The ad is by Saatchi & Saatchi, New Zealand, for Toyota. Man, they do some wild work down there.
The product benefits are straightforward, while the concept is rather unexpected. It could work. But are you bothered by the cartoon violence? Is it responsible advertising?
I'll leave that up to you. But you have to admit, funny cats are a surefire hit on the internet.
This campaign, by DDB Bogota, is anything but subtle.
Like the infamous t-shirt, "If you can read this, the bitch fell off," it's a sad reminder that woman-dehumanizing macho culture is still accepted by male-dominated consumer tribes.
Executive Creative Director: Rodrigo Dávila Creative Director: Marco Muñoz Art Directors: Oscar David Martínez, Oscar Mejía, Adrián Arroyave, Mauricio Cortés Copywriters: Juan David Arboleda, Andrés Estrada Photographer: Tato Gómez
Are you over 30? Then you remember this ad. It's one of the most iconic jingles ever written, and perfectly summarizes the end of the hippie era, when the shrinking world just looked like it needed a hug.
In Project Re: Brief, we’ve re-imagined Coca-Cola’s classic ‘Hilltop’ commercial for a modern audience, in the digital age. Fulfilling the promise of the original ad, it allows users to connect with strangers by sending a Coke around the globe to an unsuspecting recipient, making the world feel just a little bit smaller. The ad can be experienced on mobile phone apps in Google’s AdMob network, across iOS and Android devices. Made possible through AdMob rich media ads, coupled with custom-designed vending machines, viewers can truly ‘buy the world a Coke’, with a few taps on their mobile phones. A viewer can decide where to send a Coke by selecting one of many machines located around the world, from New York City, to Cape Town, to Buenos Aires. They can then add a custom text message to personalise their Coke delivery. Google Translate converts these messages on the fly, breaking down the language barrier across countries. A dynamic video with Google Maps, Street View, and composite motion graphics shows the Coke’s journey from the viewer’s current location to the vending machine across the globe. Users can wait for confirmation of their Coke’s delivery, or enter an email address to be notified later. Once the Coke is delivered, recipients are not only treated to the generosity of a stranger thousands of miles away, but they can also say ‘thanks’ by sending a message of their own back to the user. That message is delivered to the user’s inbox where they can read the note and view a video clip of the recipient’s surprised reaction upon getting a free Coke. A gallery showcases some of our favourite shareable exchanges between people around the world connecting over a can of Coke. Today’s technology allows us to make good on a promise Coca-Cola made over 40 years ago, and lets users ‘Buy the World a Coke’ from the palm of their hand.
I want to hang with these cats.
Let's think about this. From a group of people on a hilltop, holding hands and singing together about harmony and togetherness, to anonymous interactions with people around the world conducted through smartphones.
This dude, not so much.
Yeah, we connect with more people now, more instantly and with cool graphics and instant translation. But the word "connect" doesn't mean what it used to, does it?
Advertising Agencies: Grow Interactive, Norfolk, and Johannes Leonardo, New York
Ever notice that high fashion models in magazine editorials look like they're in excruciating pain? Between the contorted poses that exude glamour and thinness, to the absent expressions on their faces, they just don't appear to be having any fun.
"backaches"
This campaign for Sweden's NK Pharmacy uses this insight brilliantly, diagnosing the models with common ailments and offering product solutions from their store. I have nothing else to add. It's a prefect print campaign by Garbergs of Stockholm.
I get what they were trying to do with this packaging concept for a fitness centre/bakery cross-promo. Too bad the product itself, rather than giving the impression of washboard abs, looks like the buns are mooning you.
Not a nice image for something you're about to munch on...
While the Western world tries desperately to convince its pale citizens to keep out of the sun and tanning booths, the East continues to baffle us with its obsession with skin whitening products.
In this case, a hand cream promises to make your skin so blindingly pallid, it will cast a white shadow. (Hmmm... that reminds me of a TV show I used to watch.)
The exaggeration is too obvious to accuse TBWA Hong Kong of false advertising in the concept itself, but these products can run the gamut from useless to downright dangerous. It's a shame people can't learn to love diverse beauty ideas, rather than being preyed on by snake oil ads.
The technology is interesting, if it actually works as intended.
Poster before thermoactivation.
"Breast lumps are often discovered by womens partners. As a part of communication launching Breast Unit Prague (clinique for preventing and curing breast cancer) we produced this poster targeting men in male areas. When they placed their hands on the poster a pair of breasts would appear. Headline: ‘Touch them to ensure that they don’t disappear.’"
Poster thermoactivated.
While cause marketers like "Coppafeel," "Feel Your Boobies" and "Self Chec" promote self-screening for lumps in humorous and playfully sexy ways, this one seems more lecherous and objectifying. (Even though the creative team of Tereza Sverakova, Lauren van Aswegen and Igor Paleta seems to include at least one women.) And I don't know what it's like on the streets of Prague, but I wouldn't want to be seen feeling up a poster in public. Especially not a cancer campaign.
Ummm... what "thermoactivated" that line below the hands?
We, the English-speaking world, acknowledge that not everyone speaks the same language as we do. If we are to be totally honest, most of you speak our language while a shameful few of us speak yours.
That said, nobody is forcing you to translate your ads into English just to get the attention of international ad bloggers and awards jury members who are too lazy to figure them out.
But if you do choose to go to the bother and expense of translating and redesigning your ads for international and anglo viewing, FOR GOD'S SAKE SPEND THE $100 BUCKS TO HAVE A NATIVE ENGLISH PROOFREADER LOOK AT THEM FIRST!!!
They are all very upsetting as they should be, given the subject matter. But somehow I often find the effort to find creative ways to express the issue just end up creeping me out without adding to my awareness of, or concern for, the issue. It's as if the agency is exploiting tragedy for PR.
Mexico City's Museo Memoria y Tolerancia is an interesting idea. In a place founded on genocide and the clash of ancient empires, the museum stands "to warn about the dangers of indifference, discrimination and violence for generating, instead, responsibility, respect and awareness in each individual."
These ads, by Mexico's Made agency, paraphrase the George Santayana quote "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it" and matches it with iconic images of war and violence to amplify the message.
The effect is not subtle, and you could accuse the campaign of relying too much on borrowing interest from some of the world's great tragedies. But the message is, at least, clear. and as important now as it was over 100 years ago.
Don't you hate that awkward moment when you find yourself stuck in the office kitchen, having to listen to a colleague dare to speak to you, while you're waiting for the kettle to boil?
Well, fear not. This ultrafast kettle will cut the awkwardness short in faux Dilbert style.
Maybe it's just me, but I hate finding other people's condom packages lying around the streets or on other public places. Mostly because it's a reminder that there may be a discarded "white balloon" nearby, and also because it's litter. I'm happy people use them. I just don't want to be reminded that people are picking up street prostitutes so close to my home and work.
That said, I get the humour in this playful ad from K Swamy BBDO, India. But why would an old married couple use one?
I do, however, love the brand name: Hindustan Lifecare Limited Moods Condoms
This Australian cider ad by BMF reminds me of the photoshop gags a fellow Creative Director keeps making as his Facebook avatar. I had to check the credits to confirm that Clare was not, in fact, behind this creative.
It must be something unique to Brazilian culture that associates the line "Break free from guilt" with a slice of bread killing your mind like an old-school villain. Or perhaps that's the evil bread (although its brown colour looks pretty good to me) that the hero bread is about to free your mind from?
I am so confused. But at least the illustrator got paid.
