Honda – Asimo – Portland First, it was almost hard for me to concentrate on this ad because the whole time I was thinking about the South Park where Cartman dresses up as a robot named “Awesome-O”. It’s hilarious. Anyway… this ad is stunning, it’s hard to convey what theses scientists have done without getting into computer lingo, but W+K has managed to do it without using words at all! He has self-realization, discovery, the ability to climb stairs and sooo much more. It really is amazing and this commercial is great because it highlights the robot as well as shedding a positive light on the Honda brand in general. It’s even a bit playful and childlike which brings a real personal sensibility to an otherwise lifeless robot. Very inspiring.
Bartle Bogle Hegarty
Audi - "Unbox the box" - London
I apologize for any of you or sick of me always choosing car commercials, but It’s my interest so back off. This commercial for the new Audi Q5 is interesting to me. I think the music is great, the art direction is great, and its really a commercial that I would stop what I was doing and watch. However, I’m not sure that it caters to the target market of this car. The Q5 competes with the BMW X3, Mercedes GLK, and a few others. For some reason I’m just not seeing that age range being persuaded by this commercial, but maybe I’m wrong. At least it will get them into the dealerships and get them into the trial stage, so I guess that’s what is important. I do really like how they show him using his hands, it reminds you of the work that goes into making cars, and they are just as much art as anything else.
Windows – “Giampaolo” - Boulder Ok so now I get to say what I really feel. Crispin Porter was my agency for our group project and let me tell you, it was a real treat to have an agency as crazy and fun as Crispin. They recently were given the Windows account and charged with the task of combating Mac’s “I’m a Mac and I’m a PC” ads. In our group project we conveyed what many critics said about Crispin’s rebuttal, that it was a sad attempt. BUT, this is my blog so I get to say what I think now. First of all, yes, I own a Mac, and I’ve certainly sipped the punch. I think Macs are the greatest things ever. But, I really really like these ads from Crispin for Windows. I love how they blatantly and shamelessly complement the Mac and then criticize it and move on back to the PC’s. It’s in your face confrontation and is exactly what Crispin needed to do. I am glad they had the balls to take Apple head on.
VitroRobertson
Audi – R8 – San Diego Once again, I’m a big car person, and I really appreciate when ad agencies present a car in well deserved manner. This ad takes you through Audi Lineage to where it is today. This commercial can’t be done often, and it’s a good thing it wasn’t because there wouldn’t have been this perfect opportunity to debut it with the new R8, which is certainly a culmination of Audi’s history. I watched this commercial several times just so that I could see what all changes from decade to decade. It’s really cool to see years of advancements in so many areas flash before your eyes in a matter of seconds. Very very nice job Vitro.
Cliff Freeman & Partners
YouthAids – “Kama Sutra” – NY Ooooo Wow, what a powerful ad. This is a poster that was created by Cliff Freeman & Partners to be distributed to college campuses to spread awareness about YouthAids. I think it will certainly make its point. Everyone knows that Aids kill but sometimes you have to see it in a more visual light to make it “hit home”. I think this will do just that.
Kirshenbaum Bond
PSA Conserve America – Conserve Energy – NY This is similar to the PETA ad that I showed earlier, this isn’t terribly exciting and I don’t even know really what to say about it, but yet again, a visual way of shedding light on what was previously a tired subject.
Truth – “Don’t always die” – D.C. This is one of the commercials in the “truth” campaign that I do like. It’s factual and scary and hopefully will get people to stop smoking by bringing up a new viewpoint. Arnold teamed up with CPB to do the truth campaign and for the most part I think it was very successful. I HATE the ads with all the cartoons and singing and dancing though. I think it is the biggest waste of money and if I smoked I would smoke an extra cig after seeing one of those to calm me down from the rage I would experience from the money wasted on one of the dumbest concepts I’ve seen to date. And I AM the target market.
Euro RSCG
Volvo – Olympics – Australia Who doesn’t love a well time ad that corresponds with an event we all love so dearly, the Olympics. This is a cool print ad, because its 2 familiar images in unfamiliar ways. And I like the copy at the bottom; it really feels like the company is talking directly through the ad. I think it’s this type of direct communication that can bridge the gap between company and consumer. But Volvo is Swedish right? What’s up with that?
McKinney
Sherwin Williams – “Ask Sherwin Williams” – Durham PLEASE read the sub head on this ad. It’s so creative and puts a funny spin on the typical “where babies come from” talk. They push the envelope but in a classy and funny way that will probably get a rise out of even the most prude person. This ad gives Sherwin Williams a hip and sarcastic tone that I think will be good for the brand.
