Hasta La Creative!

If you’ve arrived at this ad without having seen Ogilvy’s previous work for Thai Life Insurance, take a minute or two to get familiar—here and here. Oh, and grab some tissues first, you old softie.

OK, now that we’re up to speed, here’s the latest spot from the wizards of weeping, the sultans of sobbing, the ballers of bawling. 

In the perfect short-film-style vignette, we follow the life of our unlikely hero, Pornchai Sukyod: a husky schoolboy with unusual superhero aspirations. Despite its three-and-a-half-minute run time, it’s a flawlessly shot and edited spot that presents a concise, poignant narrative—with a reveal that feels nothing at all like an insurance commercial.

One day, all the world’s persistent infrastructure problems will be obsolete, says Cisco. Indeed, you’ll only be able to see them in museums.

That’s the theme of “Building Tomorrow Today,” a new Cisco campaign by Goodby, Silverstein & Partners that begins today with “The Last Traffic Jam,” a striking 30-second spot that shows a traffic jam—now a remnant of the past—as an art piece in a gallery.

Future ads will depict other “last” scenarios, including the last long checkout line and the last product recall, as frozen moments from the past that are now displayed in an art gallery.

GSP creative directors Justin Moore and Nick Klinkert spoke to AdFreak about the “The Last Traffic Jam”:

AdFreak: This is a clever idea. How did you arrive at this concept of a Museum of Lasts?
Moore: “People talk a lot about ‘firsts’ in tech. So we loved the idea that ‘lasts’ can represent a more interesting view of the future—a way of showing how the Internet of everything can have a real, positive impact on people’s lives. After we got to the idea of ‘lasts,’ the museum concept felt like a pretty short leap.”

Klinkert: “Research found that business and technology leaders feel more and more responsibility to solve exceedingly complex problems in the world, with the help of technology. The ultimate goal is to confine these problems that affect us all to the past. The team quite quickly became interested in a place where all these problems could live—’the museum of lasts.’ “

Where did you film this, and what were the production challenges?
Klinkert: “We shot these in Zaragoza, Spain. They built these massive, beautiful buildings for the water expo in 2008, and they gave us the scale and the look that we were after. The ‘art installations’ are actually real people standing very still (and treated in post) to replicate hyperrealistic statues of people.”

Can you tell me about the visual look?
Moore: We wanted to make the point that technology is ultimately about people. So we spent a lot of time looking at the work of artists like Ron Mueck and researching how modern museums create exhibitions.

Klinkert: Visually, we were interested and inspired by the amazing, hyperreal sculptures of Sam Jinks and Ron Mueck, and the way large-scale installations in museums work these days. A lot of them have an interactive component to them, a lot of them are playing with relative size, and they are very fascinating to look at.

Did you storyboard exactly how the tableaux would look, almost like doing little paintings?
Klinkert: We had a pretty clear idea of how it would look at first, but a lot of exploration went into the final execution of it. The traffic jam is obviously a universal problem that affects a lot of people. We wanted to illustrate the frustration, impatience and the boredom of the people in the traffic jam. We toyed around with a lot of other ideas, but at the end of the day we wanted it to look as if an artist picked up a chunk of congested freeway in a major metropolitan city and put it in an elegant museum space.

Why the British voiceover?
Moore: We’re just looking for something fresh and interesting. We tried lots of voices. But something about the English accent seemed to suit the cadence of the words.

How does this evolve the Cisco campaign from last year’s work?
Moore: Strategically, we’ve got a sharper point of view on what Cisco’s vision is for the future, and how it relates to what they’re doing right now. Creatively, the campaign’s just getting better and better.

Klinkert: It’s really a creative expression of what they are doing right now, Cisco is helping to make the Internet of everything possible. And with that, hopefully we can see the last traffic jam or the last product recall in the not-too distant future.

Of all of the holidays that are made up, National Cheese Pizza Day (Sept. 5) remains one of my favorites. Today just so happens to be National Kiss a Ginger Day—meaning, you should kiss a person with red hair, not the spice in your cupboard.

Well, sandwich chain Jimmy John’s took the opportunity to tweet a fellow fast-food restaurant and famous ginger, Wendy’s. The latter’s response was pretty fun, too, and fans are going wild for it.

A+ for use of emoji and keeping things light and fun.

@jimmyjohns This is moving too fast. We’re starting to freak. #KissAGingerDay

— Wendy’s (@Wendys) January 12, 2015

Now, as you can see below, it could be Chester Cheetah’s turn to make his move.

Today is #KissAGingerDay. Ladies, you know where to find me. pic.twitter.com/YWUAVQ4VGL

— Chester Cheetah (@ChesterCheetah) January 12, 2015

Kwikset, the keyless entry and re-keying company, unlocks the humor of home invasions in these amusing, mildly edgy tales of suburban paranoia to promote its SmartKey technology.

