Every week, I attempt to share a curated list of best new creative ads. It’s a small tribute to brand teams everywhere as getting an ad to be noticed, appreciated and shared is a big achievement in the world of marketing communications.
FDJ-Loto: Grandma’s Secret
Habitual or even occasional lottery ticket buyers are motivated by the luck factor. They buy tickets hoping that ‘this time’ or ‘some day’ they might turn out to be the fortunate one to get the winning number. It was best captured by the famous tag line ‘Hey, you never know’ by New York Lottery. There have been other hilarious variations of that plot line, dramatising the many ways in which one can be lucky. FDJ-Loto is a French brand which has anchored their communication on ‘”It Doesn’t Only Happen to Others”, which furthers the ‘I could be the lucky one this time’ motivation. Aside from that they have captured a universal insight: winners don’t usually want to ‘advertise‘ the fact that they have won big (at least not immediately and in an obvious manner). They prefer to improve their lifestyle incrementally. “Grandma’s Secret” is a new ‘documentary’ style film which relies on interviews and eyewitnesses (‘she took a chocolate from the hotel room fridge and did not even look at the price tag’) to tell a the story of how people start suspecting a Loto winner. Loved it.
Agency: BETC
LEGOLAND Florida: calling all heroes
I am a LEGO fan both for its play value and as a student of branding & communication. A new film for LEGOLAND Florida is focused on Galacticoaster – an indoor roller coaster where guests design their own spacecraft. A new film mimics the typical Hollywood dramas involving a Mission Control with a storyline that invites space heroes to take out the ‘Asteroid of Probable Destruction’ and save LEGOLAND.
Agency: adam&eveTBWA
TK Maxx: every day can be iconic
I loved this film for a fashion brand as it reflected the random nature of what goes viral or what ‘trends’ nowadays on social media.
Great Western Railway: Five and the Dragon Quest
Since 2017, Great Western Railway has invested behind the adventure theme in their communication reminiscent of Enid Blyton novels. The visual language is striking, unique and the plot lines are so apt for the category of train travel. In these days of not having a ‘thematic’ communication at all, it is refreshing to see a brand invest behind a distinct brand asset and ownable idea.
Agency: adam&eveTBWA
Rimowa: a unique bond
We all have ‘objects’ and brands we get attached to and even obsess about. A fun social media campaign from luggage brand Rimowa shows Succession star Nicholas Braun photographed going about his daily chores, not letting go of the brand. A ‘unique bond’ brought alive charmingly.
Sintex Eterno: 50 year warranty
In any category a 50-year product warranty is a head-turner. A new film for Sintex Eterno conveys this premise interestingly by ‘directing’ it at the next generation of consumers. Works in any language.
Agency: Sideways Consulting
Omada 7: noise reducing glass
Automotive ads follow category codes to the extent that it has become difficult to distinguish one brand’s ad from another. Almost all have similar exterior shots of the vehicle and ‘product as the hero’ approach. In India, we also have Hindi film songs used commonly as jingles in the category. In this context, a campaign for Omoda 7 focuses on select product features and tells the story in a visually disruptive style in the category.
Agency: Uncommon
MasterCard: brand assets
The power of distinct brand assets brought alive again.
Agency: McCann
Mumsnet: social media ban for under-16s
How harmful can mobile addiction be for those under 16? A new outdoor campaign takes visual cues from warnings on cigarette packs and urges action from mothers.
Agency: adam&eveTBWA
McDonald’s: no logo outdoor
Is this going too far with minimalism? Over confidence in knowing that the brand will be recognised even without the logo or distinct assets like the arch, mascot and product images? A new outdoor campaign from New Zealand
Agency: McCann
Which one was your favourite? Do comment in.