Its not unusual that Susan Kruskopf compares herself to Jesse The Body Ventura. After all, the new governor of Minnesota is her most famous client. His politics are unusual, and so is our advertising, says Kruskopf, the 41-year-old president/creative director of Minneapolis agency Kruskopf Olson. For an underdog like Jesse to win, and for an underdog like this agency to have created his commercials, it was pretty great. Thats what made him the perfect campaign for our agency.
Kruskopf was instrumental in pulling off perhaps the most stunning political upset of 1998. A trio of spots every bit as unconventional as the candidate they promoted broke late in the gubernatorial race, helping transform a flamboyant former pro wrestler into a viable candidate and seal an unexpected triumph for the Reform Party in Minnesota. Commentators and pundits across the country identified Venturas advertisements as a key reason for his win. The campaign capped off a stellar year for the agency, which completed work for Mystic Lake Casino, Health Partners and Target stores. But the Ventura victory has raised the profile of her small shop. It certainly has opened some doors, says Kruskopf, who started the company with former partner John Olson 10 years ago. Were competing with the big boys in town now, and its pretty amazing.
Kruskopf has political strategist Bill Hillsman to thank for that. President of Minneapolis-based North Woods Advertising, Hillsman was named a managing partner of Kruskopf Olson earlier this year and brought his ideas for promoting Ventura to the agency. Kruskopf saw the assignment as a unique opportunity for her team, which included art director Bill Whitney, copywriter Beth Kinney and freelance producer Anne Swarts. The unlikely outcome was the farthest thing from her mind. We all went into it thinking these would be fun spots to do, she explains, but who knew that he would win?
The budget for the entire campaign was $300,000, which covered everything from production of the spots to purchasing TV airtime. Making matters even more difficult, the candidates busy schedule left him with little time to participate in the shoots. To me, the challenge of that campaign is proving that you can do something with little time, little money and with someone who isnt there, says Kruskopf. In the amount of time that we had, for the amount of money we had, we needed something that would get people talking and get noticed.
Indeed, the trio of spots managed to cut through the clutter of conventional political advertising. In Action Figure, directed by Mark Carter of Metropolitan Hodder Group, Minneapolis, the agency styled Ventura as a G.I. Joe-type doll. New from the Reform Party, announces a voiceover as a kid appears in a backyard with a Jesse action figure clad in gym trunks; another kid shows up carrying a doll dressed in a suit and tie. Its the new Jesse Ventura action figure. The kids cheer Yeah! and pit one doll against the other while the voiceover continues: You can make Jesse battle special interest groups. The second spot, Drive to Victory, also directed by Carter, features the Ventura action figure and an accessory, an RV vehicle.
The best known of the spots, The Thinker, directed by Minneapolis-based independent Scott McCullough, poses the candidate as Rodins famous sculpture of the same name. While the camera slowly dollies around Ventura, a voiceover ticks off his resume. The final frame focuses on Venturas face as he winks at the camera.
Kruskopf, a Minneapolis native, moved over to advertising from the publishing world, having served as art director for the Minneapolis/St. Paul Magazine. After her stint at the magazine, she spent four years as a creative supervisor at Campbell Mithun Esty in Minneapolis, before starting Kruskopf Olson 10 years ago with John Olson. John and I were frustrated creatives at Campbell Mithun, and we thought wed rather starve than attend one more focus group, she says. We just didnt fit in the bureaucratic mold.
The company began gathering steam with regional work, the highlight of which was Best of Show honors in 1994 at The Show, Minneapolis advertising awards event, for some unusual spots for Pet Food Warehouses. One spot, Nip, directed by Jarl Olsen then of Dublin Productions, Minneapolis (now of Fuel Design and Production, Santa Monica) features a cat on an acid trip pawing a toy that turns out to be filled with catnip. Kruskopf parted ways with John Olson that year, but there are no regrets. Whenever you go through a major change like that, you know its best for both parties, she says. That was a great first five years.
As for plans to expand the agency, Kruskopf is hesitant. We are a small place, 13 people, she says. Im very conservativeaI dont want to wish for too much.
Shes busy enough on the home front, having adopted with her husband two young girls from Cambodia and China over the past two years. I have three babies: my agency and the two at home. She ponders her situation for a moment and then adds, Thats why there arent that many women running agencies.M
