Amusement Park in Santa Ana won a Bronze Lion in the film craft category at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity for its “use of original music” in a video promoting HARMAN International’s JBL brand of wireless speakers. The spot features Golden State Warrior Stephen Curry and the “Bigger Than Us” song by “basketballer-turned-rapper” Damian Lillard of the Portland Trail Blazers. The lyrics highlight various societal issues, including police shootings, hate crimes and gun control.
“In 1963, Martin Luther King, Jr. said, ‘Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere,’ yet, here we are in the 21st century and people of color are still facing injustice in the workplace, the courtroom and the streets,” the agency’s chief executive, Jimmy Smith, said in an emailed statement.
“Interestingly, ad juries haven’t hesitated to bestow an award show’s highest honor to ads that champion LGBT, women’s, and animal rights. (And deservedly so! Much of that work has been outstanding.) However, these same juries and ad shows have consistently steered clear of ads that dealt with issues of race. Praise God that my faith in ad juries was restored in Cannes. Who’d have thunk it? An international jury got that it was BIGGER THAN US.”
Taco Bell Corp.’s advertising agency of record, Deutsch L.A., won a Silver Lion—one of 11 for the ad shop this year—in the mobile category. It was recognized for creating the Taco Emoji Engine, a social media campaign that promoted the Irvine-based fast food chain’s long-awaited taco emoji with some 600 photos and GIFs designed to encourage fans to interact with the brand.
Lucky License
Manhattan Beachwear Inc. in Cypress signed a licensing agreement with Los Angeles-based Lucky Brand, which launches with its Resort 2017 collection, with pieces in the $45 to $125 price range.
“As an organization, we are constantly seeking to provide our customers with compelling, innovative swimwear,” Manhattan Beachwear President Brenda West said in a statement. “Lucky Brand is a tremendous opportunity to create great swimwear focused on Lucky’s modern free spirit and laid back Californian roots … Lucky Brand is a perfect fit.”
The company supplies a portfolio of labels to large national department stores, mass merchants and specialty swimwear outlets. Its proprietary brands include La Blanca, 24th & Ocean, the Bikini Lab, Green Dragon Clothing, and Maxine of Hollywood. It designs, manufactures and markets under licenses for Kenneth Cole New York, Kenneth Cole Reaction, Polo Ralph Lauren, Lauren Ralph Lauren, Trina Turk, Nanette Lepore, Sperry Top-Sider, and Hobie.
THE Taco
Del Taco Restaurants Inc.’s latest creation is not just a taco, it’s The Del Taco. The “bigger, fresher and better-tasting crunchy beef taco” is worthy of the brand’s name, according to the fast food chain, which had an estimated $700 million in sales last year.
“We’re going back to basics by proudly paying homage to the taco that started it all,” John Cappasola, executive vice president and chief brand officer, said in a statement. “The Del Taco embraces the beauty of simple, fresh, quality ingredients perfectly proportioned to create what we believe is the greatest tasting taco we’ve ever served. We’re proud to put our name behind the very best crunchy beef taco out there.”
The taco is being promoted with a 30-second ad created by the San Francisco-based Camp + King agency.
