iWon.com Launches $40+ Million Advertising Campaign To Introduce New Destination Portal

iWon.com (www.iwon.com), a new CBS-backed destination Internet portal combining world-class search, content and functionality with the Internet's largest guaranteed cash giveaway, today introduced its advertising campaign, created by Berlin Cameron & Partners. The $40+ million television and radio campaign will officially launch on October 11 and run through April 17, 2000. The campaign will utilize the tag line "why wouldn't you?", reinforcing iWon.com as a premier Internet destination that also gives away large cash prizes.

iWon.com is giving away, to its users, $10,000 every day, $1 million every month and $10 million on Tax Day (April 17, 2000). Users collect entries into the Daily, Monthly and Tax Day giveaways for practically everything they do on the site - from searching the Web and reading the news to checking their emails and tracking their stocks. Participation is free.

"The launch advertising clearly captures the essence of our brand," said Jon Brod, vice president of marketing at iWon.com. "We've labeled it the 'duh' campaign, because once users realize that iWon.com offers world-class information with the opportunity to win a ton of cash, they quickly understand that this site is a no-brainer."

Behind the Campaign

Doug Liman, director of such popular movies as Swingers and Go, directed the iWon.com television campaign. The commercials feature the voice of A. Whitney Brown, a Daily Show correspondent and former Saturday Night Live cast member. In each television spot, Brown is heard interviewing Internet users from various backgrounds and giving them a choice between their "regular Internet home page" and iWon.com. As the ads begin, a giant pile of money is revealed next to the laptop featuring iWon.com. The humorous "decision" made by the Internet users captures the positioning behind the "why wouldn't you?" tag line.

"The campaign takes a humorous approach to the well-recognized genre of side-by-side comparative," said Ewen Cameron, partner and director of planning at Berlin Cameron & Partners. "In so doing, we believe that we have created a personality for the brand that will be the basis for iWon.com's long-term positioning."

The radio campaign, comprised of three executions, depicts a fictional news talk show, titled "Take a Stand." The "issue" debated in all three radio spots is whether giving away lots of money is a good idea - the answer is rather obvious.