Toyota Prius at the Oscars
How do you divert press attention away from fashion and towards transportation at the Oscars? With a campaign created by PK&A called, “On Oscar night, it’s not what you wear, it’s what you drive.” Gas-guzzling limos were an awards show staple until we encouraged presenters and nominees to make a statement about the environment and dependence on foreign oil imports by arriving at the Oscars in a chauffeured Toyota Prius hybrid. The campaign was covered by just about every media outlet you can name and was repeated in subsequent years. Each year saw an increase in the number of major names in Hollywood filmdom who accepted our offer to ride in a hybrid Prius with world-wide media coverage increasing as well.
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Bioelements
At a time when there are more skin care lines than trees in the forest, PK&A knew Bioelements products would rise above the fray once sampled. But how to make that happen? Since celebrity endorsements can help cut through the clutter, PK&A utilized the agency’s entertainment industry contacts by sending samples to celebrity makeup artists. The plan worked with Kath & Kim, Dancing with the Stars and Brothers & Sisters, among others, coming back for seconds. They told us what stars like Selma Blair, Calista Flockhart and Rachel Griffith liked best. The celebrity connections paved the way for the skin care line to appear in top publications like InStyle, Allure, Lucky, Modern Bride and Health, to name a few.
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Oscar Newman
Hollywood went to the dogs with Oscar Newman’s pet couture. PK&A’s dog-loving staff members dug up the dirt on celebrity canine friends and then sent personal letters to each pooch by name, with outfits selected to coordinate with the styles frequently seen on their owners. Those who fashioned their pups to the nines with Oscar Newman include: Britney Spears, Paula Abdul, Tori Spelling, and Shannon Elizabeth. Star Jones even dressed her Maltese in a lavender Oscar Newman outfit to match the purple gown she wore while doing red carpet coverage for the Emmys. Oscar Newman made headlines with hits from E! News, People, USA Today, and New York Times, to name a few. Oscar Newman luxury pet couture even went global when an AP television segment aired around the world.
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Jessica Galvan
“Stylist-to-the-stars” is a title coveted by every hairdresser within 50 miles of Hollywood. But despite claims of big name clients, few are recognized as star-stylists by the press. In the competitive world of haute hair, Jessica Galvan’s small Beverly Hills salon could have easily been lost in the shuffle, but she retained the services of PK&A. As a result, Galvan soon saw herself and her best-known clients on the pages of People, OK!, Life & Style, InTouch twice, and won a coveted beauty award from Elle Magazine.
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Hemalayaa
Love your booty? Fitness guru Hemalayaa’s Bollywood dance-based workout DVDs can make anyone love their derriere. Wanting to spread the word, Acacia Lifestyle Media hired PK&A to generate television exposure and increase sales of the DVDs. PK&A was quick to capitalize on the rising popularity of all things Indian, especially the hit film Slumdog Millionaire. Television appearances were soon booked for Hemalayaa on popular shows like Ellen DeGeneres, Today and TV Guide Channel’s Countdown to the Academy Awards. Magazines like People Style Watch, Health, and Fitness also joined the Bollywood bandwagon featuring Hemalayaa and the videos.
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Max Factor Waterproof Mascara
How do you prove that eye makeup is “Mermaid approved?” Give it to the next best thing: synchronized swimmers. And then launch a guerilla marketing campaign to capitalize on Olympics coverage. Hold an international press conference on-site at the Olympics and reach the millions of viewers of Entertainment Tonight and an international cablecast with your message. We did it. And not one bit of makeup ran.
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Hoopnotica
How do you turn a toy into a new fitness trend? PK&A needed to come up with new twists to convince mainstream press that hoopdancing was more than child’s play. Who did we convince? Time Magazine, Vogue, InStyle, Fitness, Health¸ and the Associated Press, for starters. We also secured segments for the company founders on Good Morning America, The Today Show, and E! News. Plus, they taped segments teaching hoopdance to contestants on The Biggest Loser and the ladies of The Girls Next Door. And, Marisa Tomei taught Ellen DeGeneres the Hoopnotica way to stay in shape on her popular television show.
