Any agency worth its creative salt will tell you it’s all about the work. But at Colle+McVoy, it’s about more than that. It’s about the idea. Work is executional. Ideas are transformational. Great work can get you noticed and move the needle. Great ideas can change the world and forge a new path forward. We’re all about the work. But we’re even more about the idea.
We're launching new campaigns regularly, so check back to see our latest ideas in action.
TAKE ME FISHING – OUT-OF-HOME
Everyone tells fish tales, but only attendees of select AAA Baseball games got the ruler to back them up. The Fisherman’s "Friendly" Ruler now helps angling embellishers everywhere corroborate their stories. The giveaway coincided with a scoreboard game called “Fish or No Fish,” which tested fans' knowledge of obscure fish names like the Missouri Meerschaum. Oh, wait, that’s actually a corn-cob pipe.
ERBERT & GERBERT’S – GUERILLA
Erbert & Gerbert’s was looking for a way to build awareness and excitement for a new store opening. As it turns out, no place is safe from “Subs Worth Discovering” messaging, not even these unsuspecting stairs.
JOHNSON & JOHNSON VISION CARE - THE VISION CARE INSTITUTE™ WEB SITE
Our client, Johnson & Johnson Vision Care challenged us to create a compelling identity for The Vision Care Institute (TVCI) that would to capture the attention of optometry school faculty and deans, as well as students, and drive participation in Institute programs. Since TVCI is the only place where optometry students can get both hands-on experience with real patients and comprehensive communications training, we opted to create an unique and energetic new identity for TVCI. Classes have been filling up ever since.
TAKE ME FISHING - PRINT
How do you bring to life both the thrill of the catch and the ever-lasting memories you make after a day of fishing? Simple. Create an exciting visual narrative print campaign that says it all. We also created an engaging insert featuring two cutout “Practice Fish” and instructions on six unique fish handling poses. It helped to prepare and educate people on how to hold a fish for those once in a lifetime photo opportunities.
RHYMESAYERS ENTERTAINMENT - PAINTITGOLD.COM
Internationally acclaimed hip-hop act Atmosphere wanted to create an online experience to match their much-anticipated release, "When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That S*#t Gold." To build the hype (and their sales), we created Paintitgold.com, a site that allows users to tag anything they could find on the web while listening to tracks from the new album. In its first week, the site not only unleashed the talents of thousands of virtual vandals, it helped launch the album to the top of the iTunes hip-hop chart and #5 on the Billboard chart.
+ More at paintitgold.com (Due to the desired target audience, this site contains profanity).
TAKE ME FISHING - WEBSITE
Selling a million new fishing licenses in the highly competitive leisure market was the challenge issued to us by the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation. A 2,500 page online fishing compendium was the core of our solution. TakeMeFishing.org is the definitive destination for all things fishing. Want to learn to cast? Check out Fishopedia, the A-to-Z guide to catching, cleaning and cooking fish. Want to tell people about your favorite fishing spot? Upload it to Hot Spots, a Google Maps-enabled, first-of-its-kind web application.
ERBERT & GERBERT’S - CANDLE CANNON
How do you celebrate 20 years of making great subs? With a 20th Anniversary Blowout, of course. We built the world’s largest air vortex cannon to get E&G’s customers excited about this tasty milestone. 850,000+ (free) online views later, our client is still celebrating.
JOHNSON & JOHNSON VISION CARE - THE VISION CARE INSTITUTE™
Our client, Johnson & Johnson Vision Care™ challenged us to create a compelling identity for The Vision Care Institute (TVCI) that would capture the attention of optometry school faculty and deans, as well as students, and drive participation in Institute programs. Since TVCI is the only place where optometry students can get both hands-on experience with real patients and comprehensive communications training, we opted to create an unique and energetic new identity for TVCI. Classes have been filling up ever since.
PURINA VETERINARY DIETS® - WHAT FEEDS YOU?
It’s no surprise that veterinarians are top recommenders of pet food. But what was surprising was the lack of emotion in the category when it came to communicating with veterinarians. This EFFIE finalist campaign, “What Feeds You?” tapped into veterinarian’s passion for science and their compassion for pets and their owners. It also tapped into market share gains for PVD.
ERBERT & GERBERT’S - REBRANDING
At Erbert & Gerbert’s, each sandwich is named for a character in a series of bedtime stories that the founder was told by his father. But that connection was getting lost in their existing store graphics. We gave the stores a complete makeover, giving them a look that feels more contemporary, more whimsical and, well, more E&G. From storybooks behind shadow boxes to a clearer and cleaner menu board to a wall mural that welcomes customers, the stories have truly come to life, and sales have spiked.
