Clutter-breaking creative ads are hard to come by simply because they are hard to make. Only a handful of ads that are produced get noticed. An even smaller number will be remembered, recalled and linked to a positive association for a brand. So here’s to all those who work hard in crafting clutter-breaking creative ads which resonate with their audience. Here’s a short compilation of ads for the week ending October 30, 2020.
GE: Building a world that works
‘We bring good things to life’ was a long-time slogan for GE which ran between 1979 and 2003. I am sure it can be counted among the greatest tag lines of all time, encapsulating the diversified (some may say disparate) nature of their business. GE was into appliances, lighting, aircraft engines, medical equipment, finance and more. The company then exited some of the businesses to focus on those which show their technological prowess and innovation. ‘Imagination at Work’ was the new tag line. It was brought alive through several campaigns across media – beyond just a TVC. For example, their Facebook page used to pay homage to inventors and patent owners who aren’t well known but whose creations and ‘imagination’ has played in our everyday lives. Their recruitment campaign too sought people who could play a role in ‘serious’ innovation at GE. In 2016, a Twitter challenge called for inventions beyond fun games or apps — all of these sat well with ‘Imagination at Work’.
Tag lines can be seen as a summation of a campaign idea, especially in consumer goods which churn out new campaigns often. At a corporate brand level, they work as a brand’s mission statement with a potential to attract talent, appeal to investors and the public at large (which may not be the target audience in terms of sales, as in the case of B2B brands). IBM’s ‘Smarter Planet’, Accenture’s ‘High Performance Delivered’, TCS’ ‘Experience Certainty’ and other such company slogans are aimed at board rooms and CXOs in large enterprises.
GE has now revealed a new tag line, ‘Building a world that works’ through a TV commercial. Initially, I thought the tag line was a bit too plain, devoid of any word play or pun. But in today’s world (especially post COVID) we see many companies making lofty claims of changing the world, making the world a better place and being a catalyst for universal brotherhood – some would say these are motherhood statements, no pun intended. In such a scenario simply aiming to make things in the crucial sectors of healthcare, aviation, renewable energy simply work and playing a small role in enabling that seems endearing. It is also likely to resonate because we all want things to work and have a ‘life goes on’ attitude which is captured in the voice over:
Everyone wakes up to a world that must keep turning. And because the world can’t stop, neither can we.
Agency: BBDO
I loved the visual mnemonic of circular motion to cue movement and progress – linked nicely to the company logo. Watch a fascinating chat on the strategy and making of the ad here.
iPhone 12 Pro: make movies like the movies
The product premise is simple: ‘The only camera that can shoot, edit and playback in Dolby Vision’. But it’s been given a larger than life canvas by pitching it in comparison to how big studio productions are shot in a new ad for the iPhone 12 Pro. Given its pricing (and that of the Max Pro) and its features the variant is aimed at professional photographers and movie makers who’d love the portability of the phone while not compromising on the quality and effects of a professional ‘legacy’ camera. Among the general public (who may or may not shoot such movies) it has a jaw dropping effect and gives them hope of creating such outputs.
Vipps: give your phone a new start
‘When you have nothing to say, sing it’ said David Ogilvy. Bit harsh on some effective ads I thought. An ad for a Norwegian mobile payment application company dramatises what their service can do in this quirky but enjoyable ad.
Agency: Anorak
Terveystalo: phone disinfectant
Terveystalo is the largest healthcare service company in Finland. In a clever outdoor campaign, they turned kiosks at shopping centres into disinfectant terminals for mobile phones. In the context of COVID-19 and a heightened awareness of preventive measures for health, this sits in well with their business offering occupational healthcare, medical and examination services.
Agency: TBWA\Helsinki
Which one was your favourite? Do comment in.
