These two print ads ran in Construction Specifier magazine, a publication for specifying architects. They each won a Harvey Communications Award for highest recall. The concept was for each ad to take on a major competitor and highlight their weaknesses using a very memorable way with familiar images. The red box gives the exact location of the specification brochure in the Sweets Catalog in every architect's office. The ads were also repurposed as direct mail pieces and part of a comprehensive campaign that used print, mail and trade shows to increase sales 33% year over year for two consecutive years.
This print ad addressed the fact that one of the most popular, cheaper competitors was the same thickness and strength as a sandwich bag. It raised the doubt of whether the architects want to trust their multi-million dollar building to a sandwich bag.
The second ad in the campaign took on another major competitor with a product that is thicker than Griffolyn, but required hundreds of linear feet of in-field seaming that are very susceptible to leaks. The gaps in the leaky diaper drew an immediate connection and again raised doubts about trusting their multi-million dollar building to a product with so many opportunities for leaking.