Washington Lottery – “Birds” - Seattle What a hilarious and thought provoking commercial for the Washington Lottery. This is one of the coolest ideas ever! I wonder what these birds were thinking. I want to go hang gliding now and take a bird, or my dog, with me. This idea had to have come from a great brainstorming session.
Saatchi & Saatchi
Lexus – “We’ve never been closer” – Sydney This is a commercial that is brand spanking new out of Saatchi’s Sydney office. The old and new RX weren’t the most beautiful cars to look at in my opinion but this commercial will perhaps make the moms that buy this car think they are ultra hip and sporty in this un-hip and un-sporty car. Mission Accomplished. This is a pretty standard ad for Lexus but with faster shots, darker lighting and dogs. It shows some product features, gives some good facts and exudes a lifestyle that they are trying to promote. It’s not a commercial I would create, but I think it will give this car an edge that it needs.
Leo Burnett
Terna – “Birds” – Rome Being from the south, this image is everywhere when you get out into the Delta. Every power line has birds between every pole. I think Leo Burnett did a great job of conveying the idea of energy in water with something a lot of us can relate to. Looks like the birds are just chilling and talking about neighborhood gossip. Little do they know they’re sitting on thousands of volts of power.
Fallon Worldwide
Equinox – “happily ever” – Minneapolis Being a member of equinox myself, I’m a little surprised this is the look they were going for but then again maybe I’m not. It’s certainly more aesthetic than functional, which certainly reflects their belief that aesthetics are important in a fitness facility. It looks like a D&G ad rather than your typical YMCA, but YMCA equinox is not. Oh well, sex sells and this will probably make everyone with less than perfect bodies run to their nearest equinox in hopes of seeing these people. At first I was skeptical, but now that I’ve thought it through, I think this will probably be pretty successful for equinox, nice job Fallon. It may not be the most forward thinking in terms of society but it certainly will sell memberships.
Kaplan Thaler Group
Swiffer – “baby come back” – NYC These “baby come back” ads were a small-chuckle-laugh sort of funny when they first aired but I think they’re getting a little tired now. At least they had a few in their pockets to keep the visuals fresh even if the idea was the same. But I mean, think about it. Swiffer is a pretty boring product, and most cleaning product commercials are in turn – boring. So for Mrs. Thaler to bring humor to Swiffer was wonderful. Say goodbye mop and broom, you aint comin back.
Team One Advertising
Lexus – ES – NY When looking for an ad from Team One Advertising to put on here, I have to admit, I couldn’t find many that I liked. This one is for lexus and basically talks about sensors the whole time. I’m not even sure if the majority of buyers would even want to hear about all of this. But it is nice when a luxury brand, or a brand in general for that matter, talks about product features instead of simply projecting a lifestyle.
Blackberry – “Thumbs” – New York This is a great example of the power of negative space. The black on red really emphasizes that this ad is for Verizon without the actual logo taking up a large portion of the ad. You have to think about this one for about a second and it’s a good laugh. Everyone has joked about their texting skills or their tired thumbs at some point. So I think it really makes Verizon look like they’re in touch with their consumers.
Durex – XL – Athens Ok so earlier I pointed out how I didn’t like the Durex ad produced by Ogilvy. This is an example of what I consider to be smart advertising for an adult product. Its not in your face or provocative, and you wouldn’t be upset if your child stumbled upon it. I think its creative and funny.
The Martin Agency
GEICO – “The Serious Side of the Gecko” – Richmond, VA COPY! COPY! COPY! – It’s all about the copy in this ad. The image of the gecko is great, and the size and layout of the copy is even better. This definitely looks like something from David Ogilvy himself. Modern advertising seldom has this much copy, but I think when it’s done like this you can certainly say a lot and get people to read it too. It’s important that the first few sentences are easy to read and they are in this ad. I’m really stunned by this. I think it’s perfect.
TM Advertising
AA – “Why you fly” - Dallas We saw this commercial for American Airlines in class but I liked it too much to not mention it on here. This commercial is sure to connect with everyone who has ever flown. Flying is the way that we are all able to do so many things that were not possible years ago. It’s so exciting to go see a family member or friend or come home from a long trip. TM really connects with these feelings and delivers a great commercial that has a lot of emotional appeal for me at least. I really really like this ad and think that AA was really proud to run this.
DraftFCB
Honda CR-V – “Dress for it” – Australia Good music can make an ad – ask apple. This commercial is one of those one’s where you’re not really sure what they’re advertising until the end, but it’s entertaining enough to keep you interested until you find out the answer. CG and special effects are really allowing some cool concepts to come to life. The CR-V has certainly taken advantage of these new developments.
