Pair a stunning songstress with a blinged-up umbrella, and what do you get? Named as one of AdAge’s top 50 brands of the year, according to brand engagement agency Northlich. The agency and its client, totes, was featured on the AdAge list in November for its campaign pairing Grammy winner Rihanna, singer of the catchy hit “Umbrella,” with the ubiquitous umbrella brand. Supported only through PR, Northlich ran an aggressive media relations campaign that included Rihanna appearances at Fashion Week 2008 and the Macy’s flagship store in New York’s Herald Square. Media coverage reached 350 million and drove significant sales and web traffic.
Northlich also launched Long John Silver’s first ever non-fried menu that’s lower in fat and calories, Freshside Grille. The integrated campaign included digital, in-market TV spots and public relations reaching 165 million including a hit on Comedy Central’s “Colbert Report” that said, “This non-fried fish is a threat to the great American tradition of deep-frying everything.” The centerpiece of the campaign is a dedicated microsite, www.freshsidegrille.com designed from the perspective of a diner at a seaside tiki hut restaurant. Sitting at a table draped in a white cloth, with the breeze blowing through the palm trees and waves lapping at the shore, the customer is handed a menu for the Long John Silver’s Freshside Grille, which opens to show product photos, details and nutritional information.
