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:
Liquid Death Mountain Water: water boy
With a brand name like Liquid Death, the tag line ‘Don’t be scared. It’s just water‘ seems apt. The brand’s philosophy and tone of voice is reflected in how they describe themselves: ‘We’re just a funny water company who hates corporate marketing as much as you do. Our evil mission is to make people laugh and get more of them to drink more water more often, all while helping to kill plastic pollution.’ The intent of a new promotion caught my eye:
Pro football players get all the endorsement deals and fame. But even the best athletes in the world would be dead without water. That’s why Liquid Death is the first company to ever sign a pro hydration assistant to a 1-year, $100,000 contract
It immediately raises awareness about the thousands of support staff in sporting events such as tennis and cricket. And it had me rooting for Travis Poulson.
Britannia Good Day: small celebrations
Having worked on a brand in the same category, I know how difficult is to find a product differentiator to anchor a creative idea in. How unique can a biscuit be? So invariably the onus is on the creative agency to create an advertising idea which helps in brand recall, affinity and such like. Good Day is a heritage brand and their past campaigns have either focused on the ingredients or as an ‘enabler’ of happy moments. A new campaign has arrived on a ‘campaignable’ idea which sits well with the brand urging us to ‘celebrate the little moments’. The executions are quirky, unexpected and bring a smile – all in 15 seconds. Nicely done.
Agency: McCann
ITC: Har Ghar Tiranga campaign
To mark the 75th year of India’s independence’, the Government of India launched the Har Ghar Tiranga‘ (‘the tricolour in every home) campaign under the aegis of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav to encourage people to hoist the national flag at home. The campaign has evoked huge support as the emotion of being able to fly the national flag at home is new to India (there were restrictions earlier).
Our relationship with the flag has always been more formal and institutional than personal. Bringing the flag home collectively as a nation in the 75th year of independence thus becomes symbolic of not only an act of personal connection to the Tiranga but also an embodiment of our commitment to nation-building.
A new corporate ad from ITC brings alive the idea effortlessly by juxtaposing children whose names match those of well-known freedom fighters from India.
Agency: Ogilvy
JSW Paints: Independence Day film
A raft of films and social media posts will be released by brands on occasions such as Independence Day – mostly arising out of FOMO. A new ad from JSW Paints feels just right though as there is a close link to the product category and the sentiment. Even though one can guess the ‘twist in the tale’ it still holds our attention and evokes a positive feeling.
Agency: TBWA
Barilla: the promise
During the COVID-19 lockdown period Barilla created a film which went viral. They got Roger Federer to play tennis on the rooftop with a couple of girls who were playing on such a ‘ground’ as there was no other option.
In 2017, Izyan Ahmad, known Zizou, challenged Federer to a match during the U.S. Open press conference: he asked if Roger could keep playing until he’d be old enough to play against him when the time came. This year, Barilla flew Zizou to Zurich for a friendly match with Federer – the day ending with a Barilla pasta dinner, of course. The role of pasta maybe incidental but such initiatives make the brand endearing and in line with the brand’s ‘A sign of love’ platform.
MOEN: the Midas Touch
An ad which reminds those in advertising & marketing that there’s no such thing as a ‘boring category’. Ads for bathroom fittings have rarely been interesting (the recent ones from Jaquar were). A new ad for MOEN highlights the touch-free operation by linking it as part of the life of the man with the golden touch.
Agency: Havas
Royal Enfield: A shot of motorcycling
I am not a biker but I can understand the intense passion brands such as Harley Davidson and Royal Enfield evoke among its fans. Anyway, it’s great to see an Indian brand go global with its campaign. Royal Enfield, headquartered in Chennai has launched an anthem film in UK for its Hunter 350 variant: ‘all the intense flavours of pure motorcycling packed into a fun, stylish, new machine‘. The film has a fashion ad vibe to it – high on style. Richard Hawley’s song ‘Tonight the Streets Are Ours’ seems to fit in well with the mood of the film and made even a non-biker like me feel good. BTW I noticed ‘Yeh bullet meri jaan’ (remember?) poster in one of the frames.
Agency: New Commercial Arts
TAZO: regenerative ad
Ads which scream ‘hey, I am an ad! Watch me!’ usually have the opposite effect – people ignore or switch off. TAZO is a tea brand in the US with its core values ‘rooted in supporting a sustainable and equitable future for all’. They recently announced a multiyear transition plan of its tea portfolio to a regenerative organic approach – giving back to soil health, the ecosystem, and the people who rely on the land. A new ‘ad’ – OK a TiTok video, captures the idea well:
To celebrate the launch of TAZO Regenerative, the brand created a video ad that shows how TAZO is taking a regenerative approach to its business – with a production that used a local crew, natural light, native plants and compostable materials. For every view of the video ad on TAZO’s TikTok account, TAZO will donate $1 up to $250,000 to Rodale Institute, a non-profit and global leader in regenerative organic agriculture.
Agency: Edelman
Which one was your favourite? Do comment in.