Euro RSGC

Euro RSGC found a way to make one of the stuffiest industries personal. By taking on Charles Schwab, financial service provider, the shop had the uphill battle ahead of them. The industry was clouded by scandal and loaded with indistinguishable companies vying for the same target. Euro RSGC New York was able to pull Charles Schwab from the ruin and make it rise above. The "Talk to Chuck" campaign has made the company approachable and engaging when it used to be intimidating and click-y. Net new assets rose 92% and client assets rose 17% in response to the new positioning. Talk about a home run. Even during the economic recession Chuck got more new clients in the dire month of October 2008 than the same month the year before.


Ski Lift

Arnold Worlwide

Arnold Worldwide is an incubator of creativity. It is hard to pick just one of their amazing works. As much as I try to help myself, I couldn't resist choosing the Reese's campaign. I love the simplicity: the simplicity of the black and orange background, the simplicity of the copy, the simplicity of the music. Simplicity is not a new idea in advertising but somehow, arnold makes it innovative in using it with its candy brand. There are no "mmm" noises and thank goodness no kooky characters running into walls (sorry to call out Starburst, Skittles, Sour Patch, and the like). When I go to the checkout isle of the grocery store now and glance at the stacks of candy, Reese's stands out like the cool kid in the cafeteria. arnold boston is to thank for the brand's new postion- it's found a new stake in the candy market that it certainly didn't occupy before. In a word: perfect

Team One

In today's environment where there is a lot of "noise" that obtrudes on the ad message, new media is becoming so important as an additional means of grabbing audience attention. Team One caught on to this and created an out-of-home campaign for Lexus featuring the RX getting into an "accident." These simulations took place in store fronts in New York and San Francisco to show passerby the benefits of Lexus's Actively Safe, an addition to the automobile that warns drivers when they are about to get into a collision. When pedestrians walked by the store fronts a motion sensor would send that car into the window, followed by copy stating that while safe helps you when in an accident, actively safe helps to avoid one altogether. This media was a perfect combination with the product on the part of Team One New York- a high involvement and high cognition product such as automobiles really need and benefit from high involvement media.

Fallon Worldwide

There are some ads that you love and just can't quite explain why. I've loved this Travelers' spot by Fallon Worldwide for a while so when I went to their site and saw it early on in my exploring I decided I had to try to figure out the reason for my admiration (aside from the Ray LaMontagne song which is a great choice). To some it may be cheesy, and indeed the reason I love it is because it pulls at my heartstrings, but the heart in the ad is what makes it so..Fallon. Fallon is headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, which some might say gives them a disadvantage due to their geography. Fallon, and I, however, see this as an advantageous opportunity in their glass half-full shop. They pride themselves and their success on the taking on of "generous brands." "Generous brands" add something to people's lives and inspire ideas. Their mantra is leaving something behind to benefit others, and a simple look at their client list and work archive is all you need to know that their are following through.

Leo Burnett

It has been proven to be an effective advertising choice to incorporate the advertising into the program. Leo Burnett Sao Paulo showed us this when they interrupted of all things a soccer match (in Brazil!?) to bring us this message from Fiat. The audience is horrified for seconds thinking that they have lost the program to bad reception, until the screen is wiped clear with what appears to be windshield wipers and the word from the sponsor advertising their new car with rain sensors. With the evolving media viewing landscape today filled with online streaming, portable viewing devices, and DVR, advertisers have to be innovative in their choice of medium. This particular ad from Fiat and Leo Burnett borders on intrusive but because its copy is short, sweet, and to the point, it is hits the brilliance mark.

Saatchi and Saatchi

In 2009 leading up to the Super Bowl, Saatchi and Saatchi put out a spot with their loved Miller High Life delivery guy discussing in the storage factory the whammy of a price of a Super Bowl spot that year: $3 million. Following up, during the big game in February, the brand and the agency's New York office had a 1 second ad featuring the trusty delivery guy standing in front of the endless cases of High Life in the storage factory saying simply, "High Life!" The silliness of the campaign works for 2 reasons. For 1, Miller High Life is a beer that markets itself on its commitment to taste at a reasonable price. This campaign would not work if the brand were Heineken. So the creative in the ad reinforces the brand message. Secondly, Miller High Life and Saatchi backed their ploy up with a website, 1SecondAd.com. This was a bright idea because otherwise people might feel mystified by the abruptness of the spot.

