ADVANCE/Ketchum goes where no agency has gone before to launch its own advertising campaign; daring TV spots and surprising "special events" make Ketchum a "must-see" agency.

(ADVANCE) NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 18, 1995--What do Karl Marx, pizza, bike messengers and saunas have in common?

They all play a vital role in a new, multi-media campaign produced by, and for Ketchum Advertising. Looking more like a campaign for a major consumer product rather than an advertising agency, Ketchum breaks television spots today in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Pittsburgh.

Ketchum's six, 10-second television spots feature a tongue-in-cheek, cause/effect theme that takes a humorous and irreverent approach to advertising. For example, one spot called "Lunch" opens on a black screen featuring the following statement: "Karl Marx said advertising people are just the maggots that feed off the bloated corpse of capitalism." Fade to Ketchum's response: "Let's do lunch." The ad closes on a push-pin-stuck business card featuring the new Ketchum Advertising logo.

"We've been doing more innovative, surprising work for our clients for years and now it's time we do it for ourselves," said Dianne Snedaker, president of Ketchum Advertising/San Francisco. "Most agencies advertise through a traditional print campaign. We wanted to go way beyond what is traditional and create something that, to our knowledge, has never been done before."

Breaking on the first day of the new fall television season, the Ketchum TV spots will air during local late news (to reach busy executives) and high-profile programming such as "Melrose Place" and the Pittsburgh Steelers/Miami football game.

According to Bruce Campbell, chief creative officer for Ketchum Advertising/San Francisco, "These spots and the inventive use of media typify the spirit and energy of Ketchum. We wanted to create a campaign that would surprise and even shock."

In addition to television, the Ketchum ads will also be seen in some very unexpected places via "special events" in September and October. These events include:

- outfitting foot, bike and car messengers with t-shirts (emblazoned with the Ketchum ads) to act as "human billboards" in key markets;

- ushering in daylight savings time by visually projecting ads on the sides of buildings in Pittsburgh, San Francisco and Los Angeles;

- and in New York, running the ads on the Sony Jumbo-tron in Times Square.

As the campaign progresses, the agency is investigating the possibility of showcasing the ads via other, unconventional media, including electronic billboards used in sports stadiums.

Ketchum Advertising, a division of Ketchum Communications, Inc., has offices in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Pittsburgh and in New York via partnership with Jerry Della Femina (Jerry & Ketchum).

EDITOR'S NOTE: For copies or slides of the spots, contact: Pamela Norman at 212/878-4679.

(end of advance for release at 9 a.m. Sept. 18)

CONTACT: Ketchum Advertising, New York

Victoria Horstmann, 212/807-2060

Pamela Norman, 212/878-4679