So, it’s been a while. In the time since you’ve last heard from me, I’ve moved to New York, begun work at an agency as a junior account planner, and am getting used to the as yet unknown phenomenon that is “real life.” To honor this transition, and to make up for what I’ve missed, I’ve posted my top 5 favorite ads/campaigns/general awesomeness that is advertising from my absence. Trust me, it’s entertaining. Enjoy!
1. The Man You Man Can YouTube.
Old Spice’s social media campaign, a spinoff of the famous ads “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like,” features manly man Isaiah Mustafa recording hundreds of video responses to comments Tweeted/Reddit-ed/Facebook-ed, and generally noticed. Watching these has taken up most of my free time during the past week. Below, I’ve posted 3 of my favorites – Reddit’s voice mail, a marriage proposal, and Mustafa’s oh-so-sad farewell (Goodbye, ladies!). Revel in the abs of manliness. I’m pretty sure I’m in love.
2. Another entry in the ongoing “Fun Theory” campaign by Volkswagen features a slide built next to stairs and escalators in a subway station that calls it self the “fast lane.” This further goes to show the lighthearted nature of the Volkswagen brand; however, I have to wonder if it’s helping to increase awareness, loyalty, or sales of the brand.
3. Pepsi is revisiting their old classic campaigns, but with a modern-day, TBWA Chiat/Day twist. The original of the spot below was created by BBDO in the 1980′s and features truck drivers for Pepsi and Coke who decide to switch drinks in the name of friendship. Does it work out for them? Check it out below.
4. A really awesome campaign by Honda in London features a completely crowdsourced short film. In the name of advertainment, more and more advertisers are turning to these mini-films in order to compete in a niche that isn’t the clutter-filed TV spot market. That said, this film, airing online in New York, London, and Berlin on July 21, gives 12 people the chance to have an “open road and an unlimited tank of gas.” What do they do with these opportunities? The trailer below gives a teaser of the documentary.
5. In a wonderful permutation of their white-background, generic product-demo ads, Apple has created an emotional tie to their recently launched iPhone 4. The campaign focuses on the phone’s ability for face-to-face calling, and this ad demonstrates the effectiveness, and potential for emotional impact, the phone that “changes everything, again” has.
See you soon!