The ads, running exclusively on YouTube, posit a support group for people who can no longer invade the house of a woman named Amy because she has installed Kwikset locks. “I just can’t move past it,” a middle-aged music teacher despairs. “I’ve never laid my hands on a better piano.” Others in therapy entered Amy’s home uninvited to try on (and steal) her clothes, splash around in her hot tub and enjoy her home-theater system. Once, when Amy was away for a week, they threw a wild party at the house, and some dude secretly lived in the guest bathroom to avoid paying rent.

“It’s easier to give an acquaintance a key than it is to ask for it back when the two of you lose touch,” says Nick Lange, creative director of Nurture Digital, which created the campaign. “We’re targeting homeowners who know their spare keys are in circulation, but who can’t quite justify the hassle and expense of hiring a locksmith to change their lock.”

While using the same fear-response mechanism that drives those disturbing commercials for home-safety systems and related security services, Kwikset suggests the threat in cheeky fashion instead of trying to scare the crap out of us. The comedy—directed in classic sitcom fashion by Shawn Wines—allows the viewer to evaluate the product’s potential without feeling unduly manipulated. “We felt that humor was a way to make the message of these ads fresh,” says Lange. “It’s a fine line when your whole campaign is about breaking and entering.”

Could some folks object to the campaign’s tone (making light of serious crime), or its other un-PC elements, like an elderly neighbor who keeps showing up at Amy’s because she’s forgotten where she really lives?

“The fact that these pieces take risks that might rub some viewers the wrong way was a serious concern,” says Lange. “When viewers look carefully, though, they’ll see that the stereotypes being referenced here are ultimately turned on their heads. The older woman who sometimes forgets which house is hers is revealed to be a master lock-picker who knows exactly what she wants—her neighbor’s hot tub.”

“A lot of our favorite comedy pushes viewers a little outside their comfort zone,” he adds, “and we felt that doing the same would make these ads most worth our audience’s time.”

Ikea’s list of 2014 advertising triumphs is endless: the horny chairs for Valentine’s Day; the awesome RGB billboard; the whirling-kitchen ad; the ethereal ode to sleep for Ikea beds; the climbing-wall billboard; the hilarious pitch of catalog as tech device. Almost no marketer had a better year.

Now, Mother London gets the brand off and running for 2015 with the remarkable spot below, in which a flock of itinerant T-shirts are seen flying around the world before finally finding a home.

It was directed by Blink’s Dougal Wilson—who actually made two of Adweek’s 10 best ads of 2014 (Lurpak’s “Adventure Awaits” and John Lewis’s “Monty the Penguin”). The spot also features some great puppeteering work by Blinkink directors Jonny & Will.

Hopefully it’s just the beginning of another strong year for Ikea. Full credits below.

CREDITS
Client: Ikea
Agency: Mother, London
Director: Dougal Wilson
Production Company: Blink
Puppeteering: Jonny & Will, Blinkink
Editor: Joe Guest, Final Cut
Postproduction: MPC

There’s nothing in the Doritos “Crash the Super Bowl” rules that says the consumer-made ads have to be good. But they do—according to the judging criteria—have to be original.

One of the 10 finalists unveiled today may have a bit of a problem in that department. That’s because the plot of Jason Johnson’s “Trouble in the Back Seat” is very similar to that of “Drama Queen,” a well-known ad from director Rogier Hesp (produced by TWBA/PHS Helsinki) that won the Young Director Award at Cannes in 2010.

In both ads, after parents get pulled over by the police, kids in the backseat hold up “Help!” signs, pretending they’ve been kidnapped. (In the Doritos ad, a brother and sister are mad at Dad for not handing over his chips. In Hesp’s spot, which advertised the Young Director Award itself, the girl in the backseat is simply “Born to create drama.”)

Adweek wrote about the “Drama Queen” ad when it was made, as did many of the ad blogs. The YouTube version has 4.5 million views. It’s not obscure.

See both ads below.

According to the “Crash the Super Bowl” rules, “originality and creativity” are supposed to count for 40 percent of the judging score. (“Adherence to the creative assignment” counts for 30 percent, and “Overall appeal to the general public as a Doritos Super Bowl ad” counts for 30 percent.) Doritos picked the 10 finalists, meaning the brand either didn’t know how similar “Trouble in the Back Seat” is to “Drama Queen”—or didn’t care.

It might be a coincidence. Johnson talks about his inspiration for the ad in the video below, and certainly doesn’t mention an industry-targeted Finnish spot from five years ago:

Still, it could be awkward for Doritos if one of its in-game spots is deemed to be a rip-off by ad people. And that could happen. Doritos will air two of the 10 finalists on the Super Bowl. The brand will pick one, but the other—the grand-prize winner—is meant to be selected by public vote.