Publicis

One might wonder why out of all the quality work that Publicis does that I would choose this advertisement for a perfume? Here's why..typically one does not see creative stuff done for luxury clothing/cosmetic items. Shedding the preconceived notion about ads of that sort, this spot for Miss Dior Cherie is a quality ad. It was shot in the streets of Paris by Sofia Coppola. The print campaign that accompanies it is quite artful, featuring pop up graphics. This work from Publicis Paris is whimsy with its shot of the protagonist floating away with a handful of balloons at the end. Sure, it may not have the strong messages that most ads featured on this blog have, but it deserves accolades for being one of few in the high end clothing/perfume designer category to be putting out such great advertising.

Campbell Mithun

Campbell Mithun's campaign for the Republican National Convention is funny stuff. Their smart, sardonic work mirrors the irony in the Republicans' choice to hold the Convention in the traditionally leftist Twin Cities. The Minneapolis-based ad agency won a One Show pencil for their campaign of print ads that make light of common stereotypes about the political party. What a cheeky way to get the message of being gracious across while still being humorous and creative.

Mullen

I'm usually opposed to talking babies, animals, and puppets in ads, but I must say that the latest Zappos ads from Mullen Boston make me reconsider that general rule of mine. Three 30 second spots feature customer service employees at the online answering calls from customers. The best of the three is the latest, "Deep Fryer." This spot features the voice of a real customer service representative for the company. Before reading this on Mullen's site, I felt the ad had a very authentic feeling to it, like a conversation you would actually have with an employee. The ads are funny and heartwarming for this very reason, because people can relate to them. Mullen's got them up on their site with a spot below where you can comment. The agency projects a feeling of truly caring what the audience has to say.

Deutsch

Deutsch New York puts out tons of great traditional advertising, but it was their guerilla campaign for Ikea's grand opening in Brooklyn that truly goes above in beyond in terms of creativity. Faced with the uphill challenge of a.) opening the brand's first store in b.) the world's biggest media market where c.) audiences are truly difficult to impress, Deutsch made magic happen. Staying true to Ikea's tradition of shipping furniture in flat-packed cardboard boxes, they created a model of the Manhattan skyline and the Brooklyn Bridge using cardboard, showing that they totally know their audience at the same time. This genius idea was made even more brilliant by its ability to be parlayed into other media- photos of the magnificent replica were seen on billboards and in print as well. Other guerilla tactics were used in setting up pop-up rooms inside giant cardboard boxes that were seen all over the city. They even launched "guerilla garbage," what seems to be discarded trash on the streets that are actually a medium in and of themselves for they contain copy about the store. This is what true innovation is. Don't be surprised to see other agencies doing similar stuff in the future.

Hill Holliday

One of the many benefits of out of home advertising is that it often gets buzz in the press, which is just more advertising for your dollars. The creative strategy behind the campaign is not to be underestimated though, for it takes a special nontraditional ad to make waves. Hill Holiday's Boston office had the idea of flooding the streets of Beantown, NYC, and Chicago with musicians whose guitar cases were inscribed with the copy, "Sure you want to throw that change in here?" to promote Dunkin Donut's new 99¢ breakfast menu. Both U.S.A Today and the New York Post covered the campaign. Now that's a good deal.

Carmichael Lynch

Being aware that Carmichael Lynch's is most known for their long relationships with Harley Davidson and Porsche, I was surprised by the content of these ads for Progressive. In fact, the tone of these ads is about as far away as you can get from the tough feel of their work for Harley and Porsche. Amusing as they are, the spots were also effective. They center around motorcycle vandalization. Bizarre little elf-like characters swoop down and wreak havoc on motorcycles in the ads. Little did I know, Progressive is the biggest provider or motorcycle insurance. The campaign done by Carmichael Lynch's Minneapolis office spilled into print and digital media as well and a grassroots guerilla campaign even ensued on half a million bikers at Daytona Bike Week.

Lowe

One of Lowe's clients is Omo, a laundry detergent brand. This ad, titled "Domino" from Lowe Lintas is of the sort that makes it difficult for cynics of advertising to make the argument that advertising is a menace on our culture. This is one of those feel good spots that remind you that the world is a great place- no tricks, no put downs aimed at competitors- just people helping out other people. Kinda reminds me of the Liberty Mutual ad. I wonder which came first? Either way, it is beautiful and should be an example to future ad makers.

DraftFCB

DraftFCB won Miller Lite's campaign last year after years of being handled by BBH. The last quarter with BBH saw a 7% fall in sales spot for the brand. DraftFCB's creative strategy was to shift the focus from Miller Lite's "cold refreshment" factor to its taste. Despite the new angle, sales continue to drop off for the brand. However, MillerCoors is sticking to their guns and continuing with the creative and in the mean time, the ads are pretty funny to watch. The spot that mocks eharmony is entertaining, but I especially like the above one from DraftFCB Chicago in which a man is unable to return those three little words to his girlfriend but has no problem saying he'd love another Miller Lite. Hang in there, Miller Lite.