Lowe
Land Rover – “Directions” – Malaysia This is GREAT. I don’t want to say anything about this. It totally speaks for itself. What an awesome idea.
Carmichael Lynch
Harley Davidson – “Build Yours” – Minneapolis Harley Davidson is typically associated with pretty rough and tough manly men. This print ad attempts to reposition the brand to target female riders. I think it’s a great idea and its great to look at, but I think the woman is a little too robot-ish. I think the sex appeal is missing, even women might be turned off by this. I think it’s the “eyes” and the “hair”.
Hill Holiday
Brookline Community Foundation – “food” – Boston I know that when I want to donate to charity I often want to do something rather than just write a check. But often there’s no time or the foundation simply doesn’t have an area that you could help. Sometimes they just need funds. This ad speaks to people like myself and illuminates the idea that money is food. The art direction is great, just a folded up personal check into an origami-like chicken. I like the copy at the top also. Another ad that you have to spend a little time with, but one that rewards you when you do.
Deutsch
PlayStation 3 – Motor Storm Pacific Rift – “Air Raid” – LA WAIT! Before you watch it, let me tell you this. This is real and was shot with stuntmen and real skydivers with cameras on location at the Salton Sea. Knowing that makes it way more interesting to watch. This stunt is probably the only thing that could precede images from a crazy game like this. Looks like fun to me!
Mullen
Columbia – Wenham, MA Earlier I mentioned mainstream commercials, not bad, not great. They get the information across but don’t entice or intrigue. This is what I would consider a good example of a mainstream print ad. It’s just something I would flip right by. I think the only reason I would read ANY of the copy on this ad is if I were currently in the market for an outdoor backpack. Moving along…
Campbell Mithun
Susan G. Komen – “Join the Battle” – Minnesota Pretty basic and overplayed art direction to me, but with the intensity of the subject it brings new life to the look. The red color of the gloves is very powerful, and I think it makes a quick statement, which is exactly what this cause needs. I think this is a good diversion from the typical breast cancer ad.
Dailey & Associates
QuickBooks – “Parrots Tell the Truth” – LA I laugh every time I see this commercial. One of my friends in high school had an African Grey parrot that would answer the phone and say other hilarious things so I can definitely relate to this commercial. They definitely pick up on what you say and how you say it and repeat it back after a period of time. Take a look at this ad and then ask yourself. If you had a parrot, what would it start to say. I think mine would say “duh”. haha
O.K. I’m going to show some print ads for WPP Group, I think that print ads are great to look at because there’s obviously no sound and no video so it’s completely different in the way that it gets the message across. It’s the subtleties that matter.
Ogilvy & Mather
Durex - Singapore This is a print ad done for Durex condoms. I may be a prude, but I think this is a little inappropriate. I know advertising for condoms is difficult but if you look at ads done for Durex by other agencies such as McCann, you realize there are definitely other ways. I’m not sure where this ad was published, but unless it was in an adult magazine I think it’s too much. I don’t think any parent should have to explain this ad to their child that might stumble across it looking through a magazine at the doctor’s office or something. It’s funny and creative but in my book, it crosses the line.
Tabasco – Johannesburg – South Africa O.K. I feel bad for hating on Ogivly, so here’s a print ad that I DO like. It’s for Tabasco. I feel like Tabasco has a very strong customer base and they know who they’re catering to. You either like hot stuff and hot sauce or you don’t. And if you DO, then I think you would get a real kick out of this ad. It’s a great visual and is really entertaining for the eye. Pat on the back for Ogilvy.
Y&R
Land Rover – “Above the Clouds” – London I’ve always wanted a Land Rover Defender, but for some odd reason they won’t put an airbag in it so that it can come to the U.S.. I think it’s a secret plot coming straight from the Queen of England to ensure that no one will ever be as cool as her haha. Anyway, this is a really cool ad and really exemplifies the “Go Beyond” slogan. And at least it’s the defender and not the range. The defender could go up that mountain just as easily as it goes to the grocery store. Also, nice choice on the red color… the cherry on top.
JWT
PETA – “All animals have the same skin” – Kuwait Usually PETA has ads that are offensive to some and appropriate to others. I think this one from JWT is exactly what they should have been doing all along. It makes you think about things in a different way, and hopefully will drive people to action instead of offending. I’m really glad JWT toned down PETA and came up with a fantastic compromise.
