“We’ve heard over and over from fans that in addition to being a great place to go for thrills, our parks are a great way to connect with the people they care about—and there’s science behind their experience,” said Cedar Fair Chief Marketing Officer Kelley Semmelroth. “This is the insight at the heart of our new ‘Thrills Connect’ campaign.”

According to neuroeconomist and oxytocin specialist Dr. Paul Zak, “Thrills capture our attention and narrow our focus to the now. A thrilling adventure with others induces the brain to release oxytocin, which makes us feel close to others, to care about them, even to love them. Thrills tell the brain to get close to those around us, to depend on them for support.  For social creatures like humans, this has the effect of making us both relaxed and happy—which can impact how people feel for days, weeks, or even longer after a thrilling adventure.”

Television spots debuting this month capture the “shared language” of this unique kind of Cedar Fair connection. In “Embrace,” we see two strangers, a man and a woman, in a roller coaster car before the ride takes off. Cut to the pair frozen in an embrace as they come to a stop after the ride. She quickly and awkwardly pulls away as she hears her son behind them say, “Mom?”  Giving a sheepish smile, she introduces her family sitting behind them. In “Language Barrier,” again we see two strangers, a teenager and a Chinese man, trying to make small talk in a roller coaster car about to take off.  Due to the language barrier, they don’t seem to understand one another until after the ride, when they are breathlessly conversing in fluent Mandarin. Print and online ads feature lines such as “A 360 degree loop can resolve all differences.”

“By focusing on the intense and unique bonding experience that makes a visit to Cedar Fair parks such a welcome respite from our hectic, disconnected daily routine, we’re shifting the category conversation from a ride- and promotion-driven one to a more authentic, emotional one,” said Cramer Krasselt EVP/Chief Operating Officer and Chicago General Manager Karen Seamen.

C-K is also optimizing the media mix across 64 markets in North America to more effectively—and contextually—reach people as they plan summer activities as well as during and after their park visits. Television will run on a mix of lifestyle cable, family entertainment and reality programming as well as local news. Online partners will include sites such as SheKnows, Blog Her, Trip Advisor and The Weather Channel in addition to social channels like Facebook. Search, online and public relations activities will seamlessly complement traditional advertising. Media plans and some messaging will be tailored for each park, including: Cedar Point (Sandusky, OH), Canada’s Wonderland (Toronto), Kings Island (Cincinnati, OH), Kings Dominion (Richmond, VA), Carowinds (Charlotte, NC), California’s Great America (San Francisco), Dorney Park (Allentown, PA), Worlds of Fun (Kansas City), Valleyfair (Minneapolis) and Michigan’s Adventure (Muskegon, MI).

“We are very pleased to move forward with Cramer-Krasselt,” said Michael Simon, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, Panera Bread. “We believe evolving to a more elevated message that better captures Panera’s soul can build deeper affinity with our customers and as a result create competitive advantage. As a purpose-driven brand, we believe Panera has the opportunity to shift the dialogue and move from being a brand that is preferred, to one that is truly loved. C-K demonstrated they have the ability to help us express our core reason for being and break through with their creative approach.”

Said Cramer-Krasselt EVP/Chief Operating Officer and Chicago General Manager Karen Seamen, “Rarely does a company combine quality of product with quality of giving back. Not only are we excited to collaborate with Panera, we’re proud of who they are as a company and what they are trying to do.”

Cramer-Krasselt, the second largest independent agency in the U.S., will support Panera Bread nationally out of its Chicago office.

Maxus North America, one of four global WPP media agency networks within GroupM, will continue to provide Panera Bread with strategic media planning and investment services.

About Panera Bread
Panera Bread Company owns and franchises 1,562 bakery-cafes as of March 27, 2012 under the Panera Bread^®, Saint Louis Bread Co.^® and Paradise Bakery & Cafe^® names. We feature high quality, reasonably priced food in a warm, inviting and comfortable environment. With our identity rooted in handcrafted, fresh-baked, artisan bread, we are committed to providing great tasting, quality food that people can trust. Nearly all of our bakery-cafes have a menu highlighted by antibiotic free chicken, whole grain bread and select organic and all natural ingredients, with zero grams of artificial trans fat per serving, which provide flavorful, wholesome offerings. Our menu includes a wide variety of year-round favorites complemented by new items introduced seasonally with the goal of creating new standards in everyday food choices. In neighborhoods across this country and in Ontario, Canada, our customers enjoy our warm and welcoming environment featuring comfortable gathering areas, relaxing decor and free internet access. Our bakery-cafes routinely donate bread and baked goods to community organizations in need. Additional information is available on the Company’s website, http://www.panerabread.com.

