Native RO, Glenmorangie and more: top creative ads of the week
Every week, I attempt to share a curated list of clutter-breaking creative ads. Occasionally, I share some views on industry trends. This week’s blog post is a compilation that includes ads for Native RO and Glenmorangie among others.
Native RO: filter toh pagal hai
In India, Eureka Forbes was synonymous with water filters for home use. Brands like Kent RO tried to eat into the share without taking a direct, combative stance of ‘why better’. Native RO, from utilities service brand Urban Company has released lovely film taking smart jibes at the relatable annoyances of the market leader. As a consumer of the latter, I could so easily relate to it – especially the pesky customer service calls and ‘change the filter’ as the standard response after almost every inspection. The casting and acting were spot on, and the message is driven home loud & clear.
Agency: Manja
Uber Eats: Cher time travel
‘Delivers almost everything‘ is a delightful brief. It opens up creative possibilities and the stance of what’s possible and what’s not, has led to some enjoyable creatives. In the latest from Australia, singer Cher wants to go back to the 80s only to discovery she has gone further back in the time machine. The link to ‘what can be ordered’ as compared to the time machine, brings a smile.
Agency: Special
KFC Thailand: everything is cake
This ad, released in December 2024, is everything that’s great about Thai advertising. They’ve created magic out of a one-line brief: celebrate the 40th anniversary of KFC Thailand. What happens after that trying to connect chicken and cake (which is customary with anniversary celebrations) is just brilliant.
Agency: Bananas
Glenmorangie: Harrison Ford in Scotland
A majority of celebrity endorsement led ads are simply horrendous. They lack imagination, charm and are plain lazy. Yet, brand owners seem to believe such investments are effective. Else, what explains their continued efforts along these lines? And then we have the issue of category codes – where most brands in a big category follow a similar visual grammar. One can spot such in automobile, food , hair care and baby care categories, among others.
In that context, a new series of episodic ads for Glenmorangie starring Harrison Ford are refreshing on both counts. While it uses the actor as himself (and not as a character) the wry humour and the natural treatment makes it less like an advertisement and more like a series of amusing short films.
British Tourism: starring Great Britain
Who is the actual star of an ad promoting a destination? It’s the destination itself, claims a new ad from British Tourism showcasing all the iconic sights & landmarks of the country – as seen in famous movies and streaming shows. It makes for fun watch pretty much like a well-made thrill-a-minute movie.
Agency: Pablo
Cadbury: made to share
Creative thinking for commerce is not limited to TV scripts and print ads. VCCP hs brought alive the idea of sharing in a clever set of packaging wraps that seek to suggest who deserves a bigger share. The creative possibilities are endless covering situations at work and at home.
Agency:VCCP
Hellmann’s: When Harry met Sally
It’s refreshing to see a Super Bowl ad that does not feature talking animals or have a bizarre plot. The famous deli scene from ‘Harry met Sally’ (1989) is recreated featuring the same actors, Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal as part of Super Bowl efforts this year by Hellmann’s. The role of the brand is cleverly weaved into the context with even the line ‘I’ll have what she’s having’ making sense.
Agency: VML
Real Girls Rock
XX-XY Athletics, is a sportswear brand, founded by former U.S. gymnast and Levi’s executive Jennifer Sey. The brand has taken a bold stand – opposed to trans inclusion in their sports and locker rooms.
It’s a celebration of female athleticism, drive, discipline and perseverance. And recognition of the abuse, harassment and threats that female athletes face if they dare stand up for themselves and the integrity of women’s sports.
Source
The campaign got the attention of celebrities like JK Rowling and media: The “Real Girls Rock” ad portrays the brand’s ambassadors, who have stood up for women’s sports, facing vulgar hate comments and witnessing liberal media outlets berate them as “transphobic.”
Dr. Agarwal’s: Sachin meets McGrath
In a theme that’s similar to ‘Should’ve gone to Specsavers’, Dr. Agarwal’s eye clinic launched a celebrity led film last November, featuring Sachin Tendulkar. In a casting coup of sorts, they now have roped in Australian cricketer Glen McGrath and anchored a film on a famous cricketing moment from 1999. The story and the solution will appeal to the audience who’ve grown up on that memory and is a right fit to the product category. An indication of the ad’s popularity is that it has already made its way to WhatsApp as a forward.
Production: Moonshot
Which one was your favourite? Do comment in.