Your Charity Will Determine What Film You Watch, in 3-D Cinema Campaign for Pedigree

Colenso BBDO thought up this innovative interactive way to drum up public interest in New Zealand’s Pedigree Adoption Drive, the brand’s effort to rescue and put up for adoption abandoned dogs around the world.

Cinemagoers picked one of two types of glasses: Yellow, if they chose to donate, and red, if they didn’t. Director Nic Finlayson shot two parallel stories, one showing a dog that was lucky enough to have been rescued, and the other showing the same one who just wasn’t that fortunate.

Partnering with production company Finch, the agency used 3-D cinema technology to project both films on the same screen, so those who donated would see the benefits of their charity, while the others would probably cry a little and end up donating anyway. (www.adage.com)

USA Set to Launch Six ‘Social TV’ Tie-Ins Aimed at Superfans

USA is doubling down on its commitment to digital media this year, with a broad portfolio of ancillary projects—six, covering the network’s slate of originals—to boost viewership, draw in megafans, and provide deeper ad integrations for the shows’ partners while the series are running. This year, the company has not one but four major automotive sponsors (Ford, Toyota, Lincoln and Lexus) buying tie-in digital integrations, and Capital One on a fifth.

Unscripted television is no stranger to these sorts of deals, but USA’s collection of character-driven dramedies would seem to be a harder sell, not to advertisers, but to writers. But programming honcho Bill McGoldrick told Adweek that his writers have been using the integrations (created with companies like Ford and Capital One) to further flesh out corners of the worlds they’ve been creating that might otherwise go unexplored.

“A lot of our shows are closed-ended A stories,” McGoldrick said (meaning the episode-long tale that drives a 42-minute narrative). “We usually have a personal B story, and what we have left over tends to be the C story, and that’s the mythology. When you start dividing up the pie between the three you’re only left with so much for that C story.” The shows’ writers, McGoldrick said, like the concept. “Left to their own devices, they’d probably want to tell more of the stories anyway,” he said. (www.adweek.com)

United Launches 2012 Team USA Sponsorship, Kicks Off “Fly Me to London” Sweepstakes

United Airlines has launched its 2012 Team USA sponsorship effort with the “Fly Me to London” Sweepstakes, offering three grand-prize winners the chance to cheer on the U.S. Olympic Team with two roundtrip tickets to London, hotel accommodations and entry to the London 2012 Olympic Games.

In recognition of the 17-day Olympic Games and United’s 17 daily nonstop flights to London, 17 first-place winners will receive two roundtrip tickets to anywhere United flies in the United States.

Participants may enter for a chance to win by visiting united.com/flymetolondon or United’sFacebook page before May 30, 2012, clicking the menu and claiming a “virtual seat” onboard one of United’s 17 daily nonstop flights to London. Participants will not be booked on an actual flight; instead, United will automatically enter participants into the random drawing.

Participants may also invite others to enter for a chance to win by sharing the sweepstakes on Facebook or posting a tweet on Twitter. For each friend who enters in response to the invitation, participants will receive one additional entry into the drawing. Participants can submit a new entry each day of the 17-day sweepstakes with a maximum of 10 entries per person, per day. (www.sponsorship.com)

RH Laboratories and Forgiven Announce Major Rock USA Sponsorship

RH Laboratories, the distributor behind Forgiven Alcohol Metabolizer, has announced that they will be sponsoring the Rock USA music festival this year with a stage named after the product.

The Forgiven Stage will be located within the Budweiser Pavilion, and will be accompanied by a booth selling the product. The sponsorship also includes another booth in the marketplace area and prominent signage throughout the event including high-traffic areas like the main entrance gate.

Rock USA is a music festival held July 12th-14th at Ford Festival Park in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The line-up includes big names and rock legends like Shinedown, Hinder, Skillet, Mötley Crüe, Tesla, Kid Rock, Seether, and Papa Roach.

“We’re really excited to be a part of Rock USA,” says RH Laboratories President, Joshua Maurice. “It’s going to be an amazing event and a great environment to introduce people to Forgiven.” (www.sponsorship.com)

Bud Light Returns As Sponsor Of The Music Stage Of The 2012 LG Crescent Street Grand Prix Festival

The Crescent Street Merchants’ Association and BBF Promotions & Events are pleased to welcome La Brassarie Labatt du Canada as sponsor of the Bud Light Stage for the 2012 LG Crescent Street Grand Prix Festival. The Festival, now in its thirteenth year, will feature the Bud Light stage as the main attraction and offer music and entertainment to the masses every night from June 7 to 9, 2012.

As the official sponsor of the Bud Light Stage on the corner of Crescent and de Maisonneuve, Labatt will be offering festival goers the most spectacular and innovative musical and visual experience yet. As a sponsor of the Crescent Street Grand Prix Festival for the last thirteen year’s, Bud Light is excited to be back as sponsor of the main stage after a three year absence.

“Crescent Street during the Grand Prix is a great place for Bud Light to be. I think you’ll find this year we have a lot of exciting activity to bring to F1 fans – from the Bud Light Music Stage to an experience built around our new innovation,Bud Light Lime Mojito,” stated Lisa Kittelsen, Marketing Manager Bud Light. “We’re proud to be able to contribute to the ever-growing success of the LG Crescent Street Grand Prix Festival through this sponsorship.” (www.sponsorship.com)

Dish’s Ads to End All Ads

Dish Network Corp. plans to promote its new ad-skipping feature with, ironically enough, a television ad—that is, if broadcast TV networks agree to run the spot.