Grey
Lenor fabric softener – Polonia You know when you’re flipping through a magazine and you stop and stare at an ad, even though it’s an ad you take a second and stop to really see what’s going on. This is one of those ads. It’s creative and the message is hidden. You have to spend a little bit of time with the ad to put all the elements together. But it’s worth it because you’re rewarded at the end.
AMP Energy Drink – “Walk of No Shame” – New York I liked this commercial for AMP because of its imperfections. The music isn’t perfect, the voices aren’t totally on key, and I think that’s what makes it cool. The walk of shame is definitely a part of younger society and is often talked about among friends but seldom in the media. I think it’s hilarious that they’re doing this commercial based upon this idea. And it fits in nicely with the product too. I also like that they agency took advantage of their location and shot in what looks to be the West Village in NYC.
DDB
Volkswagen Golf – “Enjoy the Everyday” – London This commercial for the VW golf is cool because it shows you how much time you spend in your car and all the different things that go on around you. The editing is trendy but applicable and really puts it all into perspective quickly. The music builds up nicely and really goes with the mood of the accompanying shots. I love cars so I always appreciate a good car commercial.
TBWA
Visa – “go.” – India
This commercial by TBWA for Visa is a little strange to me. I can’t pick it out, but something isn’t quite right about it. The images are great, very colorful and different and shows a wider range of all things “go” but I feel like the whole concept driving the “go” theme might be a little tired. One-word phrases are now the names of stores, restaurants, clubs, and bars. And now the idea is being taken even further. In some cases it works and in some cases it doesn’t. The word certainly applies to how people use their Visa cards but hmmmm I just can’t figure it out.
180 Amsterdam/ 180 LA
WOW! Really like this one. I think its great when a font can become so iconic for a brand, and in this case I knew it was Adidas right from the start because of the font. I enjoyed everything in this ad. 1) It shows you all of the areas that adidas is present or involved with 2) It didn’t over-emphasize the brand name but still got the point across 3) The copy has a good flow 4) I liked the continual spinning font combined with the continual pan right of the camera. I would definitely be proud of this simple and beautiful ad if it were my own.
Goodby Silverstein
Comcast – “Dream Big” – NY Cable companies certainly don’t have much of a personality, but in this ad I think it starts to give Comcast one. The use of real people inside of a virtual cartoonish animated world is great. I like the way they don’t use any cuts but instead just move through the Comcast “world” they have created. It’s fun and different and gives a little bit of an edge to a company that usually just competes with packages, bundles and prices. I especially like how the cloud brought the guy in the hot tub his drink. I would love to have a cloud like that.
Dieste Harmel & Partners
Pine Sol – “Shame” – San Francisco Hahaha that’s embarrassing! The blame totally gets shifted at the end from the daughter to the parents. Nice. I won’t spoil it -- take a look.
GSD&M Idea City
BMW – “The Art of Driving” – Austin I’ve always been a huge BMW fan, and their commercials are always very classic and inspired. I think they really do justice to the cars and the brand. This ad has really been viral, not for the commercial but for the idea. I have seen this ad as an iphone app, on Tivo as an ad on the home screen, in the BMW magazine, on TV, in the news, and several other places. The iphone app is so cool by the way so definitely check it out if you have an iphone. I like the way that this ad combines: the car, the art, and the making of the ad all into one cohesive piece. It would be hard to do this so I appreciate the finished product. I wonder if this splatter paint z4 is up for auction somewhere. I guess the only question would be… Christie’s or ebay haha!
LatinWorks
Bud Light – “Language of Love” – Austin Well, I chose to post this one so I could hate on it. After taking an advertising ethics class this semester I have become even more aware of harmful things in ads. I think that this ad is poor first of all because it has Carlos Mencia in it, I’m not a fan and I think it’s pretty predictable for LatinWorks to use him also. Secondly I think that this ad contains a few “soft” ethical issues. First it displays several ethnicities in a less than perfect light and also in some stereotypes. At the end when the “attractive blonde white female” is already with another man, it’s intended to be funny or get laughs because of the fact that “that would never happen”. It perpetuates the idea that people should or currently only date people “in their league”. If I was in this agency, I would scrap it and say hell no this isn’t going on the air. There has got to be other ways to sell Bud Light than to sell out minorities.
Martin Williams
Mainstream ads. This is what I would consider mainstream. It’s fun, and quick and gets the point across. It’s harmless, not particularly creative, doesn’t challenge the viewer or respect their intelligence, but its not bad, just not great.
This is a blog I am doing for my Advertising Literacy class at SMU. These are just my personal opinions about some of my favorite and least favorite works from some of the largest agencies.
