Applebee’s is separating themselves from the “good ole American” aesthetic. With their new “See You Tomorrow” campaign created by CP+B, they’re emphasizing fresh food, exciting ingredients, and unexpected taste combinations. That means 1,900 restaurants across America are about to become more interesting.

The first two TV spots directed by Jared Hess (Napoleon Dynamite) launch today and feature passionate chefs who fawn over ripe tomatoes and refreshingly acidic lemons. The ad narrator cuts them off before they take their speeches too far, switching to a typical fast food ad. It’s the restaurant equivalent of a high speed car chase—food falls onto pans in quick succession, sizzles on a grill, and then finally comes together on a steaming plate. The two halves of these spots come together to mark Applebee’s transition. They’re putting more consideration into quality ingredients, but they’re still serving affordable fast food.

This campaign also includes online, radio, outdoor ads and in-store elements, highlighting the “fresh flavors of summer.”

Credits and second spot after the jump.

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After a five-year absence, Jason Ambrose has returned to Crispin Porter + Bogusky to assume the role of creative director. During his time away from the agency, the creative had a yearlong stint as a senior art director at 180LA on accounts including Bombay Sapphire and spent the last four as creative director at Venice, CA shop M.A.D.E. (not to be confused with MADE, of course).

Now back at CP+B, Ambrose will be based out of the agency’s L.A. office and work across accounts. During his first time out at Crispin, the creative worked as an art director and/or senior AD on multiple campaigns for the likes of Burger King, Mini, truth and Miller Lite.

It’s been nearly two months since we’ve heard any word from CP+B’s office up north, but now the agency has something to positive to report as it’s brought on Sean Ganann as a creative director in Toronto. Ganann, who will across various CP+B accounts, arrives from fellow Toronto shop Zulu Alpha Kilo, where he spent 18 months as creative director. During his career, Ganann also had a two-year stint as creative director at New York agency Campfire and served as digital CD at the likes of Anomaly and Saatchi & Saatchi.

With his move to Crispin, the agency’s newest creative director will be reunited with his old colleague Subtej Nijjar, currently president of CP+B Canada who worked with Ganann during the late 90s/early aughts at OgilvyOne Toronto.

The Boulder bunch at Crispin Porter + Bogusky has welcomed two new creative directors in Dan Donovan and Bill Roden. Well, this actually marks Roden’s second stint at the agency following a few integrated creative director gigs at the likes of David&Goliath (on Kia), Saatchi & Saatchi and TBWA\Chiat\Day LA (on Activision’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare work). Now back at CP+B, Roden (pictured) will serve as a CD on the MetLife account.

As for Donovan, the creative spent the majority of his career at McCann New York, where he had a 12-year run and moved up the ladder from junior copywriter to GCD. Along the way, he worked on past and present accounts including U.S. Army, ESPN, MLB, Sprint, Nikon and Verizon Wireless (you might remember this one). Donovan now serves at CP+B as creative director on the agency’s Microsoft biz.

From here, 2010 seems like a much simpler time. Back then, jobs at marquee agencies could be attained by Google AdWords bids that targeted ad execs with a penchant for Google-ing themselves. While Alec Brownstein‘s digital stunt landed him at Y&R NY, many others who have followed in his tech-savvy footsteps have fallen short. But, one graphic designer’s recent job-seeking stunt is so utterly bizarre that it might inspire a whole new class of young ad professionals who seek creative respite beyond the typical portfolio, resume and cover letter trio.

Inspired by the late Jean-Michel Basquiat‘s SAMO style of street art, wherein key words and phrases are repeated throughout various artworks, graphic designer Shaun Gibson is hoping to attract the attention of CP+B by using the agency’s website Twitter feed as his own personal camera. In the image above, you’ll see that Gibson repeatedly uses the phrase “Van Skin” when he posts, establishing his virtual alter-ego while utilizing the fact that CP+B’s Twitter feed automatically pulls in any and all mentions of the agency. Along with the Twitter takeover, Gibson is supporting his campaign by creating James Victore-inspired images using the Van Skin tag, like the one below.

