The stars of the Chicago Cubs are front and center in the team’s new print and outdoor ad campaign for the upcoming 2008 season unveiled Tuesday.

The initial executions from boutique ad agency Jones/Chicago feature images of Aramis Ramirez, Alfonso Soriano and recently acquired Japanese phenom Kosuke Fukudome. Clearly the Cubs expect Fukudome to be a major force this season.

The print executions encompass unique elements from each player’s background while playing up the team’s international flavor. In the case of Fukudome, the print includes a rising sun image. The copy for the Fukudome ad — “I don’t need an interpreter. My bat does the talking.” — has fun with the player’s language issues. The ads with Ramirez and Soriano incorporate a part of the Dominican Republic flag in the background. The predominant red, white and blue color motif of all the print work mirrors the Cubs team colors.

Scott Maney, president and executive creative director of Jones, explained the Cubs campaign this way: "Most of the time advertising has to work pretty hard to lift a brand up. But with the Cubs, the opposite is true. The brand is already so sacred the advertising has to work extremely hard just to keep up.” Maney’s remarks almost beg the question of why the Cubs even bother to advertise.

DraftFCB/Chicago will handle radio advertising for the Cubs 2008 season.

Soriano said he wasn't worried about coming back too early. Initially he wasn't expected to return until around Labor Day.

"The trainers did a good job," Soriano said. "I have to play it smart and not try to do too much."

Soriano, who signed a $136 million, eight-year contract with the Cubs in the offseason, is batting .297 with 18 homers and 42 RBI in 104 games. He was put right back into the leadoff spot Tuesday night.

The first-place Cubs scored four runs in the seventh to increase their lead over the Brewers in the NL Central to 2 1/2 games.

The slumping Brewers lost for the 11th time in 14 games.