Always a big fan of all the works created by powerhouse ad agency, Wieden & Kennedy, Portland. In particular, those kick ass Nike commercials they had ran over the last couple of years. They hold a dominant spot in my memory and I believe the same goes to all those who appreciates the level of creativity they implanted in all their videos. Now, they made a new high. Check out this commercial for the Olympics. The ad, ‘Unlimited You’, brings on a heightened brand message that illustrates how great athletes are born from birth, as they transformed from unprepared amateurs to world-class athletes. Very cool and extremely high budget production. Nice.
Make dreams happen
A video that will not take you too long to figure out the importance of having the right support for you as well as your children’s dreams. This is probably not the first time we have seen such a script, but stories like this tend to warm the heart and deliver the message effectively. It resonates with many and gives you that tint of light, enough to drive you forward and accomplish that one wish you had. Simple, inspiring and lovely.
Fun in the box
Another interesting way we can improve brand experience through packaging design. Prior to this execution, Pizza Hut had a movie box concept which also taps on mobile technology. This had a really fun theme to it. The use of the 50s music themed together with the individual donut flavour makes it a rather interesting combination. Somehow the formula for a successful engagement is to combine different experiences into one and to create a fresh perspective to the brand. I think its a brilliant move by Krispy Kreme. Check out this video.
Kill those mozzies
WOW. A brilliant idea indeed. Mosquito Killing billboards. Once again, billboard advertising continues to amaze me. More and more awesome ideas get spun through such open media platforms. This billboard was created with the ultimate goal to kill those disgusting mosquitos. The initiative was launched by two advertising agencies in Brazil. Both agencies, Posterscope and NBS wanted to create a billboard that would simulate human sweat to attract mosquitos and eventually ambush them inside. This should aim to totally annihilate all the mosquitos around the area. The idea was originally conceived to help destroy the Zika virus that is currently a sore issue in Brazil and Latin America. Not sure of its effectivity, the billboard is no doubt a deterrent against the spread Zika. At this moment, it is essential to keep the spread in check. There is a debate that this might eventually have a backlash effect as mosquitos are now lured to a specific area. There is a high chance it might even create a large feeding ground if there are humans around area. Again, putting these practicalities aside, I want to applaud both agencies for their brilliant idea to help fight the mozzies and the disease they carry through creative ideas.
The future the way we want it
I have my fair share of appreciation for such videos which portray technology and its benefits. As much as I like how Fisher Price is embracing this full fledge, there is a chasm we need to bridge when we show ‘the future’ to ‘the present’. Before we embark on this fantasy ride, there are several factors we need to work out. The logic is simple: how then could technology helped us to improve our lives? heck, even to help us complete our parenting roles? This video illustrates engaging graphics coming to life and interacting with both parents and child. We also see how the alarm clock snoozing came into effect with just a simple hand gesture. While working out some concepts for my clients before, I remembered a particular case where I had to provide directions for a rather futuristic video. I cringed at the fact that people are dashing into this whole technology craze. But as I soon realised, there is an emerging need for brands to be seen as forward thinking. Innovative. Rather, LOOKING innovative. It well positions them as leaders in their field, giving them an added edge against their competitors. Branding and marketing has become significantly crucial as we progress into a tech-civilisation. I still appreciate what Fisher-Price had done here. Its just that sometimes its all about the goal rather than the objective isn’t it?
Move it, fatty.
So true. Nowadays the only way to get the attention of your viewers is to place their interest before your message. Technically, humans are very subjective animals who always place their attention on the things they like or enjoy the most. I like how Leandro Bonfim illustrates the idea with strong visuals, or rather, visuals that are compelling to couch potatoes who are so used to their TV programs! Print is still a prevalent media to communicate with our viewers.
Hi, catty catty!
Did someone say designing calendars are the most daunting tasks ever? Designers often dread doing this because they easily stereotyped it as both dull and staid in execution. To me that is pretty much dried juice in my opinion. See, if you actually pay enough attention to pop culture and trends, you could inject some amazing fun into it. Kate Funk, a Milwaukee-based cat photographer had just launched a cute calendar featuring her cat AC in several quirky and provocative attires. This is the fruition of her collaboration with her roommate, Brendan Groh. What we have here in the pictures are snapshots from what she called ‘The World’s Most Super Amazing 100% Awesome Cat Calendar. Yes, that’s a mouthful. But i assured you this is probably the most interesting calendar that doesn’t feature holidays or boring post it columns. Love it!
Igloo bungalow!
I believe in the concept of Airbnb; where people could connect with one another as they enjoy a part of their lodging together. The concept itself is beautiful. It connects people, enables travellers to enjoy a rather unique experience. We can certainly stretch the concept of unique all the way towards exotic. We can all pretty much agree that creativity has no limits. Check out the “Boutique Winter Igloo”. A freelance art director, Patrick Horton, and his room mates had just built an amazing winter cave, made up of natural elements. It promises a rather exotic experience for two. After having listed it on Airbnb, the ad got taken down by an employee from Airbnb. This was what he said to Patrick:
“We are happy to see that you guys are saying busy and having fun during Blizpocalype,” an Airbnb rep wrote. “Unfortunately, you igloo, while very well constructed, has failed to meet our occupancy standards.”
Check out the pictures. Its really one chic looking backyard bungalow! Enjoy the snow people.
The fastest click
It has been a while since we witness notable work from Singapore. This one sure has some fun to it. Kinetic Singapore recently developed a youtube commercial which reliefs viewers from pesky sponsored ads on YouTube. The idea here is to challenge viewers against the speed of the new Mini John Cooper by having them hit the skip button as fast as possible. Aligning to the message that the MINI is fast, and at the same time helping viewers to cope with repetitive ad skipping moments. Interesting way to balance between psychological time and objective time. Read more about why performance matters here. So here you go, make objective time less annoying, communicates your clients message and marry them with an interesting yet engaging execution. Nice.
The dash
Extreme is the word! Check out this awesome marketing effort from The North Face, Korea. I love how they build suspense and anticipation! Innored, South Korea, had a pop-up activation in Seoul where they position in the middle of a mall, a south pole camp set up. The experience first start off with the user being given a visual teaser with a VR glasses as they sit on a dog sled. This gave them an assuring impression that they were merely just simulating a virtual tour. Before you know it, the action starts off with the huskies literally pulling the sled, slamming through those snow walls! The ride gets really fast as the user now dashes across the mall and is given the opportunity to grab an awesome jacket from The North Face! Just check their facial expressions! Excellent!
Zack Chia 