W.K. Buckley Limited has been flaunting its bad taste for the past several years, and its newest advertising effort, just launched, is no exception.
The humorous campaign has company president Frank Buckley back in the role of spokesperson.
Buckley has unabashedly been plugging the effectiveness of his company’s strong-tasting flagship remedy, Buckley’s Mixture, since 1987. That was the same year the themeline ‘It tastes awful. And it works.’ was created by Peter Byrne, co-founder and creative director of Buckley’s agency, Bensimon-Byrne.
A ten-week ‘Bad Taste’ campaign is now underway in Canada and in New York where the product was introduced last fall.
In the u.s., a mix of radio and transit shelter advertising is being used. Two 30-sec. and two 60-sec. radio executions feature Buckley, while transit ads will follow the style of past Canadian efforts with the headline, ‘Open Wide and Say @$#*!’
The Canadian campaign includes three new 30-sec. radio commercials which are rotating in Ontario, b.c. and Alberta and two 15-sec. television executions airing in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and the Maritimes.
The tv spots have Buckley appearing on stage to deliver a short stand-up comedy routine.
In ‘Good News,’ he says the good news for those suffering from coughs due to colds is ‘You’re going to feel a lot better very soon. The bad news is this’ – and holds up a bottle of Buckley’s Mixture.
In the second spot, ‘Announcement,’ Buckley says his cough mixture isn’t available in an extra-strength formula, and exits after the punchline, ‘Consider yourself lucky.’
The kicker to both spots is the tag line, complete with sound effects.
Creative credits go to Peter Byrne, creative director, and Bill Parker, copywriter.
