microwaved bacon or anything resembling a vegetable. In “Frozen Beef Need Not Apply” a frozen beef patty from Australia applies for a job at Baconator Inc., where he’s questioned by a bacon strip interviewer. He slips up when he says he’s dreamt of being part of the Baconator team for years, but stumbles to a recovery. Unfortunately for him, there’s one more “formality” before he can get the job.

In “Microwaves Are A Dealbreaker,” it’s the bacon answering questions from a “modern, fresh, never-frozen patty” he met using the meat-swipe app. She’s a bit taken aback by his appearance (thinner than she expected from his Meat Swipe photo) and when she finds out he’s been microwaved, that’s the final straw. Another spot, “No Veggies Allowed,” sees a group of young vegetables trying to get into the Baconator club with fake IDs.

The approach is certainly an odd one. While it does manage to find a narrative emphasizing the chain’s dedication to fresh beef and oven-cooked bacon, the attempts at humor arrive instead at vaguely creepy. Talking/ambulatory meat is just disconcerting — this isn’t a Jan Svankeyer film here. “No Veggies Allowed” actually manages to be the least creepy of the bunch, but a rejection of fresh veggies (which would arguably improve the burger) is a strange way to hype the Baconator. But then again it might be appreciated by the type of carnivore who would exclusively wolf down the meaty creation.

Credits:

Client: Wendy’s
Advertising Agency: VML, Kansas, USA
Chief Creative Officer: Debbi Vandeven
Executive Creative Director: Chris Corley
Group Creative Director: Pat Piper
Creative Director: Daniel Lobaton
Associate Creative Director: Ethan Tedlock
Senior Copywriter: David Brandorff
Associate Art Director: McKailey Carson
Associate Copywriter: Ant Tull
Senior Producer: Michael Kinney
Associate Producer: Shae Mermis
Group Director: Jason Bass
Director, Client Engagement: Kelly Gartenmayer
Supervisor, Client Engagement: Nicole Debrick
Business Affairs Manager: Julie Kolton
Campaign Manager: Patty Jones
Production Company: Moo Studios
Director: Shaun Sewter
Producer: David Lyons
Line Producer: Monica Monique
Producer : Bennett Conrad
Editorial: Liquid 9
Editor : Ryan Lewis
Editor: Katie Wade
Production Coordinator: Kate Zadoo

Wendy's Tells the Sad, Strange Stories of Meats and Veggies Banned From the Baconator

Wver bitten into a sandwich only to meet with freezerburn, an unsatisfyingly thin piece of bacon or an unwelcome vegetable? We’ve all been there. It’s one of our most trying and persistent #FirstWorldProblems. 

But Wendy’s has a solution: The Baconator, which promises no frozen beef, no microwaved bacon and no vegetables whatsoever. And instead of food-porning us into submission, it’s conveying these messages with a trio of bizarre short stories, in which anthropomorphized foodstuffs try penetrating the Baconator in modern contexts. 

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VML Makes Series of Promotions in New York and Kansas City

In today’s other VML news, the WPP-owned, Kansas City-based agency promoted Dave Quintiliani to group creative director at VML New York, Stephen Martin to group creative director at VML Kansas City, Jen McDonald to executive director, client engagement and Jordan Cochran to managing director, client engagement. 

Quintiliani will now be primary creative lead on VML New York’s Dell account, reporting to VML New York executive creative director and managing director Mike Wente. Quintiliani has served as a creative director for VML New York since March of 2015 after working as VP/ACD at Publicis New York (Vicks, Honda, General Mills, etc.) and holding senior art director roles with McCarthy Mambro & Bertino and Modem Media.

Dave has made tremendous strides in helping elevate work across the board for Dell,” Wente said in a statement. “His digital technologies knowledge, integration with design and user experience will continue to set vision and drive concepts for all interactive experiences.”

Martin will be tasked with leading a creative team on accounts including Bayer, the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development and Kashi while reporting to executive creative director John Godsey. Martin is a veteran of Wunderman TeamDetroit, JWT and McCann, where he was VP/senior art director working with such clients as GM, Delphi and Michigan Tourism.

