Procter & Gamble Professional Looking for a Few Good Ads

Cincinnati, OH, August 31, 2006 --(PR.com)-- Aspiring copywriters, commercial artists, videographers and others working in the foodservice industry now have the opportunity to cash in on an exciting new initiative from Procter & Gamble Professional, the away from home division of the nation’s largest advertiser.

The contest, called “Create Our Ad,” challenges foodservice professionals to develop print or video advertisements focusing on the back-of-house cleaning and sanitation needs of their industry. The winner will receive $1,000, and his or her ad will become part of the company’s advertising campaign. Procter & Gamble Professional will award $500 and $250 to the second and third place winners, respectively. Winners also will receive an introductory case of each product in the Dawn Grease Fighting Arsenal.

“People who work in the foodservice industry have remarkable insight, and we’re always interested in their perspectives,” said Janette Theis, assistant brand manager at Procter & Gamble Professional. “We hope they have fun with it.”

Procter & Gamble Professional wants to encourage as many people as possible to submit ideas, and is accepting print and video ads in any format. In addition, the company has developed a Web site, www.pgbrands.com/createourad, to offer contest details, general guidelines and suggestions to help non-advertising professionals create ads. Contestants will also be asked to recommend the publication or Web site where their entry should run.

“We want to know what people in the foodservice industry are thinking about,” Theis said. “This contest allows us insight into what our customers want while offering them a chance to win money and see their creative side come to life.”

Historically, the foodservice industry has attracted some very talented individuals. People like Rock and Roll Hall of Fame artist Little Richard, country star Randy Travis, famous authors like George Orwell and Allen Ginsberg and NFL and NBA greats like Antonio Freeman and Kelvin Cato all began their professional lives as dishwashers. Even Thomas Russo, chairman and chief executive of American Hospitality Concepts, began his career in foodservice with his hands in a sink.

Previous campaigns inviting consumers to create ads include an effort by GM’s Chevrolet division to promote the 2007 Tahoe, a Mentos sponsored Geyser Video Contest, and the Utah Department of Transportation, which sponsored a competition to create commercials on the dangers of drowsy driving. While those were focused on the retail market, Procter & Gamble Professional’s Create Our Ad contest is among the first to apply the concept in a business-to-business setting.

“Millions of Americans are fascinated with advertising, which some may argue has been elevated to an art form,” Theis said. “Now instead of just talking about ads they love, with this contest we’re allowing people in the foodservice industry the chance to be part of the exciting world of advertising.”

Procter & Gamble Professional will accept entries through October 16.
Winners will be announced on October 31, with the winning ad appearing in print and online later this year.

About P&G (NYSE: PG)
Three billion times a day, P&G brands touch the lives of people around the world. The company has one of the strongest portfolios of trusted, quality, leadership brands, including Pampers®, Tide®, Ariel®, Always®, Whisper®, Pantene®, Mach3®. Bounty®, Dawn®, Pringles®, Folgers®, Charmin®, Downy®, Lenor®, Iams®, Crest®, Oral-B®, Actonel®, Duracell®, Olay®, Head & Shoulders®, Wella, Gillette®, and Braun. The P&G community consists of almost 140,000 employees working in over 80 countries worldwide. Please visit http://www.pg.com for the latest news and in-depth information about P&G and its brands.

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