Who: Rust-Oleum, with AndSo for strategy and creative, The Deli for production (directed by Paul Constantakis), and Active International for media.
What: “Introducing Tremclad Turbo PSSHHT,” a launch campaign for Rust-Oleum’s new Tremclad Turbo spray paint—a spray paint can three times faster than its competitors’ cans.
When & Where: The campaign is in market now, running on TV and digital video with a 30-second spot and cutdowns.
Why: Rust-Oleum asked The Deli for something that would stand-out in a category that tends to default to earnest couples fixing up their homes.
“This is an ultra innovative new product, and people who use it can’t believe its power,” said Frank Kocis, manager, integrated communications and trade marketing at Rust-Oleum, in a release. “We needed an idea as one-of-a-kind as Turbo.”
According to AndSo, (the creative agency that regularly works with The Deli) the creative insight was that almost everyone simulates the act of spray painting by extending an arm, curling the index finger and making a “psshht” sound. AndSo imagined a grander action for the more powerful Tremclad Turbo.
How: The spot opens with a guy making a meek “psshht” sound as he spray paints a garage. A woman appears in the next driveway, with a confident look on her face. She shakes up her Tremclad Turbo, and unleashes it on her garage door with a powerful “PSSSHHT” sound. She quickly moves onto painting a bench, a shed and other household projects as the guy—with his slower paint can—is still working on the garage.
“3 x the speed. 3 x the Power. 3 x the PSSSSHHHHT” reads a super, before cutting to a closeup of the Tremclad Turbo can to close the spot.
There’s no music or audio, just the “PSSHHT” sound used as a strategic audio cue to help the ad stand out in commercial blocks.
“All we did was type the word “psshht” in a script and capitalized the letters,” said Jake Bogoch, partner and creative director of AndSo, in the release. “From there, the concept took form. If every other spray paint goes “psshht,” Turbo goes “PSSSHHHT”.”