McDonald joined VML as a group account director back in 2008, was named a partner three and a half years later and received a promotion to managing director of client engagement in May of 2013. During her time with the agency, she has worked on Wendy’s, Napa Auto Parts, Dell, Sam’s Club, Navistar and MillerCoors after holding various marketing leadership roles at Revolution Health, AOL and XM Radio. “Jen places relentless focus on problem solving, strategy and elevating VML’s 360-degree offering to clients,” said VML chief client officer Chuck Searle

Cochran has spent over 14 years with VML Kansas City, most recently serving as group account director. During that time he’s led initiatives for brands including MasterCard, Carlson Hotels, Darden, Korean Air and, currently, Sprint. Like McDonald, Cochran will report to VML chief client officer Chuck Searle.

VML Hires Original Sonic ‘Two Guys’ Writer Pat Piper as Group Creative Director on Wendy’s

WPP-owned, Kansas City-based agency VML appointed Pat Piper as group creative director on Wendy’s, for which it won full creative duties back in March. In the new role, Piper will report to VML executive creative director Chris Corley.

“I’ve known Pat since the beginning of my career,” Corley said in a statement. “He is an ace writer and an amazing motivator. We’re lucky to have him as a creative leader for the team.”

Piper joins VML from Hallmark, where he most recently served as creative director of the company’s marketing design studio, following around two and a half years as senior editorial director of packaging and mass merchandising. Prior to joining Hallmark he served a brief stint as vice president, executive creative director for C13 Creative Consumer Concepts in Overland Park, Kansas, managing a team of 17 designers and illustrators and working with clients including Arbys, Chick-fil-A, Sonic Drive-In, Del Taco, Perkins and Bob Evans.

The new GCDs work has been recognized by most major awards shows, and he is best known for Sonic’s long-running “Two Guys,” which he created with art director Matt McKay. In a 2008 interview, McKay described the campaign as “a throwaway idea” that grew far larger than its creators had anticipated.

Piper joined Barkley as a copywriter in 1998 and spent three years writing for clients such as Pearlevision, UMB Banks, Blue Bunny Ice Cream and Citgo before being promoted to associate creative director. During his four years as an associate creative director he worked with clients including Sonic Drive-In, Payless Shoesource, Missouri Lottery and Kansas Lottery. In 2005 he was promoted to VP/GCD and oversaw the Sonic account while also working with UMB Banks and the Kansas City Wizards.

andy heddleVML also appointed Andy Heddle as group channel director, ecommerce, tasked with enhancing the agency’s ecommerce capabilities while working out of its Kansas City headquarters and reporting to chief innovation officer Brian Yamada.

Heddle joins VML following nearly nine years at Best Buy. Most recently, he served as senior director of the retailer’s ecommerce partnerships practice following a little over a year as senior director, online and direct sales Best Buy productivity. He joined the company as head of online and direct sales, BBY Mobile for Best Buy Europe, following over six and a half years with Caraphone Warehouse.

Heddle will work on several key accounts including Sprint.

Earlier this month, VML announced that it would extend its lease with the Kansas City airport for another 11 years, expanding the space and “add[ing] as many as 376 additional employees to the 510 who work there today,” according to city government documents.

VML Teaches You ‘How to Make Wendy’s Summer Berry Chicken Salad’

Back in March, Wendy’s appointed WPP-owned, Kansas City-based agency VML, which had formerly served as its digital AOR, as its creative agency of record, replacing incumbent Publicis without a review. Following the appointment, VML announced a round of creative promotions. Now, some four months later, the agency has released what appears to be its first work for the client, promoting the chain’s seasonal salad offering with “How to Make Wendy’s Summer Berry Chicken Salad.”

The spot at the center of the campaign was inspired by a pair of social media trends: those recipe videos popping up all over your Facebook feed and people trying to recreate fast food meals at home. It opens with a promise to teach viewers how to recreate Wendy’s Summer Berry Chicken Salad in five easy steps. The catch? Those steps aren’t so easy after all, and include moving to California to grow your own blackberries. Of course the logical leap from getting fresh blackberries to studying soil chemistry to grow them yourself is a ridiculous one, but this is intended as parody.

In addition to the long-form version running on Facebook and YouTube, the ad will also run on broadcast in 30 and 15-second iterations throughout the summer, until Wendy’s runs out of those precious fresh blackberries.

“I don’t think a lot of people realize the length that a brand like Wendy’s has to go to actually bring in things like fresh blackberries, Wendy’s vice president of advertising, media and digital Brandon Rhoten told Adweek. “It’s definitely a spoof that we thought would look good in someone’s Facebook timeline. People are used to consuming this on a regular basis, it’s just a little bit of a twist on what they may normally see.”