Things Your Dog Doesn’t Want You to Know answers the questions that dog owners have asked for centuries. The book is a collection of 115 humorous essays that reveal the truth behind some of the most baffling canine behavior, their hopes and dreams, their grudges and pleasures, and what they really think about us humans.

Topics include:

• My Life in Your Purse by Tinkerbell, the Chihuahua
• Waiting by the Table (for food scraps, of course!) by Orson, the bulldog
• The Bed Rules (Rule #1—It’s my bed) by Dimples, the boxer
• The Reason I Ate the Sofa (leather tastes a lot like rawhide) by Axelrod, the yellow lab
• I Can Poop the Second I Start My Walk (but choose not to) by Sophie, the cocker spaniel

In Jeff’s words, the story behind the book:

“I wrote “Things Your Dog Doesn’t Want You to Know” for two simple reasons. First, I wanted to write a book in which the title was self-explanatory. My first book was called “The Hourglass Solution.” And even when I explained the title to people, they stared at me blankly. I did not want to have to go through that again. Second, I wanted to write a book that sold copies to more people than just my friends (I am sure that Peter Krivkovich was the single largest purchaser of “The Hourglass Solution” and I still thank him for that).

The actual idea for the book came to my partner, Hy Conrad, and me late one night watching TV. After a series of silly commercials for books on “Things the FBI Doesn’t Want You to Know” and “Things the Banks Don’t Want You to Know,” Hy turned to me and said, “Why don’t we write a book about something really worthwhile:  ”Things Your Dog Doesn’t Want You to Know.” And there you have it.”

The book is available on Amazon and at Barnes & Noble.

“Spotlight,” the first new TV ad of 2012, will debut during NBA and NCAA basketball programming on March 26.  “Spotlight” opens under the stars on an iconic Corona Beach, where the indie band Everest emerges from the dark to welcome an intimate party of three before launching into their hit single “Let Go.”  The spot then cuts to a crowded club where the three friends toast one another and closes with the band playing a private moonlit performance on the picturesque Corona beach.

“Taxi,” a spot scheduled to debut this summer, opens with a cab rolling down a Corona Beach setting at sunset, curiously trailed by a rain cloud.  As the passenger opens the taxi door, the ad cuts to a rain soaked cityscape, he then dodges raindrops across the street and into a bar where a group of his friends await to hear the results of an important meeting.  Upon hearing the good news, they toast his success and return to the beachside bar.

“The Corona ‘Find Your Beach’ campaign is resonating with our fans while simultaneously connecting us with new customers,” said Jim Sabia, chief marketing officer, Crown Imports.  “As our lives get busier, we realize the importance of taking a step back and relaxing to keep us feeling positive and upbeat.  Finding these moments—or ‘beaches,’ as we call them—wherever you are is what Corona Extra is all about.”

Corona’s movement off the beach began in 2010 with the groundbreaking TV spot entitled, “Moments.”  This spot marked the first step toward expanding consumers’ beach state of mind by inviting them to experience the brand in new settings and challenging them to “Find Your Beach.”  In 2011, Corona continued the off-the-beach shift with three new ads “Flight,” “Commuters,” and “Snow/Sand.”  Each spot helped remind consumers that Corona is appropriate for every occasion and that “the beach” is also a state of mind

“The magic of the latest “Find Your Beach” creative rests in keeping the familiarity of the brand fresh.  The Corona beach has evolved into an iconic mental playground that allows us to introduce unexpected elements,” said Marshall Ross, executive vice president/chief creative officer, Cramer-Krasselt.  “Whether it’s a band, a taxi or a flight attendant’s cart—or bringing the beach itself to unexpected places—we’re able to bring newness and surprise to the story.”

Corona Extra’s 2012 out-of-home advertising depicts beaches where they typically don’t belong—in a city bar, on an urban rooftop or by a backyard pool—all shot by UK-based photographer Andy Glass. Four separate executions designed to broaden brand perceptions and expand drinking occasions will begin appearing in May on taxi toppers, bus shelters and other outdoor displays in ten top markets such as New York City, Chicago, LA, San Francisco and Washington D.C.