CENEX - THE CENEX GUY
How does a mid-sized energy company create a likeable brand in an industry where big oil rules and oil companies are reviled? They create an icon. The Cenex Guy not only represents Cenex’s diverse energy offerings, he also embodies the humble but heroic nature of the Cenex Brand. This fully integrated campaign has helped raise revenue and brand affinity.
MANHATTAN TOY COMPANY - PUZZIBITS AND CAMP GROOVY GIRLS
With all of the choices out there, how does a company that makes smart toys stand out in a crowded marketplace? They create interactive experiences that make their products tough to ignore. Camp Groovy Girls and Puzzibits.com are engaging experiences that allow kids to test-drive the toys online.
ERBERT & GERBERT’S - HUMAN FLIPBOOK
150 T-shirts + 1 overworked iron ÷ 30 seconds = the world’s first Human Flipbook. Looking to connect with their core collegiate audience, what started out as a late-night TV spot running on Comedy Central and MTV went on to become a viral online sensation. Hundreds of blogs posted about it. Millions of people viewed it. CNN covered it. And Erbert & Gerbert’s Q4 sales were up in an otherwise flat quick-serve restaurant category.
MINNESOTA STATE LOTTERY - SCRATCH GAMES
An odd pair of convenience store clerks were the perfect match when it came to selling scratch games. These TV spots use subtle humor to stand out in a medium that all too often relies on shouting.
RED WING SHOES
Can a work boot manufacturer be relevant to audiences without blue collars? Red Wing Shoes has a rich 100+ year history of crafting the finest work boots on the planet. Their other products aren’t too shabby either. In the print work we’ve created, Red Wing Motorcycle Boots, Vasque Shoes and Pecos® Boots have unique brand voices while maintaining the authenticity of their work boot roots.
FREE ARTS MINNESOTA - ART IS A GIFT
Free Arts Minnesota is a nonprofit organization that creates art programs for disadvantaged and abused children. In order to raise awareness about the organization, thousands of Qee figurines were painted by children in the Free Arts program and given away to potential donors and volunteers. Virtual Qees were painted online at artisagift.org then thousands were given away virally. The campaign helped Free Arts Minnesota exceed their holiday fundraising goals.
GMAC - HOMEOWNERSHIP PRESERVATION FUND
Debt is a serious matter. But the best way to build awareness didn’t have to be. This campaign for the Homeownership Preservation Foundation spread the word about free counseling services available to those facing bankruptcy or foreclosure by showing how debt was more than just annoying. Calls to a toll-free number skyrocketed and so did hope.
TAUBMAN SHOPPING CENTERS - TODAY
Taubman was looking to bring a little more Carpe Diem to the shopping experience. So we turned their malls into canvases. Using an arresting visual look, the “Today” campaign creates value for Taubman’s retail tenants by playfully directing shoppers to stores with messaging aimed at their unique demographics.
MINNESOTA STATE LOTTERY - VEGAS-OTA
Sometimes what happens in Vegas takes a detour to Minnesota. To promote the launch of the first-ever Las Vegas scratch game, we imported four showgirls, two Elvis impersonators and a magician. We put them on a bus and went on a statewide tour that culminated in the first-ever Running of the Elvises. Sales soared and we scored ESPN coverage.
AUGUST SCHELL BREWING CO - SCHELL’S DARK
Our challenge was to bring a classic beer back from the brink of extinction. Borrowing from its Deer Beer heritage, we created a fresh new bottle, packaging and campaign. To boost taplines at key clubs and taverns, we put together an exclusive concert series, featuring top indie bands such as Spoon, Mason Jennings and the Brian Jonestown Massacre. There was a 500 percent increase in tapline placement, sales were as robust as a pint of Schell’s Dark and the campaign won an EFFIE.
MINNESOTA STATE LOTTERY - POWERBALL
What’s the difference between a $20 million Powerball winner and a $200 million winner? Not much, because $20 million is still a ton of dough. And that’s exactly what the “What’s the Difference?” campaign conveyed through TV spots, storefront displays in malls and point-of-purchase displays. All of which drove traffic to luckymn.com, where people could play the “What’s the Difference?” game. Thousands did and they signed up for the Players Club in record numbers.