Union’s Rachael Connelly gets light-hearted for ARCO and RPA

ARCO, a regionalized gas brand located in California, Nevada and Arizona just launched a new brand campaign.

Airing now are Piggy and Mood, created by RPA, directed by David Shafei, and edited by Rachael Connelly of bicoastal Union (the company’s Guicho Flores contributed as well). With gas prices being so high, ARCO shifted their strategy and just began new, lighthearted creative to drive home the message that ARCO is a high-value brand with ARCO’s "Quality TOP TIER™ gas for less" tagline. 

This latest round of TV, radio and social for ARCO features the all-new adventures of ARCO’s dashboard hula girl, Hanna. She brings her sunny personality to the work and makes some new friends, including a timid piggy bank, an over-confident air dancer and a collection of emphatic bobbleheads, while spreading the word about ARCO’s savings on quality gas, and convenient payment options.

Hanna has seen significant increases in awareness and likability  her awareness has increased over the last two years. ARCO is leveraging Hanna more broadly in 2023 and 2024 to drive top-of-mind awareness via point-of-purchase and out-of-home as well as social, video, radio, and website. 

“Working with RPA is always wonderful and I was excited to work on an account that has so much leeway for an editor to play,” says Connelly. “When you’re working with inanimate objects, the performances take shape in the edit and can go a myriad of ways; all of which I had so much fun exploring.”

For her part, Connelly could not be more gratified by the experience. “You never know exactly how a creative team will respond to that first batch of rough cuts - you’re serving them your heart on a platter,” she notes. “So seeing how delighted the creatives were watching the several different ways we could go with these spots is the best feeling. It’s heart-warming, and it pays the most intrinsic rewards.”