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It’s A Blooming Business
How do you make a flower shop in Los Angeles stand out from among the rest? Create something no one else has thought of. With the Lakers in the NBA playoffs, we suggested our client make Lakers car wreaths out of yellow and purple flowers. Then we got one to the biggest Lakers fans around - Jack Nicholson - for his on-set trailer, and pitched the story to local LA media. You may have never thought you’d see flowers covered on sportscasts, but we made it happen.
Precision UV Contact Lenses
Eyes can get sunburned? Who knew? To raise awareness of the first contact lenses with UV protection, PK&A launched a massive education campaign that included a grassroots program conducted simultaneously in 13 cities over 12 weeks with samplers entertaining crowds and handing out literature. Our efforts garnered coverage in 133 publications and on 164 television news broadcasts as well as nationally syndicated Extra. We’d say the eyes have it!
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The California Optometric Association
Good vision is more than reading the eyechart. The California Optometric Association relies on PK&A to generate media attention that educates consumers about eye health. As an awareness campaign with an absence of actual news, the challenge to generate media coverage was and is great, but persistence pays off. Each year the agency selects and trains COA member doctors to act as expert spokespeople and then pitches interviews for them in their home markets. California regional and local press is continually called and followed up with since few respond initially, regardless of the topic pitched at any given time. And despite the fact that health reporters favor something “new," over time, 73 television segments, 250 radio, and 35 newspaper placements, all within the state of California, have been placed and PK&A continues to raise awareness of the need for annual eye exams.
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Decadent Diet
Who diets during the holiday season? Not many, but that was when Annasa chose to launch a new diet program called Decadent Diet. Faced with unfortunate timing, the absence of clinical studies, success stories or endorsements, a high price point, and the notoriously heavy competition for airtime during the holiday season, we were determined to persevere. PK&A focused on the most appealing aspect of the diet: the chocolate truffle that was eaten before each meal. We shot a B-roll package which included footage of the truffles being made on the same candy-making machine used in the famous I Love Lucy episode, which became a door opener. Our persistent telephone pitching produced over 300 documented TV placements generated in a two month period, hitting 46 our of the top 50 markets! Delicious results!
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Neutrogena HeatSafe
“What’s the #1 cause of bad hair days?” we asked. “Blow dryer-dry out,” you said. “Our product solved that,” we answered. Who heard? Regis & Kathie Lee, dozens of radio DJs, 93 television newscasts, every major women’s magazine, and USA Today. Enough said.
Jafra Intensive Retinol Treatment
Jafra came late to the Retinol game, so we needed to put a new spin on an old story. Who would be most worried about wrinkles? Women attending their 25th high school reunion! In fact, they told us in survey answers they would rather arrive at the reunion without seeming to have a single wrinkle than dripping in diamonds, on the arm of a gorgeous husband or with no gray hair! USA Today and Shape, among others, reported our findings.
Neutrogena Psychodermatology
Psycho-what? Created to boost Neutrogena’s acne line sales, Psychodermatology examined the link between acne and self-esteem. Our new twist on skin problems generated a cover and feature in Self, dozens of newspaper articles and over 75 television news segments.
FreshLook Cosmetic Contact Lenses
In a time when budgets were being slashed, how do you create news about an existing product line with no new product extensions? We thought an online survey about celebrity eyes and eye color would do the trick. USA Today, The New York Post and Allure all agreed.
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Fashion Square Mall
All malls are basically the same. Except when they aren’t. Fashion Square in Sherman Oaks, California wanted to cultivate a higher-end image than nearby malls. PK&A planned a fashion show at The Hollywood Bowl, LA’s premiere, outdoor, summer venue moderated by fashion stylist-to-the-stars Philip Bloch. Models showed clothing from mall stores, while Bloch made predictions of what television stars would be wearing on-air in the new season. Extra covered the entire show along with added Bloch interview footage, as did two local television stations.
WildEyes novelty contact lenses
We pulled out our Hollywood Rolodex on behalf of WildEyes -- who better to talk about spooky, outrageous Halloween looks than Todd MacIntosh, make-up artist on Buffy the Vampire Slayer? We had Todd create special looks using WildEyes lenses. Then we filmed a B-roll package, pitched Todd as a spokesperson, and created striking press kits depicting his designs. The following year, we sent MacIntosh on a highly successful satellite media tour from a Hollywood studio.
