Advertising competes for our attention. We tend to ignore it as we have more important issues occupying our minds. Add to it the general clutter of media and we have to appreciate creative ads which get noticed and stay memorable. My weekly compilation of clutter breaking creative ads is a small tribute to such efforts. Here are a few creative ideas which caught my eye this past week:
Money Thunder: nobody wants to lend you money
In the financial services category, brands & agencies usually avoid humour as a route and even adopted it is likely to be light hearted in terms of tone of voice. But in Thailand they do things differently. Over the top humour is common even for serious objectives such as changing behaviour (as with getting alcoholics to kick the habit). Also, their brand of humour almost always gives the impression that the brand does not take itself very seriously. I feel such a stance makes the communication and the brand endearing to the viewer as it gives an impression of avoiding hard sell and entertaining the viewer into considering the brand.
Money Thunder is an app which gives personal loans. The simple proposition is juxtaposed with a powerful, universal insight: our acquaintances, friends or near & dear ones almost always hesitate to give personal loans and offer excuses when put in such a situation. The premise gets a hilarious Thai treatment.
Agency: Wolf BKK
Weir & Sons: more than just a piece of jewellery
The best of ads do not spell out the idea in its entirety – they leave a little unsaid which allows the viewer the connect the dots or ‘fill in the blanks’ as it were. Such an approach respects the viewer’s intelligence and involves them in the story. A set of ads for Irish jewellery brand Weir & Sons have that quality as they convey the importance we attach to select pieces of jewellery – be it a necklace, ring or a watch.
As someone who still holds on to my late dad’s watch, the last one touched a chord even more.
Amazon Alexa: sub-titles
In the last few years, Droga5 has consistently produced creative for Amazon Alexa which highlights the features by dramatising how the user is in control – almost directing the course of action of feature films or other content they are watching. It’s an enjoyable, fun premise and serves to highlight the various benefits – such as subtitles for the hearing impaired.
Agency: Droga5