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:
Lumo: flight shame
Many years ago I had taken a flight from Mumbai to travel to Pune – a distance of approx 150km (90-odd miles). Given the short distance and fair good connectivity by road and rail, flying to Pune felt like an indulgence. I was genuinely overcome by guilt given all the time and money spent in commuting that short distance when other alternatives would have also worked just fine. I was reminded of that when I saw this ad for Lumo trains UK which operate electric trains on the London-Edinburgh route, among others. The exaggerated humour about the lengths to which one goes to compensate for the guilt of air travel is hilarious and drives home the point.
Agency: Mother, London
what3words: Neighbours
‘Every 3 metre square of the world has been given a unique combination of three words’ is how what3words describes its product proposition. It is definitely addressing a real paint point as existing options don’t always point to precise locations. The pitfalls of not having such a service is brought alive through humour where the parcels meant for someone arrive at a neighbour’s place who feigns ignorance. The casting and acting is spot on.
Kärcher: bring back the wow
I loved the tag line ‘Like Nothing Happened’ to cue the cleaning power of a cleaning equipment brand. It shows the efficacy of the results and brought alive through some trippy camera work.
Intermarché: every meal has a story to tell
A super market may not be central to this story line but it does tug at your heartstrings showing how a father-son duo adjust to a new situation.
Magnum: get old or get classic
Despite older demographics forming a majority of buyers in many categories, it is rare to see ads with grey haired folks as protagonists in what is known as lifestyle advertising. Magnum ice cream being a super premium brand does a great job of cueing an ultra-luxury lifestyle and mystique around the brand. The classic flavours have been presented as ‘timeless’ and that fits in well with the overall mood of the film.
Agency: LOLA MullenLowe
Nike: Tiger is never done
There are many aspects of Nike branding which work because of both relevance and consistency. The team is not prone to abandoning what’s been working only because they are tired of it (that ‘why same old?’ feeling can creep in marketing teams have to deliver on an existing brand idea for decades). Aside from distinctive brand assets such as the swoosh and ‘Just Do It’ tag line the association with sports personalities and connecting the brand’s philosophy with their individual struggles almost always is gooseflesh stuff. This one is no exception.
FC Home & Deco: Friendly Breakup
I was in two minds about this campaign – is it simply reflecting the reality of our ties or promoting a not-so-positive ‘trend’? Apparently divorce rates have gone up during the pandemic and a modular furniture brand in Peru has positioned itself as ‘ideal for separation’. The film ends on a positive note though.
Agency: Wunderman Thompson, Peru
Brew City: we want Gary
I have not seen anything like this before. A brand puts out communication announcing their intent to get a celebrity who is known for endorsing a competing brand. In the UK, Gary Lineker is closely associated with Walkers Crisps for years now. A snack brand, Brew City is running #WeWantGary campaign because a top star deserves to be associated with a top brand, being the logic. It’s an interesting way to garner attention and gain awareness.
Bond University: Micro Doors
It is interesting how the creative mind sees ideas in triggers which seem obvious or trivial. We understand the import of ‘opening doors’ – to cue opportunities and prospects for growth. Bond University in Australia has placed ‘micro doors’ in public places – a QR code placed inside them showcases their microcredentials courses.
Agency: VMLY&R
BEST: ‘Pudhe Chala’
‘Pudhe Chala’ literally meaning ‘move ahead’ is a common phrase uttered by conductors in Mumbai’s BEST bus service in an attempt to manage crowds. That phrase is used cleverly to cue that BEST is now moving ahead with the launch of their new app. The use of well-known celebrities who had humble beginnings and used the BEST services to get around fits in well – very endearing.
Which one was your favourite? Do comment in.
