Work

Helping Rosetta spread the word

Against competitive headwinds, DC reintroduces Rosetta Stone as the leader in deep, nuanced language learning with ads so cute you want to pinch them.

Bright red square sign with copy in thick, curvy white words: “There’s a Word for That.” In the blurry background you can see people, including a woman in a bright blue dress, on a cobblestone street in Barcelona.

As featured in AdWeek and Ad Age Creativity, DC’s first work as creative and media AOR for Rosetta Stone is a national campaign reintroducing Rosetta Stone as a modern language learning brand at a time when it faces competition from challenger apps and gamification trends.

‘There’s a Word for That’ is inspired by the relatable experience of finding the exact word to describe that familiar feeling you’ve never quite been able to. The campaign reminds the audience how satisfying learning a language can be — even if it’s just one word or phrase.

“‘There’s a Word for That’ shows how satisfying it is to strike upon the perfect word or phrase in comedic vignettes that mark a fresh approach for the legacy brand,” said Kelly McCullough, Creative director at Duncan Channon.

The clever spots are directed by RSA Films’ Marie Schuller, who is best known for her character-driven fashion and beauty work. Featuring a multicultural tapestry of voices from around the world, the purposefully inclusive spots feature voice talent from Belgium, Canada, Egypt, England, Nigeria and The Philippines. To further enhance the cinematic detail, the words are physically painted, printed, stamped and embroidered onto the set, rather than imposing the typography digitally in post production, emphasizing that the words in different languages are the main characters.

The campaign includes TV, digital video and paid social media including Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest. Duncan Channon also handled the media strategy and buying, which targets active language learners as well as those with a variety of cultural interests.

“When we were looking for a partner to develop fresh new ways to show how fun and approachable it is to learn with Rosetta Stone, Duncan Channon impressed us with their thoughtful creativity and humorous approach.”
Paul Mishkin, CEO, IXL Learning, the parent company for Rosetta Stone