“When we started digging, we found out that people on Pinterest are actually copying Wendy’s recipes,” VML creative director Daniel Lobaton explained about the campaign’s development. “When you mix that with the idea of these trending online recipe videos, we had this very simple idea: If you’re going to follow the steps to make a Summer Berry salad like Wendy’s, let us show you all the steps that went into it.”

VML Expands Chicago Office, Hires ‘Ship My Pants’ Creative Sean Burns

VML is expanding its Chicago office with a series of new hires including executive creative director Sean BurnsNorth American director of optimization and acquisition Erik Peterson and strategic technology lead Rob McCutcheon. The agency also promoted Hilary Murdock to group director, head of strategy.

This series of moves follows VML consolidating its Chicago offices into one large space located at 233 North Michigan Avenue.

In recent months, the WPP shop also won the Wendy’s account (which had been with Publicis), promoted the creatives who helped with the pitch, opened a new San Francisco office and hired two new group directors in New York.

In his new role, Burns will work closely with managing director, executive director Jeremy Schutte as a principal team lead. He joins the agency from FCB Chicago, where he has served as SVP/creative director for over four years. During that time he’s worked with clients including MillerCoors, Hillshire, Cox Cable and Kmart, most prominently on the “Ship My Pants” campaign. Before joining FCB Chicago, Burns spent over 20 years with Grey New York, working as a creative director for brands including Starburst, Aquafresh, UPMC and America’s Natural Gas Alliance.

Peterson joins the agency with over 20 years consulting in the digital marketing industry, with both applied marketing and UX experience.

McCutheon will work across VML’s Gatorade business as strategic technology lead. He has previously served in senior strategy roles for Team Detroit and Razorfish. 

Murdock joined VML in June of 2014, after spending nearly two and half years with FCB Chicago as vice president, strategic planning director, leading strategic planning on the agency’s KFC account. Prior to that, she spent almost three years as a strategy director for Rauxa.

Motorola Transports You to 2006 in Fun Teaser for the Re-release of the Moto Razr

If you dig into the history of the cell phone, you’ll find that from roughly 2004 to 2006, the Moto Razr was king—this was after the Samsung Sidekick but before the launch of Apple’s iPhone. So it makes sense then that when it comes to marketing for the potential re-release of that very phone, the campaign would be steeped in mid-aughts nostalgia. 

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Krispy Kreme Takes All of Its Marketing In-House

Remember Krispy Kreme? We always preferred their dough to that of Dunkin’, and we regret the fact that New York City’s only K.K. location happens to be in the middle of Penn Station, better known as The Worst Place on Earth.

Krispy began closing its stores around the country in 2009 before hiring a new CMO who (surprise surprise) promised to keep costs down by sticking with unpaid social media campaigns to satisfy its marketing needs.

Over the next four years, KK inspired plenty of headlines regarding a “comeback” before launching a digital creative review to accelerate that return to form (according to Technomic, the company “posted U.S. systemwide sales of $626 million, up an impressive 9.9%”).

The winner of the review was VML, which scored the business in early 2014; the client claimed that a dozen agencies participated. The rest of 2014 was a little uneven, with stock bumps followed by “disappointing sales growth” during the fourth quarter, and now Krispy Kreme has decided to take the next logical step by cutting all ties to its agencies and taking the whole thing in-house.

Sound familiar?

From the client:

“Krispy Kreme engaged VML last year to do strategic and foundational work in the areas of digital and social media.  We think that those efforts have set us up for success going forward. As such, we plan to manage digital and social media using in-house resources at this time. Thanks.”

Reads like KK hired VML in the interest of better positioning itself to break away, doesn’t it?

The brand recently expanded into the coffee market by launching cold beverages and partnering with Green Mountain Coffee Roasters on the K-cup front, but this passage from a March press release may hold the key to its future success:

“More than 70% of total Krispy Kreme locations are now outside of the U.S., and the company plans to increase international locations by 14% this year.”

Seems like the U.S. would be a great place to plan a stunt involving a box of 2,400 donuts, but we weren’t so lucky. *Insert your worst fat cops joke here.*

We Hear: Tech Restructuring at VML/Y&R?

Last week a source claimed that an untold number of employees who served as members of the New York-based VML/Y&R technology team had been laid off and that the agency’s tech operations would be subsequently relocated to another office in an effort to streamline the department.

