Smart Moves

Did you know Franzia Wines have the most consumer loyalty among alcoholic beverage drinkers, topping power brands like Bud, Coors, and Hennessey? That’s just one of the little-known facts about Franzia, the #1 wine brand for 28 consecutive years. But how to inform and reach today's younger generation of imbibers – who are presented with countless options in the wine aisle?

To make the best choice crystal clear, Erich & Kallman—the award-winning agency recently appointed creative lead for The Wine Group, which includes Cupcake and Franzia—produced a series of witty new spots that demonstrate why choosing Franzia is a “smart move,” followed by a hilarious second choice that’s, well, “not as a smart.” (One box of Franzia holds six bottles worth of wine and costs about the price of one.)

Sidesplitting decisions
For example, in the:15 spot “Lasagna,” a man pours two glasses of Franzia during an intimate dinner with his beloved. “Smart move,” comments a narrator. Realizing with horror that she has cleaned her plate entirely, exclaiming, “All done!” the narrator then explains: “Hiding an engagement ring in your girlfriend’s lasagna? Not as smart.”

“Clearly, Franzia has a large, loyal following who keep making the smart decision to choose it,” said Eric Kallman, Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer at Erich & Kallman. “How better to showcase just how smart it is than following it with a really terrible not-so-smart move? Working with The Wine Group has been a delight and we're thrilled they’re letting us have fun with it.”

Two additional spots, “Parrot” and “Game Night” express similar humor.

“Nothing works harder than humor to make consumers interested and engaged,” said Helen Kurtz, CMO at The Wine Group. “And no one does humor better than Erich & Kallman. We love the work they’ve done with both Franzia and Cupcake – bringing to life the benefits of these brands with their signature, clever ideas.”