Every week I attempt to share a compilation of creative ads and occasionally some commentary on the business of advertising. This week’s compilation of clutter-breaking creative ads include the new brand identity from Intel (technically not an ad), a TVC from iPhone and more.
Intel: new brand and visual identity
Adverts created by brands are mostly ignored. That’s a horrible place to be – worse than being criticised as at least the work was noticed in the case of the latter. But somehow, a refresh of the brand identity, especially if it is from a large, famous enterprise almost always gets not just noticed but critiqued. We have seen it in the past with Gap, Google, Wipro, Godrej, Airtel and more. Of course such brand identity changes get wide publicity and hence invite attention. The initial outrage or negative comments is usually followed by acceptance (what other choice do we have?) with Gap being the exception – since they reverted to their previous rendition. Nevertheless, a visual identity can be an important brand asset in the fight for distinctiveness in a cluttered, sea-of-sameness market – a good example being Heinz and the Cadbury’s.
In this context, Intel revealed a new visual brand identity this week. At first glance, the new logo feels clean and contemporary. News reports also say that they will also modernise their other great brands asset – the ‘bong’ the distinctive audio mnemonic.
The refresh is also times with the brand’s 11th generation core PC processors. Intel was once a monopoly but facing stiff competition from AMD and decision by computer makers such as Apple to opt for their own ARM-based chips. The tag line, Intel Inside, coined by Euro RSCG imbued a premium cue to PC’s and also evoked a sense of security and reassurance.
iPhone: over sharing
Google’s mission statement is ‘organise the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful’. In that process, a lot of information about our browsing habits & history is ‘used’ to either personalise content or serve ads. In other words, we become the product when the product (say, Google search) is free. In contrast, Apple has been positioning itself as a champion of privacy – explained in detail in a dedicated web page. It has taken tactical adverts in the past to drive home the importance the company places on protecting user information. With the upcoming iOS 14, users of iPhone and iPad are likely to get more control of the information they share. A new TV spot brings alive the perils of publicly sharing information that you should not to drive home the benefits of the Apple ecosystem.
Agency: TBWA\Media Arts Lab
Jeep India: #MyBigGanesha
Come festivals or other ‘landmark days’ (such as Women’s Day or Independence Day) brands go on an over-drive to create social media posts. Most of them have zero connect or at best a tenuous, forced connect with the brand. FOMO is the trigger which drives marketers to have such activities as a must-do in their social media calendar. We’ve seen such tactical ads linked with COVID-19 too.
Here’s a stunt from Jeep India, timed with the popular Ganesh Chaturthi festival and the social distancing norms followed. I wouldn’t say the idea is hardwired to any specific positioning of the brand itself but they’ve found a clever way to link it with the festival itself. The festival is in celebration of a God is worshipped as a remover of obstacles and they found a way to celebrate it “safely, smartly and in a way that only Jeep can”. More than anything else, it’s been noticed, appreciated and gained traction on social media.
Agency: Leo Burnett
The Great British Bakeoff: flour
Cookery shows such as Master Chef, My Kitchen Rules and The Great British Bakeoff have their own fan following. How do you create anticipation and excitement before the launch of a new season? A simple ad for the new season of The Great British Bakeoff conveys the show is so popular that everyone in Britain is clamouring for the key ingredient to participate: flour. A charming little spot.
Agency: in-house
IKEA: The Hare
What could have happened the night before the famous ‘tortoise & the hare’ fable? How did the tortoise manage to win the race against the hare? This clever, ‘what if?’ question has triggered an ad for IKEA which seeks to convey that the tortoise had good night’s rest (on an IKEA bed of course) which was the secret behind his success. Loved it.
Agency: Mother, London
BT: unlimited subs
UK being a football-crazy country, I am sure this ad would be loved by audience there. In a smart linkage, being able to change your football packages every month is erm, er…’packaged’ as ‘unlimited subs’, which in turn triggers a whole lot of football related outrage. Brilliant.
Agency: Saatchi & Saatchi
NFL on ESPN: Ready for football
Hardcore football (or any sport for that matter) fans are eagerly awaiting the re-start of their favourite sport. A new ad from ESPN captures their angst and frustrations in a funny, relatable way set to Celine Dion’s ‘It’s all coming back to us now’. Guaranteed to capture the emotions of avid fans of sport everywhere.
Agency: Arts & Letters Creative Co.
Ford: We built them a truck
‘Built For America’ is a platform that fits the Ford brand when it comes to appealing to a domestic audience. A new spot chronicles the triggers for building cars (which is closely associated with the brand) and then trucks. I am sure the sure the film’s tone and grandeur would strike an emotional chord with intended audience since commuting by road and trucking is part of their lives.
Agency: Wieden + Kennedy
Toyota Yaris: Why Stop?
Personifying the product works well in this ad for Toyota’s hybrid variant, Yaris. Katelyn Ohashi, a champion American gymnast with a huge social following performs agile manoeuvres in the city streets cueing energy and drive. The connections sit well with the brand of hybrid cars.
Agency: The&Partnership, Europe
Standard Chartered: Here for good
The ability to distil complex or lofty concepts into a simple message and convey that through a compelling story is the special ability of creative minds. A charming animation film conveys the importance of open trade borders and is linked to the ‘Here for good’ promise of Standard Chartered.
Agency: TBWA\Singapore
Which one was your favourite? Comment in.
