I attempt to compile a list of compelling creative ads, which usually are just a handful among the hundreds of ads we see everyday. Last week, I took a break and shared some notes from a marketing & advertising conference. This week’s compilation includes TV commercials from Savlon, Cadbury’s and print work from McDonald’s among others.
McDonald’s: vegetarian food
Vegetarian diet is considered almost a punishment, by those who love non-vegetarian food, even if meant in jest. A new outdoor campaign from McDonald’s reminds the latter group that they don’t have to suffer through spinach and lentils.
Agency: TBWA, Zurich
Coca-Cola: the sign
Advertising has played a big role in creating affinity towards Coca-Cola. Over the past few years, graphical elements associated with the brand, especially the ribbon seen in the can has been used cleverly in outdoor campaigns. In Italy, outdoor signs directed consumers to adopt recycling of cans with a gentle visual push.
Agency: Publics, Italy
Ghadi: wash all the dirt away
Topical ads, linked to an occasion or festival is a common feature now, especially in India. During Eid, many brands created special adverts linked to the festival. As usual, only a few were relevant and entertaining. Here’s one from a detergent brand (a continuation of its earlier theme) of urging consumers to ‘wash the dirt within’. For those who don’t understand the language it highlights the double standards pertaining to men helping women in the kitchen – an elderly lady finds that acceptable when done by the son-in-law but admonishes her son for doing so.
Agency: ADK Fortune
Volkswagen: Hello Light
To introduce the electric version of the classic Microbus, Volkswagen takes the ‘mea culpa’ route with an audio refrain of the emission scandal of 2015. The film is gripping visually as it subliminally cues a shift from dark to light.
Agency: Johannes Leonardo
There is also a print ad which references the famous ‘Lemon’ ad of the brand.
Savlon: Rs.99 promo ad
When it comes to announcing price-offs, especially for consumer goods, most marketers take the easy way out: the ad is usually matter-of-fact (boring) with just graphics and a price-off blurb. In this ad for Savlon, there is a funny, cute interaction between a kid and a shopkeeper with anchored on the price point: Rs.99. It’s difficult to explain the humour to someone who doesn’t follow Hindi (which means it won’t be understood in a few parts of South India) but it is essentially about both the shopkeeper and the kid talking about the same amount, while the kid thinks not.
Mitsubishi: voice messaging
‘Voice messaging makes the road as dangerous as texting’ is the simple message in these ads brought alive by some nice art direction.
Agency: Promoplan, Chile
Cadbury’s Celebrations: Eid film
In keeping with it’s aim to expand the market by offering Cadbury’s as a substitute for traditional Indian sweets, this film showcases the brand as a gift for Eid. The reference, in Hindi, about us not being ‘different’ was a clever one applicable to both the type of sweet (for the occasion) and human nature.
McDonald’s: Spotify playlist
With customer experience being a priority for brands, especially in food retail here’s a fun stunt from Latin America. It involves placing the fries over an outline printed on their tray liners. Some of the fries may have to be shortened (eaten, that is) to fit the shapes. And when scanned through the Spotify app, the code on the tray liner fires up a specially curated playlist.
Agency: DPZ&T and Leo Burnett
Which one was your favourite? Do comment in.
