Effem breaks Mars Mania campaign
By Adnews Staff
Effem of Toronto has begun a new campaign to promote the Mars Bar. The initiative, called "Mars Mania," presents the chocolate bar as a source of energy. It includes a national advertising campaign using the tagline "Recharge on Mars," along with in-store, on-package and online materials and media relations. New 30-second English- and French-language television commercials will run for four weeks in March. Major radio stations nationally will run co-promotions. Transit advertising in three large markets will also be used. A contest component will distribute one million free Mars bars through instant win messages on their wrappers, and six trips to the Whistler Blackcomb resort through a website at <http://www.rechargeonmars.com>. Visitors to this site can also email an online game to other people to improve their chances of winning a trip. The contest will run from March 18 to April 18. "Our goal was to create a high level of consumer excitement around the Mars brand, using fresh new creative, coupled with the multi-faceted Mars Mania promotion, all of which builds on our core 'Recharge on Mars' theme," said Rankin Carroll, marketing director of Effem. BBDO of Toronto created the television and transit advertising. The IC Group produced the online elements. Media buying and radio negotiations were handled by OMD. Public relations are being provided by GCI Group.