Channel 4 Paralympics ad, Samsung’s Tokyo 2020 and more: creative ads of the week
Every week, I attempt to share a compilation of clutter-breaking creative ads and occasionally some commentary on the business of advertising. As many have noted, a majority of the ads out there go un-noticed, so managing to break the clutter is actually a big deal. This week’s compilation includes Channel 4’s Paralympics ad and topical ads related to the Euro Cup.
Samsung: Be There
‘As good as being there’ or ‘a ringside view’ are common themes when it comes to promoting a sporting event. I have seen it in print publications (cueing the quality of coverage) and TV channels. A new ad for Samsung conveys the idea well in the context of the Tokyo Olympic Games. Aside from the cool execution, the idea resonates because the event will be held without any spectators. Apparently, all the athletes will be given a Samsung phone. Moreover, the ad features Sky Brown, a thirteen-year-old skateboarder from UK who’d have had a huge in-person contingent cheering for her but now can use her phone to share moments from the event.
Agency: The Community, Miami
Channe 4: Super. Human.
The sight of athletes at a Paralympics event is an attention grabber. As a recent campaign indicated – it is normal for people to stare at the differently abled in a public place. But still, an ad featuring them needs an idea. Channel 4’s previous campaigns featuring Paralympians were clutter breaking too and highlighted the grit and determination. A new ad for the event excels again by showcasing the ‘human’ side of the super human folks.
“We spotted an opportunity to present Paralympians in a way they hadn’t been shown before – by pointing a camera at the realities of their lives and, as with any elite athlete, the sacrifices they make in pursuit of greatness,”
Absolutely loved it.
Agency: 4Creative
McDonald’s: Taste of Japan
In several countries, McDonald’s has a special menu with Japanese food items. A new spot from Malaysia coveys that cleverly to cue ‘authentic taste of Japan’, featuring Sumo wrester who teaches the correct pronunciation of Japanese dishes.
Agency: Leo Burnett, Malaysia
Cabital: crypto without the crazy
A new category of app-based services promising easy investment in crypto currency are the rage in many markets, including India. Some position such investments as a must-have in a portfolio. The average investor may still be baffled by the crypto craze. In fact, I remember someone tweeting this category as the Snapchat of investments – alluding to the baffling nature of the domain. Singapore based Cabital calls the BS around this – literally.
Agency: TBWA
Royal Mail: Euro Cup
Ah, moment marketing. Marketers and ad agencies consider this to be the secret sauce for instant fame and ‘virality’. If only. As with topical ads of yore, linking the news of the day in a relevant, natural way to your brand takes a lot of creativity and some magic. For every ‘viral’ moment marketing social media post there are zillion others who’ve tried too hard and failed. When there’s a force fit, it shows. Unlike here where there’s a great connect between Royal Mail and the ‘it’s coming home’ expectation with regards to the Euro Cup.
Tesco: Euro Cup
As I have said earlier, one of the best mantras of marketing is that ‘not all brands are unique, but they can be distinct’. Owning a distinct brand asset – be it a tag line, a design element, a colour or packaging can be a great advantage. Tesco’s ‘Every little helps’ is woven wonderfully in this tactical ad prior to the Euro Cup final. Loved the ad and the gesture to give time off to the employees.
Mahindra XUV 700: teasers
A teaser campaign can be a double edged sword. In the early 2000s, Frooti created a lot of buzz in the market with their ‘Digen Verma’ teaser campaign aimed at refreshing the brand image. Many teaser ads which manage to create anticipation, buzz and some ‘mystery’ fall short of expectations during the reveal. ‘All that hype was for this?’ is a common reaction. Another pertinent factor is that of campaign duration – the teaser ads can’t be too early or too late compared to the launch. A new campaign from Mahindra for their XUV700 cannot be strictly called a teaser – as the model and launch date is already known. But it has the flavour of a teaser as it hints at the various features without revealing the SUV.
The Pilgrm Hotel: not made for outdoors
‘This product is not for certain kind of people’ is a nice twist to the oft-repeated route of flagging a particular type of consumer profile. We see that often in real estate ads in India: ‘if your car is a Porsche this property is for you’ variety. The Pilgrm Hotel conveys that its not for the average tourist who seeks wifi and other frills of a regular hotel at a regular tourist spit with the line ‘some aren’t made for the great outdoors’. The creatives use actual one-star reviews from TripAdvisor to drive home the point. Loved it.
Agency: Proximity. Via.
AP Townhome: home alone
Ads from Thailand are a treat to watch – be it the humorous ones or the tear jerkers. A new ad for a real estate property conveys the (boring) claim of security cameras installed in homes into an interesting story.
Agency: Wolf BKK
Which one was your favourite? Do comment in.