Every day we come across hundreds of commercial messages. Most of them go unnoticed. Ad industry portals too share truck loads of ads every day. Here are a handful which stood out for me over the last few days: Apple Watch TV spot, world’s smallest press kit and a few print ads from The John Lewis Partnership.
1. Apple Watch: better you
Brands need both repeat users and new users to come into their fold for sustained growth. Apple’s product lines offer an opportunity for both with another element – repeat users get to ‘upgrade’ by paying more than their previous purchases. So with the product story both need to see value. Current users of Apple Watch users would agree that the product usage can be habit-forming and an essential accessory. I believe that is ‘designed’ to be that way. There are 3 rings – one each for exercise, stand and move. Users are nudged to complete all of them in a day and over time they become not just a habit but an obsession. A new ad for Apple Watch Series 4 plays on that emotion well, personifying the voice inside you as your duplicate or ‘better you’.
2. Marvel: world’s smallest press kit
Some in advertising believe there is no such thing as a ‘boring’ category. When you genuinely believe so and practice it no task is boring either. So the need to announce the addition of Marvel’s two tiniest superheroes — Ant-man and Wasp into the ‘Contest of Champions’ was converted into the ‘world’s smallest press kit’.
Agency: Cossette, Canada
3. Alzheimer’s Research UK: first breath
When it comes to creating awareness about an ailment, the challenge is to evoke an emotional reaction about something a viewer may not fully empathise with, as they may not have experienced it. A new film from Alzheimer’s Research UK brings alive what it feels to have the ailment in an intriguing, riveting spot.
Agency: AMV BBDO
4. British Vogue & Selfridges: Everything Looks Better In Eyewear
In fashion advertising, especially for luxury brands, execution is often the idea. In this quirky spot to highlight eyewear at Selfridges, British Vogue takes the retro route to good effect.
5. Audi: e-tron
A few brands proclaim that they are not obsessed with being first in the category, just the best. At the risk of sounding pompous it does place an emphasis on getting the product right and subliminally cues that message to potential users. A new spot from Audi takes that route (no pun intended) saying that while they are not the firs to make electric cars, they have ‘imbued’ it with the Audi DNA.
Agency: Venables Bell & Partners
6. Saatva Mattress: The Path to Sleep Enlightenment
A spot for Saatva mattresses nicely captures the shopping experience of a potential buyer in the category. If you have ever bought furniture it would have you nodding in agreement at the sequences.
Agency: Preacher
7. JBL: block out the chaos
Last year, JBL won several awards for its print ads dramatising the noise-cancellation feature of their headphones. Here are a couple of extensions of that idea.
Agency: Cheil, Hong Kong
8. Carlsberg: Snap Pack
If a design solution evokes a reaction, ‘It’s so smart, so simple’ then its working. Here’s a packaging idea from Carlsberg meant to reduce use of plastic – small dollops of glue are designed to hold the cans in place instead of a wrapper.
9. Hulu: Never Get Hulu
How do you convey that your service is a cut above? I found this approach interesting – by conveying that when you get used to the best or a ‘superior’ version of something you will find it hard to go back to the ‘regular’ options. Nicely done.
Agency: Big Family Table
10. DHFL General Insurance: COCORide
Here’s an ad which tells a story larger than the product (a vehicle insurance in this case) it advertises. And the most endearing bit is that the product is not just incidental but is at the centre of the story. Terrific ad.
Agency: HyperCollective
11. Waitrose & Partners: service campaign
Lastly, a set of delightful print ads from Waitrose & Partners, UK. Nowadays we rarely get to see a well-crafted print campaign with an idea. Most print ads, at least in India take the lazy path of features-as-headline and bullet points as body copy. There is no attempt to charm the viewer and create some sort of affinity. Here’s a campaign which does all that to highlight the service quality and throughtfullness of category ‘experts’ at the retail chain.
Which one was your favourite? Do comment in.
1 Comment
Excellent collection of advertisements, as always.. Thanks for sharing..