TM Advertising

TM Advertising's guerilla campaign for Superpages.com is a masterpiece of witty, grabbing advertising that manages not to be obnoxious in a medium where doing so is a difficult task to pull off. My personal favorites are this coaster which makes light of a tricky subject- drunk driving; and this car covered in "bird poop" that states, "We know a great car wash around here." TM's TV and print campaigns for Superpages are also attractive, but I particularly like the guerilla and online work. The creative content is based on the ideas of these shared predicaments we can all relate to and the online and guerilla media allow an interaction that enhance the messages. When you see bird poop on someone's car (especially to that degree), you know what it's like to be in that situation and are going to remember the ad next time you're caught in those circumstances. Keep making Dallas proud, TM!

http://www.tm.com/

The Martin Agency

I count myself a fan of the Martin Agency's UPS Whiteboard Campaign. I like the simplicity each one offers. It follows a similar method and aesthetic as the Apple "I'm a Mac, I'm a PC" campaign in my opinion; each ad offers another service/element of UPS, always accompanied with that white background and the same narrator. The Martin Agency is able to pull off this simple and beautiful formula because their client is such an established company. It's a good example of an often complicated service being conveyed simply. They recently renovated their site in congruence with a slu of new spots, now seen with moving graphics.

McCann Erickson

Here's why I like McCann New York's spot for Nature Valley: it's a different approach to presenting the all natural component. The quirky weird feeling reminds me a little of Chiat Day's work for Skittles and Starburst, but less cooky. It was a relief to not see tree-huggers climbing up mountains to stop at the top for a healthy, natural snack. Overall, it's a good use of comedy to present an unlikely product.

Grey

To be honest, there was not much Grey work that blew me away. Grey Jakarta's outdoor ad for Insto Eye Drops does deserve kudos for innovation though. An image of an eyeball was pasted on back car windows so that when the windshield gets dirty it looks as if the eyes need drops and once the windshield wipers cleanse the window it looks as if the eyes are cleared. This out-of-home image is pretty eye-catching (excuse the awful pun). For an agency whose clients seem very Americana- Coca Cola, Smuckers. NFL are all mentioned on site- most of Grey's better work seems to come from out of the U.S.

JWT

They say desperate times call for desperate measures, but this JWT New York advertisement for Jet Blue is anything but desperate. In light of the economic crisis, JWT found an opportunity to make something good out of something bad. Usually when we think of the advertising industry n the aftermath of the economic recession only grim images come to mind, but this bit of comic relief allows us all to have a laugh (at the expense of all the CEO's who are burying their heads). This Jet Blue spot also impresses because it is far from most airline advertising. It's a little kookier and definitely not aimed at arousing emotion like we often see with other airlines.

Y&R

I haven't devoted a word yet to the role that music plays in television advertising. On youtube.com everyone who gives this Bacardi spot a thumbs up mentions the awesome soundtrack, which is "Daylight" by Matt and Kim. Clearly music plays a significant part in the perception of an advertisement. Just today we discussed the phenomenon in my consumer behavior class of the ability of some songs to transcend you. This Bacardi spot, "Eras," courtesy of Young and Rubicam New York achieves that perfect recipe of song and moment. It's such a contemporary song but somehow it goes perfectly with all of the eras dating back to the late 19th century. I also noticed while perusing Y&R's site that they are fans of doing the throwback thing- in addition to this work for Bacardi they celebrated the 25th anniversary of Virgin Atlantic with a nostalgic spot set in the 80's.

Ogilvy

I thought it only fitting that I choose one of Ogilvy's iconic clients for the subject of this post being that the agency is such a heavyweight in the advertising industry. That said, the American Express campaign is one of my all-time favorites. The television work is great- my favorite is the rustic and authentic feel of Robert De Niro's New York- but the print is what really impresses me. Print is probably my favorite medium because I find that it takes a lot for a print ad to stand out and when it really does the result is brilliant. I love the simplicity of Ogilvy New York's magazine campaign for American Express. There is nothing tainted about it. To me, it is so quintessentially Ogilvy because it is pure, unfussy advertising at its best, which is what I think of when I think of the Madison Avenue institution. Beautiful and simple copy combined with artful photographs make a recipe that equals a humane and smart advertisement.