A VML spokesperson refrained from commenting on any staffing changes today, citing an agency-wide policy against commenting on the status of individual employees.

The agency didn’t offer any specifics, but they did seem to refute the latter claim, stating that they will continue to run tech operations out of New York as before. So while the tech team may have experienced some downsizing (a claim which we cannot confirm at the moment), an untold number of the team’s members will continue to work in its New York office moving forward according to VML/Y&R.

Corny NAPA Auto Parts Pitchman Aims to Entice NASCAR Rookie

Longtime NASCAR sponsor NAPA Auto Parts just launched its first spot of the year for the auto racing giant. The campaign stars stock car racer Chase Elliott, who’s not even drinking age but apparently has enough swagger to attract overenthusiastic pitchmen like the one in the ad above.

Created by VML, which has served as NAPA’s agency of record for well over a year, the spot features our fake NAPA pitchman trying to get Elliott to embrace  merchandising — albeit via a handful of bad product ideas including dipsticks and blow-up dolls.

While Elliott obviously isn’t taking the bait, his buddy, veteran NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt. Jr., is totally into it.

Let the hijinks ensue.

Agency: VML

Client:

Chief Creative Officer, Debbi Vandeven
Executive Creative Directors, Aaron Evanson and John Godsey
Group Creative Director, James Holden
Creative Directors, Steve Martin and Derek Anderson
Senior Copywriter, Rob Schneider
Senior Art Director, Eric Thompson
Senior Producer: Shaun Campbell
Managing Director, Client Engagement: Jen McDonald
Group Director, Client Engagement: Susan Clements
Supervisor, Client Engagement: Ashley Renken
Senior Account Manager, Client Engagement: Laura Picicci
Production company: Rabbit
Director: Tim Abshire
Edit house: 19 Below

It’s a Four-Shop Race to Fill Honda’s Digital Needs

American Honda Motor Company works hard to keep up with the competition but hasn’t been quite so successful in the hybrid space. Honda’s Prius equivalent may have been called The Insight, but the company recently pitted all three major holding companies against one another in the search for a bit more of that key noun.
Other campaigns have gone viral (shout out to Michael Bolton) and, according to AdWeek, Honda spends approximately $50 million on digital advertising each year.
Now who’s competing for that money?
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Y&R Appoints New NY President, North American COO

This evening Young & Rubicam announced the promotion of two key executives.
Jim Radosevic will be President of Y&R New York and Sean Howard will be COO of Y&R North America, effective immediately.

Radosevic, who previously served as EVP and Global Creative Director of the agency’s New York office, most recently worked on the “Beginnings” campaign for Dell. He will report to North America President and CEO Matt Anthony, who chose him to launch VML‘s New York office before he joined the Y&R team in 2011.

Howard has been General Manager of the New York office since 2012; in his new role, he will be “responsible for ensuring collaboration across offices”. Prior to joining Y&R, Howard was Global Client Services Director at Wunderman, where he led the T-Mobile and Microsoft accounts.

Anthony writes:
“Jim has the rare ability to successfully wear several hats – digital creative, business manager, client leader, team builder and brand advocate…and Sean will be absolutely critical in helping me build and develop [our] competitive advantages across the network.”

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

Dell Highlights the Dingy, Humble Beginnings of Today’s Popular Brands

Dell seeks to recapture its entrepreneurial spirit in new work from Y&R and VML, including this "Beginnings" spot that shows small apartments, basements and other venues where modern brands were born. 

Companies like TripAdvisor, Whole Foods and Skype, all of which use Dell products and services, serve as the stars of the spot. (Apparently, Dropbox was conceived on a bus. I did not know that.)

At the end, we see the University of Texas at Austin dorm room where Michael Dell sold PC upgrade kits in 1984, emphasizing the company's startup roots. The spot, directed by Tomas Jonsgården of Anonymous Content, comes as Dell, newly privatized and refocused on enterprise systems and cloud computing, prepares to write its next chapter.

Now, Dell's no startup, but a high-tech behemoth, so this strategy seems kind of risky, as it almost dares critics to call out the message as disingenuous. Still, the company is entering a new phase, so the approach works well enough, and the spot feels legitimately humble and less like a brag. Plus, the visuals are memorable, if only because you don't expect Dell to present 60 seconds of drab facades and spaces devoid of people and technology. Such muted imagery captures the lonely uncertainty of the startup experience and makes "Beginnings" seem more heartfelt than ads that cast their wares as shiny eye candy.