Building on Some Clever Slices of Wit

Advertiser: Dairy Management Inc.

Agency: Leo Burnett, Chicago

Challenge: Encourage consumers identified as “cheese cravers” (who account for 44% of cheese consumption) to eat more of it.

The Ads: A print campaign depicts cheese as the ultimate snack. One ad shows three slices of cheese tied up in a bow, placed atop a bed pillow. The legend is “Sweeter dreams.” A Dagwood-style stack of cheese slices figures in another ad, with the legend, “Cracker optional.” A third ad shows a hunk of Swiss cheese in a mousetrap. The legend: “What a way to go.” Each ad bears the slogan “Behold the power of cheese.”

Comment: In these lighthearted ads, cheese is a bedtime snack, the supreme munchie and--yes--even something to die for. The ads capture the essence of craving without being, well, cheesy. Considering the fat content of many cheeses, can cravers--who already eat an average of 22 pounds of cheese a year--get too much of a good thing? $$$

Ads are rated from $ to $$$$, based on probable effectiveness and tastefulness, with $$$$ being best.