Marketing Morsels: Hidden Valley Ranch, La-Z-Boy, Topps & More

The holidays are here, and now is the time to gift our readers some campaigns and news you might not have seen yet. So enjoy this cozy batch of marketing morsels to get you through Turkey Day, Black Friday, and the rest of the holidays.

Last Prisoner Project

Thanksgiving is a time for family traditions, including the President’s turkey pardon, which dates back to the Civil War. This Thanksgiving, Last Prisoner Project and agency Sid Lee are launching a new campaign, “Pardon People, Not Poultry,” which aims to highlight the thousands of Americanswho sit in prison for unjust cannabis offenses. The idea is to prioritize pardoning Americans over a bird.

Hidden Valley Ranch

This season, Hidden Valley Ranch is putting a flavorful twist on a festive tradition: holiday cards. The new “Hidden” Hidden Valley Ranch Holiday Card Collectionis a limited-edition set of holiday cards filled with Hidden Valley Ranch to offer fans a delicious way to pour on some holiday cheer. Each card in this eight-pack collection comes with a hidden serving of zesty, creamy ranch dressing for recipients to enjoy.

La-Z-Boy

Having a reclining seat is great. Unless you’re on an airplane and the person in front of you has leaned back their seat so it bashes into your knees and spills your drink. La-Z-Boy, with the help of Colle McVoy, knows your pain. In a new spot, the brand known for reclining, is calling for a ban on reclining airplane seats. In fact, La-Z-Boy is giving away prize packages to five lucky people who sign the pledge at BanReclining.com, including a free La-Z-Boy recliner and a $500 airfare credit.

American Family Insurance

Green Bay quarterback Jordan Love appears in new advertising for the brand’s “Life’s Better” campaign. The work, from Elite Media, focuses on how under the American Family roof, families can feel comforted and protected. Love was signed as American Family’s newest brand ambassador earlier this year, and the campaign continues American Family’s partnership with the Packers which dates back to 2005.

Moosylvania

The St. Louis advertising agency is marking its 21st anniversary the way many do when they reach this milestone—by raising a glass and cracking open a cold beer with friends. Moosylvania has partnered with 4 Hands Brewery, to debut a limited-edition IPA, Moose Space. Each can features a QR code linking to MooseSpaceBeer.com, where consumers can dive into a throwback experience inspired by Myspace. Visitors to the site can explore custom profiles, stream DJ-curated party playlists, and play a photo hunt game called MooseTouch.

Topps

Sports card company Topps has teamed with agency BSSP to bring the Wild West to baseball card collecting. “Chrome Rush” is a campaign celebrating the return of the Topps MVP Buyback Program. Chrome Rush is a modern-day treasure hunt to discover MVP-worthy Chrome cards. It follows Big Papi David Ortiz as he pans for MVP cards, he then strikes Chrome with finding Yankees Aaron Judge and L.A. Dodgers Shoehi Ohtani trading cards.

FactSet

FactSet, a global financial digital platform and enterprise solutions provider, has partnered with Chicago-based creative agency VSA Partners on a round of spots in its “Not Just the Facts” campaign. The creative focuses on a particularly boorish office worker, drolly played by character actor Wyndham Maxwell, who ticks off an encyclopedic list of facts and non sequiturs during business meetings and in an elevator to the bemusement of his colleagues. 

Colorado Springs Utilities

Colorado-based indie agency Vladimir Jones has partnered with Colorado Springs Utilities in a new campaign that encourages customers to be energy-wise. They invented Smallfoot, a mysterious energy conservation legend that teaches folks to conserve energy with an eco-friendly, small energy-footprint mindset.

Ontario Racing

Unfiltered Champion Ale is the world’s first beer made from the same barley champion racehorses eat. The beer is being used to introduce new audiences to the acclaimed documentary series Ontario Racing Unfiltered. The success of series one led to a second season. Each can of beer has a QR code on the label that people can scan to stream the documentary series. The campaign was created by creative agency VML in partnership with Ontario Racing and Avling Brewery.

NOTES

-The world’s first Museum of Malware Art (MuMA) officially opened its doors in Helsinki, showcasing an convergence of technology, cyber security, and artistic expression. The museum explores malware through an artistic lens, inviting visitors to engage with the creative, ethical, and societal impacts of cyber threats. Curated by WithSecure’s chief research officer, Mikko Hyppönen, Museum of Malware Art captures the dark side of the digital world through innovative and immersive installations. Check out the museum page here.

-Next-generation water innovation company A1RWater has selected BBH USA as its creative agency of record. BBH is tasked with driving the evolution of the A1RWater brand, shaping its strategic direction across channels and initiatives. The agency will also focus on developing the brand’s direct-to-consumer products.

-Toys“R”Us Studios, the entertainment production arm of the toy brand, and Known Originals are teaming up with Fox Alternative Entertainment, the unscripted production division of Fox Entertainment Studios, to develop and produce a primetime competition series, Toys“R”Us Family Faceoff.

-Perfetti Van Melle (PVM), a top manufacturer and distributor of confectionery and chewing gum, has appointed IPG agency FCB London as its lead agency for creative and strategy for a portfolio of its gum brands following a competitive pitch.

-iProspect has been named U.S. brand media agency of record for Principal Financial Group and Principal Asset ManagementSM following an extensive competitive review.

-Adam Zeller has joined AKQA as head of social, overseeing strategy, content, and execution for clients including Levi Strauss & Co., NordicTrack, and iFit.

-Gravity Global, a marketing consultancy, has appointed Renata Florio global chief creative officer. Florio was previously ecd of WPP for global brands at Ogilvy New York.

-Design agency Pearlfisher has promoted its longtime creative Matt Sia to executive creative director. Sia’s appointment follows Jason Brown’s appointment as the design agency’s first global CEO earlier this year.

-Score a Score, a leader in audio branding, is giving more companies access to sonic branding with tailored packages for brands of every size. In a media-saturated world, a custom audio logo has become essential. Score a Score is offering accessible, tiered packages—with a $1,000 starter option for startups—making the impact of sound available to all.

-Performance marketing agency Hawk Meda, has acquired We Are Unicorns, a boutique Seattle-based agency specializing in brand strategy and narrative-driven marketing.