2014 was a busy year for logo redesigns, but who actually improved on their old marks?

PM Digital put together the infographic below showing 11 major logo revamps from 2014. For each one, PM says whether it loved the new design, liked it, or would have preferred the old one be left alone. There are some oddities here: PM likes the new Olive Garden logo, which was widely panned, and doesn’t like the new Netflix logo, which we felt was a nice evolution.

What did you think of each redesign?

Below the chart, check out some analysis from Roy DeYoung, svp of creative strategy at PM Digital, about each mark.

Roy DeYoung, svp of creative strategy at PM Digital, analyzes each new logo:

Airbnb
Airbnb made waves with its logo redesign. Whether or not Airbnb intentionally created a provocative and somewhat sexual image, the flat redesign did accomplish the challenge to communicate the brand’s overhauled messaging and positioning. The company named this new symbol Bélo to indicate a sense of belonging and connectivity. Airbnb no longer thinks of itself as a simple home exchange provider, but a global connector. Bélo aside, the company also cleaned up and contemporized the wordmark. We’ll have to wait and see if this redesign becomes as iconic and universally recognized as Airbnb is hoping.

Pizza Hut
This year Pizza Hut overhauled its menu and needed an updated logo to support the change. To capture a millennial and mobile-focused audience’s attention, and communicate its new, slew of customized menu options, Pizza Hut de-cluttered and introduced a flat logo reminiscent of a blank pizza pie covered in sauce, and awaiting customers’ personalized choices. While this is definitely a radical change, the restaurant chain still managed to incorporate their iconic slanted roof symbol.

Hershey
It’s difficult to look at the new Hershey logo objectively as there is a significant heritage associated with its brand emblem. However, from a pure design standpoint, the new logo is far superior as it is cleaner, easier to decipher the hierarchy and will likely pop across a variety of devices and environments. In introducing a new logo, the brand also quietly dropped the ‘S, and essentially diluted ownership through this slight name change. Although, because of the historical connotations, it’s likely that people will continue to refer to the brand as Hershey’s rather than Hershey despite the new logo.

MLS
Coming off the heels of the World Cup, and the soccer frenzy it inspired in the United States, Major League Soccer needed to make a smart branding move to maintain interest and capitalize on the momentum of the global tournament. Their previous and outdated youth soccer patch-like logo was desperate for a more relevant overhaul. By introducing a crest as the face of the league, MLS is not only signifying that it’s ready for a new era of American soccer, but it’s also playing homage and leveraging the historical equity of the sport’s European roots. With this redesign, it took a complex, unclear illustration and added more visual integrity to the organization. Additionally, the crest will reproduce well across a range of environments, from flags at matches to mobile applications.

Foursquare
Foursquare completely changed the direction of its brand this year, and this logo redesign aptly communicates its new story. Now that Foursquare has siphoned its signature check-in feature to another app, the company is focused on serving customized local reviews and suggestions. The new logo is highly reminiscent of a pin you would place on a map signifying the company’s authority in location targeting. The brand has also graduated from its previous rounded, multicolored and playful typeface into a clear and commanding wordmark.

Southwest
As far as the typography goes, the wordmark treatment is a nice evolution, eliminating the dated convention of all-caps. While I think Southwest needs to move away from the oversized jet, the inclusion of the heart is puzzling. The brand is clearly trying to indicate a position of customer first, but it doesn’t align with the brand. Southwest has carved out its niche in the industry by putting price first—and the strategy seemingly works for the airline. Travelers choose Southwest to get the best price, not necessarily the best flying experience. The updated logo deviates from the essence of the brand.

Reebok
Reebok’s logo redesign offers a slight, yet contemporary, clean-up of the typographic treatment of its brand name. While the font evolution is positive, the symbol within the new logo is challenging. Although the previous logo shared undertones of Reebok’s competitors (Adidas and Nike), the new logo also does not feel completely original. The red triangle is reminiscent of both Citgo and Mitsubishi and will likely fail to achieve an instantly recognizable and differentiating status. Although introducing a color into the logo was a strong choice, this logo feels like a cop-out, or at least an unfinished product.

Netflix
Netflix’s logo update managed to fly under the radar because the changes were fairly minimal, which doesn’t necessarily constitute diminishment. Netflix must have decided it was time to clean up as this update, and the elimination of the drop shadow, has introduced a logo that is tidy and unblemished. Yes, the drop shadow might be dated from a design perspective, but it gave Netflix’s previous logo a hint of nostalgia for the vintage, back-lit cinema marquees. In following the design trends of today, Netflix has forgone the subtle homage to classic Hollywood movies to usher in a new brand era.