In addition, Gibson tells us, “The last part, and while I am not expert with video, I was planning to close this campaign out with a few youtube videos with a mock testimonial and maybe a mock ad then reveal who I am. Needless to say if the blogs pick this up I probably wont need to reveal myself, you will do it for me. Either way it’s been fun.” Well, either way, Shaun, we’re happy to give you an additional platform to make your case. Watch the very creepy video below, and consider how Van Skin might support your agency’s art department.

In between all the EVP-promotion blitz, perhaps one of the names got lost in the bunch. We’ve received word that the 10-year agency exec Mason Reed (maybe up there in greatest soap opera names ever), who’s now joining with CP+B’s L.A. office as EVP/managing director at said shop. During his decade-long stint, Reed worked on current and dead pieces of biz, Virgin Atlantic Airways,Hulu, Slim Jim, Method home cleaning products, Nike and Burger King. In his current role, Reed will turn his focus onto Old Navy and the MDC agency’s portion of the Microsoft biz.

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After just eight months, Crispin Porter + Bogusky has instilled enough faith in Tom Markham to name him as executive creative director at the Boulder-based operation. Prior to CP+B, Markham served as global creative director at Lowe’s operation in the NYC area, where he managed the digital output of its 75 agencies around the world. Now at CP+B, Markham. who will serve as Crispin’s “most senior interactive creative,” is working on the Kraft business. According to a statement from the agency’s worldwide CCO Rob Reilly, is ready to “…get his hands dirty in the creative process again. In doing so, he quickly made significant contributions with his creative leadership and infectious positivity. He will have an even greater impact on our clients and within our walls as ECD.”

Crispin Porter + Bogusky creative director Tom Hauser is leaving the Boulder bunch after just over a year and heading back to his native Germany. Hauser was initially brought on in March 2011 as interactive ACD on the agency’s then-existing Burger King account as well as Kraft Mac ‘n Cheese and Jell-O. Most recently, he worked on projects for Coke Zero, namely the “Magnificent Monday” work in which the brand lobbied to make the day after the Super Bowl a national holiday.

We were forwarded a note that Hauser posted yesterday, which reads:

“Dear CP+B friends, today is my last day in the USA and I just wanted to thank all of you for the good times we had together…talking about the UN and all of my american colleagues, parking lot BBQs, agency allnighters, Pearl Street mayhems, sweaty hikes, crazy roadtrips and so much more stuff! It was a great honour meeting you guys. Rock on and Auf Wiedersehen! Tom”

No word on Hauser’s plans back in Germany, but prior to CP+B, he made the rounds in the local agency scene, working as a CD at the likes of Jung von Matt, Springer & Jacoby, Lukas Lindemann Rosinski and Grabarz & Partner.

If the name Rich Tlapek doesn’t ring a bell, perhaps you may know him as the guy who was reportedly responsible for penning Southwest’s “Ding: You are now free to move about the country” tagline while at GSD&M, where he worked for 14 years. Now, after spending the last several months freelancing for the likes of Sid Lee, Innocean and Saatchi LA (and even starting up what appears to his own operation, Sacred Cow), Tlapek has taken his talents to Boulder and joined up with CP+B as creative director on the Best Buy business.

During his lengthy stay at GSD&M, Tlapek moved up from copywriter to group creative director, leading work on accounts including the aforementioned Southwest as well as Charles Schwab, CBS Sports and Goodyear, which the Austin agency debuted over a year ago.

After spending technically four years in the CP+B camp after the MDC agency acquired his interactive shop Texture Media, Dan Fox is getting promoted once again, this time adding “executive” to his VP, creative technology director title. Since 2008, Fox has worked as technical director on VW’s website and has been involved with notable CP+B clients including Best Buy, Old Navy, Bolthouse Farms and Kraft (remember this interesting work for Jell-O last December?).

Anyhow, we’ve been told that “in a sense,” Fox replaces Scott Prindle, who left to start up MADE along with fellow former CP+B-ers Dave Schiff and John Kieselhorst just a month ago.