Latin Works

Adweek recently named Latin Works the Multicultural Agency of the Year. No arguments here. I chose this ad not because it is a diamond in the rough, for the spot is quite popular, but because up until seeing this ad on Latin Works' website I mistakenly thought the spot was done by TBWA Chiat Day. I have to pat Latin Works on the back for creating such a quirky, odd advertisement that still works. For an agency that specializes in Hispanic marketing, I was a bit surprised to be honest that they put out an ad that worked across many cultures. The Starbucks campaign took a risk with its kooky characters and slam dunked in more than one market. Plus, I love llamas!

Dieste

Dieste, one of the top Latin agencies stateside, and Dallas habitué, is responsible for this spot titled "Trance" for HBO. This spot was given an award at the 2000 Hispanic Creative Advertising Awards. The ad strikes that often difficult to attain balance of creative excellence and commercial success and wide appeal. It is relatable in its ability to capitalize on a shared cultural truth- that daze we fall into when watching a good program. What makes a program that entrancing though? As the ad states, "It's not TV. It's HBO." What makes this spot great though is brilliant casting and direction with a 180˚spin and shot -reverse- shot camera movement in the last few seconds that reveals the TV set showing a HBO program.



Trance

GSD&M Idea City

GSD&M has done a lot of great work for Southwest Airlines, especially in the television medium. I chose this simple print ad because it gives a good impression of the client as well as the overall work that GSD&M does for them. The reason I love what they produce for the airline is because the work is true to what Southwest stands for; it is a company based on satisfying their customers and giving them the best possible experience. Southwest is one of GSD&M's oldest clients- they've been together 30 years- and it's no reason they haven't broken the partnership. The ad doesn't make you think an airline, but Southwest is not your typical airline. The groovy 70's theme pays homage to San Francisco, the city for which it is advertising while its happy, colorful artwork reminds you that Southwest is a company that puts "luv" first- in trying to bring families together as quickly and efficiently as possible. As the agency indicates, they took "Southwest out of the airline business and put them into the freedom business." And today, Southwest is the largest domestic carrier as well as the most consistently profitable airline in history.

180 Amsterdam

Above is 180 Amsterdam's "Set your Fingers Free" ad for HTC'c touch phone. This ad comes courtesy of 180 Amsterdam's Netherlands office. One of the surprising benefits of the ad is that you don't see the actual product- or know what the ad is for- until the very end. The simple music that accompanies the spot is part of its whimsical allure. The simple message, "set your fingers free" is another part of what makes the ad great; it doesn't spurt out a list of its features like most cell phone advertisements.

Goodby

I appreciate Goodby's Hyundai "Clocks" spot because it's not another long, open, winding road car advertisement. The concept of using hundreds of clocks to highlight the car's ability to keep out sound is a creative way to show off the product's features as well as making the ad aesthetically interesting. I also like that it doesn't commend the product for cliché attributes, rather chooses to emphasize a more distinctive feature. The idea behind Goodby San Francisco's Think About It campaign for Hyundai is to get consumers to get away from brand prejudice and to focus on automobile properties.

TBWA Paris: Absolut Cut

This campaign is entitled "Absolut Gay." Probably a little too risqué- to use an obvious French reference- for American audiences, this ad steps out from what we usually see of Absolut: minimal print ads. The copy at the end which says, "Cut the Crap," likens the crap you hear in the ad where a gay man talks of his love life to his mother, to the product, which is a blend of Absolut vodka, soda water, and natural citrus. Just as one gets the analogy in the classic Absolut ads, one gets the same analogy here. This ad still manages to be simple and witty, staying true to the brand's winning formula, in the television medium. Best of all, Absolut has protected its character, ventured out into enough of a new direction, and introduced a new product. This is hard stuff to pull off, but what else do you expect from the brand and agency that brought you the most successful campaign of all time?

BBDO Mexico: A New Side of Pepsi

I like BBDO Mexico's work for Pepsi because not only is it a good spot, but it is also refreshing to see a Pepsi ad without reference to Coke. This ad makes you feel good- perhaps something Pepsi learned from Coke. It's about the journey of life. The only thing I could do without is the last shot of the baby about to breast feed, a little creepy.

Marmite- even if you hate the product, you'll love the ads

It's always interesting when an agency can make a beautiful ad out of something many people have an aversion to. This is the case with DDB's campaign for Marmite. DDB London made the brave choice of taking over this brand's advertising when the company's sales were dwindling as consumers regarded the 103 year old product as old. While they made the strategic decision with Unilever to update the container by making it a squeezable plastic bottle, a change from its classic glass jar, they decided to capitalize rather than deny the truth that their product is something people either adore or despise. My favorite of this campaign are the print ads- they are simple but convey something that the audience "gets" and everyone can relate to. Thanks to the excellent campaign, sales growth was in the double digits.