May 09, 2005
Integrated marketing effort builds on "Write Out Loud!"™ campaign with
new "go anywhere" marker series
OAK BROOK - Sharpie, the popular brand of permanent markers and part of
the Newell Rubbermaid (NYSE: NWL) portfolio of leading brands, today
unveiled its integrated marketing campaign featuring Sharpie "Mini"
markers, a new 12-color, "pint-sized" marker series with a clip -
perfect for life's "mini" moments.
The multi-million dollar campaign includes network and national cable
television, print, online and in-store advertising, as well as mobile
marketing starting today and running through the end of August.
"Sharpie Mini delivers big on bold and colorful writing like its
predecessors," said Rory Leyden, president of Sharpie. "These markers
extend the ultimate in convenience with a cap clip that can be attached
to just about anything. From a student's backpack or driving school
instructor's rearview mirror, to a coach's whistle lanyard or an
astronaut's suit, Sharpie Mini markers can easily go anywhere you need
them to."
McCann-Erickson Worldwide of New York developed the Sharpie Mini
creative that continues the successful "Write Out Loud" campaign
launched in 2003. Two 30-second television spots, each made up of two
15-second "mini" vignettes, will headline the campaign.
The first spot, "Moon/Helmet," takes Sharpie Mini where no marker has
ever gone before. The first vignette shows an astronaut pulling off the
cap of his Sharpie Mini worn around his neck and writing "Doug Was Here"
on a flag. Doug then proudly plants the flag on the moon's surface. The
spot then transitions to a youth football game, as a frustrated coach
tackles the need to literally draw out the game winning play, with a
Sharpie Mini of course, on the back of the center's helmet.
The second spot, "Frisbee/Driver," begins with a young man in a park who
spots an attractive woman. Without hesitation, he grabs the Sharpie
Mini that is clipped to his bag, writes his phone number on a frisbee
and tosses it towards the woman. To his dismay, a leaping dog
intercepts the flying love note in mid-air, thwarting his attempt at a
date. The spot then changes to a teenager who is using a Sharpie Mini
to color in a scratch on a car's bumper. The viewer then learns that
this teenager is taking a driving test. After filling in the scratch,
the student driver gets back in the car, hands the Sharpie Mini to the
instructor and takes a second shot at pulling out of a parking spot.
This time, he hits the car in front of him. The angry instructor grabs
another Sharpie Mini marker, conveniently hanging from the car's rear
view mirror, only this time he uses a different color marker to match
the paint of the second wounded car.
Both spots end with the announcer saying "Sharpie Mini," followed by
Sharpie's familiar signature tagline - "Write Out Loud!"
In addition to television advertising, the marketing campaign includes,
print and online advertising, more than 15,000 point-of-purchase
displays, 250 mobile marketing events through 2005, sponsorship of
NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Champion Kurt Busch, driver of the No. 97 Sharpie Ford
and title support for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup series premier race, the
Sharpie 500, August 27 in Bristol, Tenn.
The brand is also kicking off the Sharpie Mini Tour at the PGA TOUR's
EDS Byron Nelson Championship May 9 in Irving, Texas. The program,
benefiting the nationwide Sharpie "Autographs for Education" effort,
will visit select PGA TOUR golf events across the country this summer
and fall. The Sharpie Mini Tour will invite participants to mark their
golf ball with Sharpie Mini markers and try to sink a "mini" putt for a
chance to hit the links in 2006 with the PGA TOUR's Chad Campbell in
Hawaii.
Sharpie Mini markers are available at office supply stores and other
retailers nationwide in twelve bold colors: black, red, blue, green,
orange, berry, lime, aqua, purple, plum, navy and burgundy. The
suggested retail prices for 2-, 8- and 12-packs are $5.93, $11.73 and
$17.78, respectively.
About Sanford®, Makers of Sharpie®
Sharpie is the popular brand of permanent markers first introduced in
1964. Sanford, a business unit of Newell Rubbermaid Inc. (NYSE: NWL)
and marker of Sharpie markers, is a worldwide leader in the
manufacturing and marketing of writing instruments, art products and
office organization, including such well known brands as Paper Mate®,
Sharpie®, Parker®, Waterman®, EXPO®, FoohyTM, uni-ball®, and Rolodex®,
among others. Sanford makes more than 6,000 products, ranging from
markers, pens and pencils to professional art products, fine writing
instruments and office organization products. Visit sharpie.com or
sanfordcorp.com for more information.
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