Kraft Canada is spreading smiles with the launch of transit ads for the latest instalment of its “Spread the Ritz” cracker campaign from Sharpe Blackmore EuroRSCG.
The national effort uses the colours that have become synonymous with the Ritz brand: red, yellow and blue, as well as the copy “What goes around is actually round” and “Some smiles come full circle.”
Ron Tite, vice-president and creative director, Sharpe Blackmore, said the ads are supposed to stand out from other cracker brands that tend to use white or clean earth tones in their ads.
The agency employed these “emotional lines” to tie in with the campaign strategy, which is to shift the focus to the brand’s core values, said Tite.
The taste of Ritz ignites a smile on people’s faces, Tite explained. “If you’re a parent and you’re giving a Ritz cracker to your child… they smile when you give it to them, and of course, loving the fact you gave it to them brings a smile to your face.”
The campaign will extend into magazines this September, with a similar creative execution as the transit ads. The TSAs will run until the end of the month, with MediaVest handling the buy.
The Spread the Ritz campaign launched last year. It aims to connect with consumers on an emotional level with a message of simplicity.
In April, Kraft posted its 30-second “Let it Rain” TV spot on YouTube that featured a song composed and performed by Ian Lefeuvre, a writer at Pirate Radio. Viewers filled the comment section looking for a full-length version of the song.
In response, Tite posted his own video saying if the commercial received 10,000 views by June 10, Kraft would commission Lefeuvre to record a full version.
The goal was reached before the deadline, and the song was released on iTunes last Friday, said Tite.
Kraft also asked consumers to submit album art by June 14, to be included with the purchase of the song. Low response levels prompted the agency to create its own art.
