Every week, I attempt to share a curated list of clutter-breaking creative ads. This week, an interesting project to get consumers to shop offline by HomeGoods, a smart moment marketing move by IKEA Hong Kong and more.
Goel TMT: support is strength
I used to joke that in India a movie actor’s career arc will include endorsing a TMT brand – especially as a bus back panel or a billboard. ‘Strength’ is the generic benefit in the category. Goel TMT has created a new TVC that breaks the mould of category advertising. The film is marked by some fantastic acting by veteran actor & director Gajraj Rao as a father who supports his daughter by standing up to domestic violence.
As makers of steel, we believe true strength isn’t about standing tall alone. Rather, it’s about holding others up. And as a brand, that’s what we believe our purpose is. To be the torchbearers of support. The firm ground beneath someone’s feet. A strong wall to lean on.
It’s a moving film and a story well told. The fervour and determination with which the father whips up enthusiasm among the band players and the emotions he displays in the film are memorable. The link back to the product is credible and the theme makes the brand endearing.
Production House: The Unicorn Films
Biopeak: vintage copywriting
Ads for Biopeak – a preventive healthcare clinic, shared on LinkedIn reminded me of print ad headlines from the 1990s.
Agency: Jacob Creative
HomeGoods: never shop the same
An interesting business objective from a retail brand: get consumers to shop offline. HomeGoods, a home decor store has anchored a campaign on a real insight: some products need to be bought in person with ‘touch & feel’ experience, unmatched in an online environment.
Let’s face it, we’ve lost the art of shopping. We shouldn’t be buying pillows and candles on our phones. They’re meant to be touched and smelled!
The films play on soundtracks from Celine Dion, Britney Spears and Selena Gomez to drive home the ‘Never Shop the Same’ platform.
Agency: Fallon
Perk+: smart billboard
A travel & spend platform has created a billboard that drives home the key benefit loud and clear.
Government of Rio de Janeiro: anti-vaping
Some great ads have been created to educate smokers about the ills of smoking and trying to effect a change in behaviour. It’s a tough ask, as smoking is an irrational habit. There are powerful influences (movies, for example) and peer pressure that makes smoking appear ‘cool’. Vaping too has its ill effects. A new campaign takes on the perceived ‘harmless’ nature of fruit flavours by graphic depiction of the damage they do to our lungs.
Agency: Propeg
Cadbury: who shares what
As I said earlier, the ‘made to share’ platform for Cadbury has endless possibilities.
Cadbury has partnered with Cray Wanderers Football Club at its grassroots training pitch in London, where two pitches have been transformed into giant ‘Made to Share’ bars.
IKEA Hong Kong: moment marketing
Apparently, a six month old Japanese macaque named Punch was abandoned by his mother shortly after birth at Ichikawa City Zoo in Japan ,and struggled to bond with the rest of his troop.
The keepers experimented with substitutes including rolled-up towels and other stuffed animals before settling on the orange, bug-eyed orangutan, sold by Swedish furniture brand IKEA.
With Velcro-fastened arms and a size close to an adult female macaque, the toy became Punch’s surrogate. IKEA Hong Kong capitalised on the moment by creating an Instagram post.
LEGO: Jaws in a jiffy
In 2024, LEGO created this mini summary of the famous movie Jaws to promote its set based on the iconic film.
Pepsi + Vacation: retro chic
Vacation is a sunscreen brand from Florida. In a collaboration with Pepsi they created a Wild Cherry flavoured lip gel. The promotions have a distinct, mouth-wateringly well designed retro flavour as the joint project was developed in 1991, apparently.
Urban Company: Emotional Attyachar
Our ad films tend to rely heavily on retro Bollywood songs as remixes for jingles. A new ad for InstaHelp from Urban Company uses the popular ‘Emotional Atyachar’ song from Dev D marrying it with a common, relatable insight: the panic on knowing that the maid will not be showing up for work. A fun, enjoyable film.
Agency: Manja
Moneyview: work won’t stop
Another single-minded, fun film from the Enormous team. Lack of funds can stall any work. Loans from Moneyview keep the work flowing is brought alive so well.
Agency: Enormous
Axis Bank: speak as you are
On International Mother Language Day, Axis Bank has released a web film anchored on a universal insight. In India, our mother tongue influence can be very strong when conversing in English. Strong Bengali, Tamil, Malayalam accents can be easily spotted and most often, made fun of. The film urges us to embrace our accents: ‘celebrate accents as expressions of identity. Not imperfections to fix‘. It’s a tough stand to take and implement in real life as some customers maybe unforgiving and be judgemental while interacting with the bank staff. Nevertheless, the film held my attention and made feel for the protagonists and root for them.
Agency: Curativity
Which one was your favourite?