Amid mounting anger about the capability, at least two are resisting. Fox and NBC both said Wednesday they won’t accept ads promoting the satellite-TV operator’s new digital video recorder that contains the ad-skipping capability.

Dish is rolling out an array of television, radio, newspaper and social media ads to spread the word about the DVR, dubbed the “Hopper.” (www.wsj.com)

Can Wal-Mart Think Small?

No SUV-driving American shopper would be surprised to find 20 lb. sacks of dog chow at a Wal-Mart supercenter. But at an urban minimart that is trying to attract bag-toting pedestrians? Not so much.

Unless that minimart is operated by Wal-Mart Stores Inc. The Bentonville, Ark., retailer is betting that small urban stores called Walmart Express could eventually help jump-start its growth in the U.S. and fight off competition from rapidly expanding dollar-store chains.

The heavy bags of Ol’ Roy dog food suggest Wal-Mart is struggling to think outside the supercenters that remain its focus, analysts say. (www.wsj.com)

Two and a Half Men’ Aims to Lift Thursday

A YEAR ago, the television industry was abuzz about the CBS decision to keep the popular series “Two and a Half Men” on the air by replacing Charlie Sheen with Ashton Kutcher. A year later, all eyes are on “Men” again as CBS readies a move of the sitcom to Thursday from Monday, on which it has spent its entire run.

The shift, which CBS discussed during its 2012-13 upfront presentation on Wednesday, will be the second time that CBS has moved a successful Monday comedy to Thursday to try to establish a stronger beachhead with viewers later in the week.

For the 2010-11 season, it was “The Big Bang Theory,” which became a bigger hit on Thursday than it had been on Monday. For 2012-13, it will be “Two and a Half Men,” the sitcom that was revived nine months ago with the casting of Mr. Kutcher to replace Mr. Sheen. “The Big Bang Theory” will remain at 8 p.m. and “Two and a Half Men” will follow at 8:30, replacing a skein of sitcoms that failed to capitalize on the large audiences for “Big Bang.”

Thursday is a particularly lucrative night of the television week because advertisers like movie studios, retailers and automakers run commercials to reach viewers making weekend plans. (www.nytimes.com)

Buffalo Bills staying with hotel partner

The Buffalo Bills NFL franchise has renewed its partnership with Adam’s Mark Hotel & Events Center in downtown Buffalo.

Under the terms of the deal, the venue where the team stays before each home game played at Ralph Wilson Stadium remains the official hotel of the franchise.

“We are pleased to have the Adam’s Mark Hotel & Events Center return as the official hotel of the Buffalo Bills,” said Bruce Popko, the side’s senior vice president of business development. “The Adam’s Mark location and newly renovated guest rooms provide Bills players and fans with an outstanding, enjoyable stay.” (www.sportspromedia.com)

Nissan Is Back In Black (Spandex)

Nissan is back for the second year as automotive sponsor of the Amgen Tour of California. It’s the U.S. version of the Tour de France, but you probably haven’t heard of it unless you follow bicycle racing as closely as Europeans do. Nissan hopes to pique our interest with an assist from NBC Sports, which will broadcast it live.

The eight-stage, 750-mile road race started this week, and concludes in Los Angeles on the May 20 following stops in 40 cities. It’s not for the faint of heart, as it snakes along parts of the Pacific Coast Highway, across mountains and along city streets, with riders powering through the drizzling, cold breaks in the otherwise balmy weather. Some 15,000 people reportedly turned out for the end of Stage Three yesterday in Livermore, Calif. (Peter Sagan with team Liquigas-Cannondale took that one.)

Nissan is in its third year as official automotive sponsor of the race (having replaced Volvo) and will own that title through 2014. The Japanese automaker has brand activity at each stage and is furnishing 40 vehicles for the providers of lead, operations and medical services, as well as VIP cars that are part of the official race entourage leading and following the riders’ peloton.

Jay Schaffer, Nissan North America’s promotions manager, says the race is the first event outside one of the various auto shows to feature the redesigned 2013 Altima sedan. “We are putting lots of activation onsite,” he says, noting that the new Altima is serving as pace car for the race. Also featured are the all-electric Leaf, and the Murano convertible, serving as team medical vehicle. (www.mediapost.com)
Schwinn Celebrates Lifetime Of Riding

Two years after moving away from a broadcast-based marketing plan, Schwinn is looking to reach consumers through the Internet.

The effort, created by Minneapolis agency Colle + McVoy, includes a pre-roll video that looks to encompass the company’s 116-year history (as well as its relationship to bikers of all ages) in one minute.

The video begins with a young boy riding a Schwinn through his yard. The scene then cuts to the boy, older now, riding his bike with his friends, stealing glances at a pretty girl riding along with him. The boy is then seen as a young adult riding with the girl, then as a slightly older adult with the sign, “Just Married” hanging off his bike. The commercial ends with the husband and wife following their young son on his first Schwinn. ”Life’s a ride,” says a voiceover. “Enjoy it on a Schwinn.”

“The payoff kind of sums it up,” Mike Caguin, chief creative officer at the agency, tells Marketing Daily. “Some of your best memories happen on a bicycle. What kind of bicycle do you want to have them on? It’s a Schwinn.” (www.mediapost.com)