Hasta La Creative!

Every weekday, we bring you the Ad Age/iSpot Hot Spots, new and trending TV commercials tracked by iSpot.tv, a company that catalogs, tags and measures activity around TV ads in real time. The New Releases here ran on TV for the first time yesterday. The Most Engaging ads are showing sustained social heat, ranked by SpotShare scores reflecting the percent of digital activity associated with each one over the past week. See the methodology here.

Among the new releases, Luvs moms know they can’t sneak a nap in, no matter how great Luvs diapers are. All Nippon Airlines embraces a philosophy of “omotenashi,” anticipating your needs before you know what they are. (Could they confiscate that tuna sandwich from the person seated beside you on an 8-hour flight? That would truly be omotenashi.) And Denny’s introduces its Sriracha Spicy Super Chick’n sandwich, a hot-sauce-laden entree that fortunately comes with a neutralizing Swiss cheese layer.

As always, you can find out more about the best commercials on TV at Ad Age’s Creativity.

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Who knew Grey’s global CEO Jim Heekin could be comedy gold?

Well, none other than his creative partner, Tor Myhren, who, when not making ads for DirecTV, Febreze and Gillette, spoofs pops stars and their videos.

First came “Nothing Compares to 2,” Myhren’s Sinead O’Connor-like plea to get all of Grey’s creatives on the second floor. Then he and friends dressed like Hall & Oates to skewer nasty anonymous comments on blogs with “Agency Spies.” Now, the Weird Al of chief creative officers has channeled Abba to comically celebrate Heekin’s 10th anniversary at Grey.

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Set to the tune of the ridiculously infectious “Fernando,” the video includes digs about everything from his boss’ baldness and “hairy hands” to his gold bracelets and bicep curls. There’s even a jag about Adweek—a nod to positive press that’s delivered with a twist.

“Jim Heekin” is Myhren’s biggest production to date, with costume changes, backup dancers and even a singing partner, Ivy Mitchell, who in her day job works for Suresh Nair, Grey’s strategic planning chief. Oh, and as in “Agency Spies,” the normally bald Myhren dons another shoulder-length fright wig, this time to ape the hirsuit guys in Abba.

Keep ’em coming, Tor, and thanks for the laughs.

Austin-based, Omnicom-owned GSD&M has lent its services for Richardson, TX-based heating, ventilation and air conditioning parts brand Lennox with a spot that relies on a bit of projection mapping wizardry to show off home efficiency. The latest effort continues in GSD&M’s trend of computer-animated work for the brand, which also includes the quietness-promoting, dragon-infused spot below and in turn marks a 21-year working relationship between the two parties. Both efforts are part of a the #lennoxartproject, which promotes street artists who played a vital role in the ad campaign.

In an effort which marks the agency’s first work for the brand since winning the account last year, Ogilvy & Mather New York created a drinkable billboard and television commercial for Coke Zero as part of the brand’s sponsorship of the NCAA Men’s Final Four this weekend.

The billboard in question is a 23,000-pound structure at White River State Park in Indianapolis, where the Final Four games are taking place. Coke Zero flows from a giant bottle, through a straw spelling out the words “Taste It” and then travels to a sampling area complete with six fountain spouts where visitors can grab themselves some refreshment. It’s not the first drinkable billboard or the most useful, but it’s certainly an attention-grabbing stunt.

The “drinkable commercial,” meanwhile, offers slightly more delayed gratification. “This is a drinkable commercial,” the voiceover announces, before prompting viewers to “Shazam now to drink it.” Viewers who use the app can then receive a coupon for a free 20-ounce bottle of Coke Zero by first watching a Shazam ad of the beverage slowly filling up a glass.

We’re told Ogilvy New York is in full-on celebration mode, holding a special meeting in honor of the campaign’s launch.

America’s Jews and Christians are undoubtedly looking forward to one thing as they celebrate Passover and Easter this weekend: the first TV ads of the 2016 presidential race!

Thankfully, Republican Senator Ted Cruz of Texas — the first candidate to officially throw his hat in the ring — has answered their prayers. According to Politico:

The Texas senator is purchasing a small amount of airtime on television affiliates in the early states of Iowa, South Carolina, New Hampshire, and Nevada on Easter Sunday, according to ad tracking sources. At least some of the advertising will air during a showing of the NBC program “AD: The Bible Continues.”

Continue reading at AdAge.com

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