Repels Bugs, Not People

RAINDROP AGENCY BUGS OUT IN HUMOROUS CAMPAIGN FOR GRAND TONGO MOSQUITO REPELLENT
SanDiego creative agency Raindrop has launched a humorous campaign of TV commercials for Grand Tongo, the great-smelling, powerful, DEET-alternative mosquito spray brand now available in-store at Target and on Amazon.com.

In the first of two offbeat TV spots, “Lost City of Tongo,” an Indiana Jones-styled adventurer and his goofy child sidekick, Porky, stumble through the jungle and find “the legendary elixir known to ward off nature’s most vile pests.”

“Hamsters?” the boy says. Not quite. It’s Grand Tongo, which offers powerful, deet-free protection, never sticky or oily, without the chemical odor.

The second spot, “Grand Tongo Really Bugs…Bugs,” is set in verdant rural landscape and stars a large bearded man in a somewhat ridiculous mosquito costume who is insulted and forlorn when random passersby try out Grand Tongo and sing its praises. Afraid of its effectiveness, he urges viewers not to buy it, visit Target or log on to Amazon to look for it.

“We wanted to create a vehicle that showcases Grand Tongo, not just as another bug spray but as the holy grail of bug protection. It’s the only product that offers 12 hours of non-oily, deet-free protection and actually smells amazing. It’s worth seeking out at Target,” said Jacques Spitzer, CEO and CCO Raindrop.

The campaign launched on Meta, Google and YouTube in support of Grand Tongo’s Target launch and drives awareness for summer, the brand’s busiest season.

“The campaign comes at an inflection point in our brand journey—launching into Target, stepping onto a bigger stage. We needed creative that stopped thumbs, sparked interest and offered consumers an emotional connection. The flagship spot positions Grand Tongo as the holy grail of protection, and a clever social campaign turns a mosquito into our loudest and funniest critic,” said Cody Johnson, founder, Grand Tongo.

Raindrop, based in San Diego, was named Creative Agency of Record for Grand Tongo in January 2025. The agency represents brands such as Native, Spruce, Grüns, Dude Wipes, Hello Panda and more. The agency has won multiple awards, including four Emmy Awards, and its creative work has appeared in two Super Bowls.