A majority of ads are simply ignored. That’s a fate worse than being disliked. In the case of the latter, at least the ad was noticed. In this context, creative ads which are noticed, liked and recalled are a rarity. My weekly compilation of clutter-breaking ads are a salute to the brand & agency teams behind the. Here are a few which caught my eye this past week or so:
Volvo Electric: The Chase
Electric cars are tackling several barriers for adoption – ‘range anxiety’ being one of them. A new ads for Volvo Electric does a great job of conveying the fear of battery dying down by juxtaposing various gadgets in need of charging and building up the tension. The solution ‘electric cars with a backup plan’ alleviates anxiety – a ‘problem-solution’ approach without being boring.
Agency: Forsman & Bodenfors
Sainsbury’s: SmartShop app
‘Download now’ is often the call-to-action for ads advertising an app. The ads maybe entertaining but the big reason-why to download the app is often fuzzy. A new for Sainsbury’s SmartShop app does a good job of conveying the benefits of using the app – from savings to personalisation. It’s all done with clever humour which heightens the FOMO with some clever category-related word play.
Agency: Ogilvy
Got Milk?: get real
The California Milk Processor Board created the famous ‘Got Milk?’ campaign in the 90s to increase milk consumption and was spectacularly successful. It was based on a sharp insight that consumers in the US preferred milk as an accompanying drink to snacks – be it cookies or a sandwich. The campaign then reminded them of the poor experience of such snacking moments without milk. I am not sure what the back story to the ‘Get Real’ position of the campaign but the brand wants to ‘celebrate unfiltered realness on and off social media’. The music video takes a cheeky look at how things could be if they were ‘real’.
Agency: GALLEGOS United
Thai Health Promotion Foundation: e-cigarette smoking experiment
Even when it comes to serious subjects such as tackling alcoholism (‘Drunken Master‘) or COVID appropriate behaviour, ads from Thailand have taken an entertaining route. A new ad showcases an experiment featuring a lab mouse to dramatise the negative effect of e-cigarette smoking.
Agency: BBDO Bangkok
eBay: second chance
Nostalgia is a powerful emotion. Even without subtitles one can relate to the situation of a man ‘repairing’ a car (through parts bought on eBay, conveyed subtly) and a relationship with his brother. The choice of track too is spot on triggering a yearning for day’s past.
Agency: McCann Dusseldorf. Watch the 5-minute ‘Director’s Cut’ here.
Revolut: smashing through
‘Instant payment, anytime-anywhere’ is not a unique product feature in fintech or digital banking services. A set of new spots for UK’s Revolut have a visual metaphor of someone literally breaking through barriers to make these happen. A longer montage version has been used as stand alone edits too.
Agency: Wieden+Kennedy
Dhara: conversations over food
A sweet film for cooking oil brand Dhara, made in the 1990s still has huge recall value even after all these years. It told the story of a kid cajoled into coming back home with ‘jalebi’ as an incentive. A new ad brings into focus ‘open conversations’ with teenage children and claims that such are better handled over a meal. The role of the product may not be central to the plot but an engaging film nevertheless.
Agency: DDB Mudra
Blah
Google: #SaferWithGoogle
A new set of films educating consumers on online fraud has celebrities falling for messages which seem genuine only to transition into a ‘how-to’ message. I quite liked the visual switchover and the subliminal cue of ‘what seems genuine’ need not be so.
Agency: Lowe Lintas
Planet IKEA: beds
The documentary style voice over mimicking the delivery style of David Attenborough is perfect for a film that ‘observes’ the sleeping habits of humans in their natural habitat. An effortless film which brings a smile.
Agency: Åkestam Holst
Which one was your favourite? Do comment in.
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