THESE ADS REALLY ROAR
By Adnews Staff
Toronto-based Imperial Oil brought is tiger to life this week. The company is using a live tiger in its TV and point-of-purchase campaign for Esso service stations and their highest grade of gasoline, Esso Supreme 92. The company has used a cartoon tiger off and on for 30 years, but decided to switch to a live one because it "has attributes that are perfect for representing our products," customer communications project manager Karen Fricker told Adnews yesterday. The TV ad shows a high performance car morphing into a tiger. The tag line says "Unleash the performance." Point-of-purchase materials will feature the tiger leaping from pumps. The ads were created by Goodgoll Curtis of Toronto. Communications bleu blanc rouge of Montreal did the French adaptation. The cartoon tiger will still be used in point-of-purchase materials at Tiger Express stores, as well as in the Esso Kids program, which funds youth charities and activities.