CHICAGO – March 21, 2012 – Cramer-Krasselt, the second-largest independent marketing and communications agency in the U.S. with annual billings of more than $1 billion, announced that it has tapped Derek Green, 37, as executive creative director of its Chicago headquarters office.

Green comes to C-K Chicago from Saatchi & Saatchi Switzerland, where he was most recently chief creative officer, overseeing a team of 30 creatives in Zurich and Geneva, where he was based. In addition to his Gold Lion-winning work last year at Cannes for Novartis, he was also responsible for blue-chip clients such as Orange and Procter & Gamble, previously serving as Saatchi & Saatchi’s regional creative director on the account for Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa (CEEMEA). He’s a recipient of the prestigious P&G Global Brand Building Award for Best Holistic Communication and earned more than 30 international awards alone for his work on Ariel Washing Detergent.

Green started his career in 1994 with Saatchi & Saatchi New Zealand, working on clients like HP, Air New Zealand and NZ Breweries before moving back to his native Australia to start his own creative consultancy. After five years, his consultancy merged with Leo Burnett Sydney, where he responsible for international award-winning campaigns for Canon Digital Cameras, Subaru, Kellogg and Heineken.

“This is another example of our continuing commitment to push the level of our work higher and higher,” said Marshall Ross, executive vice president, chief creative officer of Cramer-Krasselt. “Derek has the passion, personality and unique global perspective we were looking for, having helped run two successful agencies in two different countries. Behind his award-winning work for blue-chip clients is a different type of thinker, someone who can take a complex business problem and devise an elegant, engaging and really memorable solution.”

Green will start in August and report to Ross, working closely with EVP/Chief Operating Officer and Chicago General Manager Karen Seamen. He’ll be responsible for overseeing the agency’s growing creative department and guiding the agency’s creative product for clients such as Porsche, Corona Extra, Edward Jones, Heinz and Hilton Hotels International.

“After six successful years with Saatchi Switzerland, I am excited about my new challenge,” said Green. “C-K has given me an incredible opportunity to lead within an agency excelling in an ever-changing market—what more could I ask for!”

Green takes the ECD reins from Kevin Flatt, 42, who will shift into a new position for the agency: senior vice president, Digital and Design director. In this role, Flatt will focus his deep design and digital expertise to give the agency a one-two punch at the most senior levels; ensuring that great storytelling and brand experience innovation happen simultaneously.

A sample of Derek’s work:

Enjoy: C-K Life Spotify Playlist

Directed by Michael Patrick Jann and starring Carlos Alazraqui as JJ, the TV spots feature some of the comedic genius behind Comedy Central’s Reno 911. In addition to TV, print, OOH and radio will appear in the key markets across the southeastern U.S. where Direct General does business.

EcoPower is recycled and refined from reclaimed motor oil, requiring 85 percent less energy to produce than conventional motor oil. The company is enlisting C-K to raise awareness of this more environmentally sound alternative that provides the same engine protection as motor oil manufactured from virgin crude.

“This is a superior product in every way—retaining the same qualities as leading conventional motor oils while protecting your car and the environment. To shift behavior and brand preference in this complex and competitive category we needed an experienced partner with a proven ability to change a category conversation—and C-K was the perfect fit,” said Curt Knapp, senior vice president and CMO of Safety-Kleen Systems. “Our 2012 efforts will focus on educating key decision makers—from an automotive industry Chief Sustainability Officer to a mom getting an oil change—about the massive environmental impact this product can make without sacrificing engine protection or performance.”

The assignment reunites Knapp, formerly director of Marketing at Castrol USA, with C-K New York Executive Creative Directors Larry Hampel and Dean Stefanides, who worked with him on the brand in the early 1990’s.

“We’re thrilled that Curt and the Safety-Kleen team have entrusted us to develop this new brand,” said Hampel. “The big challenge here is simultaneously engaging environmentally conscious consumers and automotive insiders, such as vehicle fleet managers, who may not be aware that they do not have to sacrifice performance when using a motor oil recycled and refined from reclaimed motor oil. In the end, our job is to convey that this is about more than an oil change—it’s about showing people they have a viable choice when it comes to sustainable ways of living and doing business.”

Trade and consumer advertising will debut in print and online in February and March.

Penfield Children’s Center

Milwaukee Police Department

Sojourner  Family Peace Center

COA Youth & Family Center/HIP Program

Milwaukee Public Museum