2 Calorie Quest
Question: What do you get when you throw a lot of parties and the "food cop" shows up? Answer: A whole lot of attention for Seagrams’ new bottled water. PK&A arranged to have Quest served at over 100 events and parties attended by movers and shakers in key markets. We also retained a nutritionist-to-the-stars and self-appointed “food cop” to appear on television and promote Quest. Coverage ran in 317 newspapers, high-profile magazines and on several nationally syndicated talk shows.
Standard Brands Paint Company
To promote the company’s neighborhood stores in the face of larger, warehouse-style competitors, PK&A launched a television campaign surrounding “Paint Man” – a comedian with handyman skills. We booked “Paint Man” on local television news programs in cities with stores to demonstrate home decorating ideas with products few consumers knew were available at Standard Brands. PK&A generated more than three hours of television talk show and news time as well as extensive regional and national newspaper coverage.
Enamelon Toothpaste
To generate interest and explain the distinct, but fairly technical, advantages of Enamelon’s formula while clinical trials were still being conducted, PK&A used researchers from universities around the country as spokespeople. 114 television news segments, 81 newspaper articles, and coverage in magazines including Vogue, Good Housekeeping, Cosmopolitan, and GQ left the client smiling.
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FreshLook cosmetic contact lenses
When it came to FreshLook, we had stars in our eyes! The challenge was not just getting celebrities interested, but getting them into an eye care practitioner’s office for fittings to wear FreshLook contacts. We put ourselves where the celebrities are – awards shows, photo shoots and on television show sets, and got on the phone with our Hollywood connections. We still have stars in our eyes. And now celebrities like Britney Spears, Jennifer Lopez, Jennifer Garner, and Lil’ Kim have FreshLook lenses in theirs!
KERI Anti-Bacterial Hand Lotion
When New Yorkers think of germy locations, the subway is usually the first place that comes to mind. To launch the first anti-bacterial hand lotion, PK&A declared war on germs by creating “Germ Awareness Day." Keri engaged in hand-to-hand combat in the NYC subways with actors clad in scrubs handing out Keri samples at the entrance and exits of Manhattan’s ten busiest stations. The anti-bacterial/subway message struck a cord with both straphangers and the press. The campaign garnered coverage on every television station in New York City as well as on CNN. An AP feature article ran in papers all over the country.
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Revlon Run/Walk
Revlon challenged PK&A to help build an image for it as a company with a heart. Using the very first Revlon Run/Walk as a platform, PK&A trained and utilized the company’s spokes-models to achieve coverage of Revlon’s charitable endeavors with unprecedented success. The Tonight Show and People were among the national media that opened a new chapter in Revlon’s corporate life.
Neutrogena Rainbath Shower Gel
Rainbath Shower Gel, a mature brand, was being eclipsed by a flood of newer market entries. PK&A developed a program that echoed Rainbath’s new advertising theme: “The rain makes everything clean,” to maximize impact. We challenged consumers to take pictures that captured this theme and donated money to non-profit Gilda’s Club in New York for every entry. The competition and winners' reception garnered coverage in major women’s magazines and newspapers, on CBS television, and on non-traditional outlets like photography magazines and weather forecasts.
Dep Hair Gel
To promote Dep’s charitable donation to Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), PK&A developed a contest themed: “It’s cool to be in control.” Dep makes a product that controls hair. Young people were invited, via in-store displays and counter cards placed in the lobbies of a national theater chain, to create videos that captured the theme as it related to drunk driving. MADD received a donation from Dep for every entry. Winners received cash prizes and many of the videos were featured on hometown television news programs. Coverage for the contest appeared in regional newspapers and national magazines.
Max Factor Le Jardin Fragrance
A sleepy brand. A popular spokesperson. What to do? PK&A developed a program that benefited a children’s charity and positioned Jane Seymour, actress and mom, as a champion in the fight against child abuse. With this platform in place, PK&A booked Jane on Good Morning America, Today and Regis & Kathie Lee, where she promoted Le Jardin fragrances - just in time for the popular Mother’s Day selling season.
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