An ad’s first task is to get noticed. The top creative ads in any era – be it in the pre-digital or digital world first stood out from the media clutter of the day. Of course, just being noticed is not enough (being ignored is a worse fate though) – a brand’s message has to be relevant (to the intended audience), engaging (either entertaining or holding attention through shock value or any other emotion) and linked to a business objective. My weekly compilation of creative ads is a small tribute to brand teams everywhere. Here is a compilation of clutter breaking ads which caught my eye recently:
Petsmart Charities Coronation: adopt royalty
Every marketer loves a global news event. Marketers chase glory through media coverage and ‘buzz’ for their moment marketing or topical ad efforts. The coronation of King Charles III was one such event which was seen as an opportunity for brand association by some. Among the ads related to the event I came across, the one from PetSmart is my favourite. Featuring comedian Dana Carvey impersonating the king, it urges viewers to refrain from buying a King Charles spaniel on coronation day and instead adopt a shelter dog.
Agency: Maximum Effort
The writing is hilarious and the tongue-in-cheek humour is seen on the website too.
Air India: recruitment ad
One rarely comes across a smart social media post from India (the adage ‘ninety percent of everything is crap’ coined by Theodore Sturgeon an American science fiction author is relevant in the context of advertising and even what passes off as content marketing), especially in the context of recruitment advertising. Here’s one from Air India guaranteed to bring a smile and strike a chord with ‘industry insiders’ whom they are targeting.
Apple Arcade: parking lot
‘Available anywhere, anytime’ is a proposition one has heard before – especially in the context of mobile solutions. A new spot for Apple Arcade puns on the ‘arcade’ being open anytime and some great computer graphics drive of the games coming alive drive home the point.
Jim Beam: brand identity & packaging
Alongside a new campaign idea, ‘People Are Good For You’, bourbon brand Jim Beam has revealed new brand identity and packaging design.
The labels are woodcut illustrations that are inked, printed, then foiled. They also introduced a new bespoke typeface inspired by past bottles. Other changes include a slightly revised neck shape and metal caps replacing the plastic tops.
Agency: Turner Duckworth
KitKat: extra break
An extra bank holiday in the UK, thanks to the King’s coronation was an opportunity for KitKat to associate the occasion with their iconic ‘Have a break’ property. A simple three-finger KitKat and ‘Thanks for the extra break, Sir’ captures the idea so well.
Agency: Wunderman Thompson
Burger King: print innovation
This isn’t exactly a traditional ad but the creative use of media space and the strategic fit with the brand needs to be appreciated.
Siam Electric: nature will love you
Sometimes a literal translation or visual representation of a well-known metaphorical saying can be a show-stopper. ‘Nature will love you back’ sits well for an e-scooter with these charming visuals.
Agency: Havas
KitKat: incomplete slogan
Not many brands invest consistently in a distinct brand asset: be it a tag line or an ownable design element such as a colour, motif or logo. Such distinct brand assets aid brand memorability and recall. They also serve as a competitive edge. In that context, ‘Have a break, have a KitKat’ is a winner in every respect. Recently, the brand ran an outdoor with just the words, ‘Have a’. They then asked consumers which brand was the advertiser and not surprisingly, all attributed it rightly to KitKat.
Agency: Wunderman Thompson
Which one was your favourite?