Charmin Wins P&G Super Bowl Contest

http://www.adweek.com/aw/national/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=2046

By Andrew McMains and Kathleen Sampey

NEW YORK After a mini-competition among roster shops, Procter & Gamble has selected Charmin to be featured during the marketing giant’s first appearance on the Super Bowl in February, sources said. The brand is handled by Publicis Groupe’s Publicis in New York.

The selection was revealed during a Thursday afternoon conference call among executives from P&G and participating agencies, which also included Saatchi & Saatchi and The Kaplan Thaler Group, said sources.

The winning spot is a humorous execution set on a football meadow, depicting a game in which Charmin plays a part, according to a source. Publicis and P&G did not return calls.

Top client executives, including CEO A.G. Lafley, screened final entries last month at the home of global marketing officer Jim Stengel [ Adweek , Nov. 24]. At the time, a client representative said then that seven brands were being considered, but sources pointed to four leading contenders: Charmin, Crest (which Saatchi handles), Swiffer (Kaplan Thaler) and Prilosec (also Publicis).

Judging criteria included questions such as, “Is it a strong match for the target audience?” and “Is it the best fit for the venue?” Other judges included Rob Steele, president of the North American marketing development organization and Kerry Clark, president of global market development and business operations.