Cactus is a multi-disciplinary creative agency. Our mantra is that ideas grow brands. We believe that cacti hold magical juices that inspire Pulitzer-worthy ideas (and super hero muscles). So if you see us in the desert, take a knee and join us in worshipping the prickly beasts. Ommmm. To view our portfolio of inspired advertising and marketing ideas, visit www.sharpideas.com
12.03.08:
Cactus launches next generation of award-winning Own Your C campaign
In partnership with the Colorado State Tobacco Education & Prevention Partnership (STEPP), we've launched Own Your C 2.0, an evolution of the Own Your C campaign focused on empowering teens to own their choices and recognize the consequences of those choices, including how they relate to tobacco use.
Developmental research shows that teens’ choice to use tobacco is impacted by other factors, including culture, education, the environment, exercise and relationships. We’re fortunate to have STEPP's support to approach tobacco prevention in a non-traditional way, by addressing the wide array of connected choices that youth are confronted by everyday.
We are very proud of the impact and influence the Own Your C campaign has had over the past three years. Now, it’s about leveraging that momentum, allowing teens to build an even stronger and more relevant peer-driven community around Own Your C.
The fully integrated Own Your C campaign spans across multiple consumer touch points, including ownyourC.com, TV commercials, online rich media banner ads, school outreach, events and viral promotional items, to reach teens in new and creative ways.
Produced by Cactus and New York-based Lifelong Friendship Society, a series of five of 15-second TV commercials meld live action, stop-motion animation and colorful design in engagingly unpredictable ways to direct viewers ownyourC.com.
In the stop motion animated Plugging In, the need to connect is explored as a lone plug looking to make a connection sparks a chain reaction in other hooks, cables, wires and fasteners to connect with other like-minded objects.
The stop motion/live action hybrid Species expands on the theme of sharing as a man and woman stand face to face, taking articles of clothing, jewelry and body parts off of themselves and applying them to each other to make an entirely new, unexpected creation.
Wireless Theatre is a live action spot that finds a man digging a hole and traveling underground to deliver a cable to his friend so they can connect.
The live action Refreshing opens with a man selfishly gorging on a watermelon only to realize the fruit tastes best when shared.
Sun Moon uses organic two-dimensional animation and nature’s ripple effect as a metaphor for how one action can influence the environment immediately around us.
The Creds:
Agency: Cactus
Production/Post (Color Correct/Visual Effects): Lifelong Friendship Society
Director/Designer/Composer: Brian Close
Designer: Travis Spangler
Animator(s): Alex Miller, Mark Phillips, Tim Haldeen
Editor: Amilcar Gomes
Props/Costume: Pastor Alvarado
Music/ Sound Design: Ant Food (Sun Moon)
EP: Dan Sormani
Producer: Bridgette Spalding
ownyourC.com remains the hub of the Own Your C campaign. Created in collaboration with AgencyNet, the site is a rich online community that encourages teens to share, connect and influence conversations with peers about the choices they face every day. We generate topics to spark the discussion, set-up some basic rules and turn it over to the youth to take it from there.
It’s no secret that teens are spending their time online. More and more each day, teens are online sharing emotions— posting videos, photos, and comments— for the whole world to see. In turn, they expect feedback, opinions and a dialogue. They want their 15 minutes of fame and, increasingly, they’re getting it online.
Knowing this, ownyourC.com empowers teens to take ownership of their choices and gives them a soapbox to express those choices. The new ownyourC.com 2.0 is a rich online community that allows teens to share their opinions about the choices they face each and every day. Topics ranging from nutrition and tobacco use to saving the environment and the existence of UFOs result in colorful debate and self-expression that truly leverage the power of peer influence on decision-making and behavior. Teens express their choices via highly customized interactions within the online teen community in the form of text, photo, image or video entries.
10.30.08:
The Cigarette Is Dead takes aim at deadly icon
The Cigarette Is Dead. That simple message is the heart-and-soul proclamation of a new social movement that we've produced in partnership with the State Tobacco Education & Prevention Partnership. The movement marks the demise of a fatigued and deadly icon, whose day has come and gone. Its aim is to help people who smoke quit once and for all by providing them with a personal rallying cry against their addiction, as well as easy access to tools that have been proven to help smokers quit successfully.
At the same time, The Cigarette Is Dead movement doubles as a tobacco prevention campaign through the social norming nature of its message. Today, cigarette smoking has not only become passé due to all we’ve learned about its health effects, but, plainly speaking, it’s become a difficult behavior to keep—especially with the implementation of smoke-free policies in 29 states and 36 countries. The days when smoking was socially acceptable are over.
08.11.08:
New Colorado Lottery commercial provides instant fun
Please note that this spot can only be promoted online through Oct. 6.
Starting Oct. 7, this spot must be pulled from all websites, or
responsible parties may be subject to talent usage fees. If you have
any questions, please contact Cactus PR Director Ashley Boyden at
303-455-7545.
This week Cactus launches “Instant Fun,” the newest television spot for the Colorado Lottery, that proves even the quirkiest forms of entertainment can’t compare to the rush of scratching for big bucks.
In partnership with the Colorado State Tobacco Education & Prevention Partnership (
The fully integrated 
It’s no secret that teens are spending their time online. More and more each day, teens are online sharing emotions— posting videos, photos, and comments— for the whole world to see. In turn, they expect feedback, opinions and a dialogue. They want their 15 minutes of fame and, increasingly, they’re getting it online.
At the same time, The Cigarette Is Dead movement doubles as a tobacco prevention campaign through the social norming nature of its message. Today, cigarette smoking has not only become passé due to all we’ve learned about its health effects, but, plainly speaking, it’s become a difficult behavior to keep—especially with the implementation of smoke-free policies in 29 states and 36 countries. The days when smoking was socially acceptable are over.