Olive Garden
Olive Garden’s logo update was a long-needed move. The predecessor to this update was not really a logo, it was a sign. Now with the shift to a logo, Olive Garden can confidently deploy its brand emblem across a range of environments and screen sizes. Olive Garden also implemented subtle repositioning through switching out Italian Restaurant in favor of Italian Kitchen under the brand name. This update showcases cleaner lines and more balance, which will help make an impact within digital promotions.

Black + Decker
Like everyone else this year, Black + Decker went flat. The previous Black + Decker logo was iconic and ingrained within the mind of consumers across every generation. The updated logo is straightforward and painstakingly clean. Additionally, the company also switched out the “&” in favor of the more timely “+” sign. Black + Decker is completely on top of the design trends of 2014, but in favor of gaining a trendier status symbol, it may have ceded some emotional connectivity that identified the brand to so many consumers.

PayPal
To mark the dissolution of its longtime marriage to Ebay, PayPal introduced a logo overhaul fit to usher the brand into this new era. The eye-catching overlaid Ps express motion and, subliminally, transaction. However, the redesign feels incomplete due to inconsistencies within the typography (kerning between the letters is slightly off). While this is a good step in the right direction, PayPal should reconsider another round of touch-ups to finish the job.

Three elderly couples recount the happiest moments of their lives in this sweet slice of branded content from British insurance company Beagle Street.

The four-minute film, directed by Gary Tarn, features interviews with Maurice and Helen Kaye, each over 100, who have been married for 80 years; Doug and Betty Hale, married for 73 years; and William and Maureen Norman, wed for 60 years.

The stories they tell aren’t especially earth-shattering, yet each tale is special and poignant in its way. The couples recall first meetings, wedding days and the births of their children. Recollections of a hospital visit to a wounded spouse during World War II, and the arrival of a dazzling engagement ring years after the nuptials, might have you reaching for the Kleenex.

Matthew Gledhill, Beagle Street’s managing director, says “Happiest Moment” was made to encourage the younger generation to “worry less and live in the moment with the people you care about most.” What’s more, he says, “the film and our research clearly show that happiness is linked much more heavily to relationships, friends and family than societal or monetary status.”

The video accompanies a survey of 1,000 Brits over 70 years of age. More than 12 percent said their happiest moment in life was the birth of their first child (suck it, younger siblings!), followed by their wedding day (11.5 percent) and the birth of their grandchildren (10 percent). For the record, the birth of other kids placed fourth at 8.5 percent.

Not taking loved ones for granted and believing in yourself were the top pieces of advice they had for living a happier life. Choosing the wrong career was the biggest regret. (As a journalist and blogger, I’ve got nothing to worry about. Right?)

Sure, the survey’s hardly scientific, and some might object to the film’s predictably treacly tone. Still, Beagle Street’s approach is compelling, and provides a refreshing change of pace. Older people are often the punch lines of jokes in commercials. It’s high time marketers (and all of us) respected their life experience and paid attention to what they have to say.

Via Hello You Creatives.

We haven’t heard much from Snuggie, the blanket with sleeves, in years. But no, they haven’t gone out of business. Quite the opposite. They’ve been working on some stunning new designs and even cozier fabrics—and they’re making a big, comfy marketing push this holiday.

Looking for a blanket that looks like a tuxedo or an evening gown? You’re in luck! Are you an elderly person who wants to see people’s faces when you dress up in a board-shorts or bikini blanket? You jokester—they’ve got that, too!

With a new belt and fitted cuffs, the Snuggie has never been better. And the ads are as campy as ever—though they may never do anything as wretched as these old holiday spots.

If you see this suburban family at your local Kmart, you’d better get out of their way.

Mom just got an email confirming their online holiday order is ready, thanks to Kmart’s free in-store pickup service. Now, nothing’s going to stop them from busting mad-ass moves as they strut across the parking lot and through the automatic doors to collect their discount merchandise.

The spot, by FCB Chicago, really shouldn’t work as well as it does. I expected it to fall flat, but it didn’t. Once the beat kicks in, the frenetic pace never lets up. The overblown earnestness of the actors—conveyed mainly through popping and locking, or something, and pouty hip-hop poses—is infectious (and a little bit frightening).

Mom’s frenzied hair flips and hyperactive hips reach a Miley Cyrus level of insanity. Dad’s all about the cool hand-jive. (Pump it, Pops!) And that baby, rocking those shades, looks—as one YouTube commenter succinctly puts it—”fly as hell.” At last, a tyke capable of taking out this little monster in a rattle battle.

Clothes, housewares, rotating disco-ball light—it really doesn’t matter what they bought. Let the ominous thump of DJ Milad’s “Just Got a Check” serve as a warning: There’s gonna be manically choreographed, bass-heavy bopping in the aisles, bitches!