Pacific Life Insurance Co.’s new commercials portray the brand’s icon—the humpback whale—in a bit of an unexpected way.
It appears on blue hats in an ad titled “Softball” and emerges as a twinkling drawing in the “Sparklers” video spot. Both ads are narrated by fathers at different stages of life who reflect on what matters most to them.
The majestic mammal does leap out of the ocean at the very end of each ad—as if the insurance company wanted to confirm everyone is still on the same page.
Pacific Life uses an in-house approach to TV advertising, working with agencies on a project basis on creative concepts, according to the company.
Via Agency in Portland, Maine, developed the concepts for the new ads, and the in-house team worked with Humble in New York City on production.
The commercials were filmed in Malibu and Northridge and directed by Rudi Schwab. They began airing Sept. 5 during college football broadcasts on ABC.
Pacific Life spent $27.9 million on media placements last year, according to Kantar Media in New York.
Cheers!
Elite Aviation Products in Irvine is bringing some cheer to its marketing efforts.
It hired John Ratzenberger as its brand ambassador. He’s widely known for his role as Cliff Claven on the popular TV series “Cheers,” which aired from 1982 to 1993 and also featured Kelsey Grammer, Ted Danson, Woody Harrelson and Kirstie Alley.
Ratzenberger also did voiceovers for the animated movies “Toy Story,” “Planes,” “Monsters Inc.,” and “Up.” He’s known as an avid proponent of bringing manufacturing back to the U.S., and celebrated U.S. manufacturing on his show “Made in America,” which ran for five seasons and premiered in 2004.
Ratzenberger’s “passion for manufacturing makes him an ideal partner” in expanding Elite Aviation’s brand, a news release said.
Forum on Mobile
The speaker lineup for the 2015 Integrated Marketing Forum will include Lindsey Thudin, industry team marketing manager at Houzz Inc. in Palo Alto.; San Clemente-based Stance Inc. Director of Social Media Brett Sirianni; and Mark Ortiz, interactive sales manager, American Honda Motor Co. in Torrance.
The discussions will center on the “age of mobile” theme, according to Irvine-based digital marketing agency Rhythm, which will host the event on Nov. 12 at the Colony House in Anaheim.
“The mobile tipping point has forever changed the way people engage, connect, shop, and this mobile shift has made brands re-evaluate the ways in which they reach customers and even bigger, the ways in which they operate on a whole,” said Rhythm Chief Executive Craig Cooke. “At the [forum], marketing industry experts from some of the biggest brands will share valuable tips to how they approach the mobile ecosystem, what tactics are working for them and how mobile has reinvented their businesses.”
Men’s Folio
South Coast Plaza, Orange County’s highest-grossing shopping center, is scheduled to unveil “Men’s Folio,” its first marketing publication focused on men’s fashion.
The magazine, featuring the fall and winter collection from tenants Dolce & Gabbana, Ralph Lauren, Burberry, Giorgio Armani, Salvatore Ferragamo and Boss, will be mailed to “select residences in late September.” A launch party will be held at Berluti men’s shoe store on Sept. 24.
South Coast Plaza also publishes the seasonal “Lookbook.”
Fashion photographer Diego Uchitel returns for the 2015 Fall Portfolio edition with images from Storm King Art Center in New York’s Hudson Valley.
“The scenes depict a thoughtful juxtaposition of art and fashion,” according to the shopping center.
Uchitel photographed South Coast Plaza’s spring Lookbook in downtown Los Angeles.
Bits & Pieces
Marty Orzio, who joined Grupo Gallegos as chief creative officer in May 2014, is leaving “due to personal family-related issues,” according to the Huntington Beach-based agency. … Visit Huntington Beach hired Rich Alot as director of digital marketing to “deepen and expand” its digital marketing capacity. Intern Jennifer Tong was hired on as communications coordinator at the destination marketing organization. … Beyond Fifteen Communications Inc. in Irvine hired account coordinators Tara Hildreth and Jacqueline Reid.
