Listerine rooster steps out
Popular barnyard character the Listerine Rooster is back for Warner-Lambert’s Cool Mint Listerine in top hat and tails with a tap-dancing performance to rival Fred Astaire.
The new 30-second tv spot, ‘Stepping Out,’ builds on ‘Roost,’ which, last year, introduced the rooster singing ‘Day-O’ at daybreak.
It was ranked by Gallup as the second most popular commercial of the year.
In this execution, the rooster reluctantly drags himself out of bed to the sound of his alarm clock.
After using his Cool Mint Listerine mouthwash, he is transformed from a groggy rooster into a tap-dancing sophisticate.
He taps out of his roost and through the barnyard, waking his buddies, the horse, pig and sheep, who all start the day with Cool Mint Listerine.
The spot ends with the tagline, ‘There’s no better way to wake up a fowl mouth.’
Small touches throughout the commercial such as the flapping wings on the alarm clock, the copy of Eggsquire magazine beside the rooster’s bed, and the curlers in the sheep’s hair give viewers something new to spot each time they see it.
While ‘Roost’ began with a live rooster, ‘Stepping Out’ was created completely in Claymation stop-action by Will Vinton Studio of Portland, Ore., the company behind the award-winning California Raisins’ ‘Heard It Through The Grapevine’ spot.
‘Stepping Out’ was created by J. Walter Thompson, Toronto, with credits to vice-president creative directors Shelley Ambrose, copywriter and Marcee Ruby, art director, and Nansi Thomas, producer.
Music comes from Rick Shurman of Shurman Armes, Toronto.
