Serena Williams Looks Toward the Future in Her First Full Lincoln Ad

Earlier this month, Lincoln named Serena Williams as its new celebrity ambassador and announced that she would star in a new campaign for the 2018 Lincoln Navigator. Following a brief teaser introducing her new partnership with the brand, Williams unveiled the spot on Twitter yesterday. Entitled “Build Your Legacy,” the 60-second anthem ad documents Williams’…

Don’t Look Now, but Brim Is Back, Just Not as the Decaf Coffee It Was in the 1970s

If you’re a coffee drinker of a certain age, chances are you remember a long-running series of TV spots for Brim. The settings varied, but the plot was always the same: An all-American, coffee-loving consumer ruefully informs his cohort that while he’d love a big cup of Joe, he can only take half a cup…

As Many Companies Distance Themselves From the NRA, Is This a Watershed Moment for Branding?

Major brands have been distancing themselves from the National Rifle Association following the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla. on Feb. 14. In the last week, shooting survivors and gun control advocates have encouraged airlines like Delta and United, car rental companies like Avis, National and Enterprise, insurance companies like MetLife…

Evan Rachel Wood Plays a Dark, #MeToo-Inspired Game of Guess Who? in This Poignant PSA

Funny or Die released a poignant PSA today in partnership with nonprofit Rise, tackling the #MeToo movement. The PSA takes a somewhat dark approach by using the popular board game Guess Who? to address the pervasiveness of sexual assault not only in Hollywood, but across the country. In typical Funny or Die fashion, the PSA…

This Nostalgic Ad Looks Ahead to Humans Flying Around Earth in Capsules at 700 MPH

How do you advertise space-age transportation technology that doesn’t exist yet? By taking a long, nostalgic look at what came before it. That’s the approach taken by Micky Coyne and Pete Harvey–two independent creatives who’ve been working directly with Hyperloop Transportation Technologies and its CMO, Robert Miller–in an evocative, beautifully shot 1:20 spot rolling out…

Inside Shaving Brand Harry’s Cosmic Take on What It Means to Be a Man

No stranger to quirky long-form video, the shaving subscription service Harry’s partnered with The Representation Project, which fights gender stereotypes, for a three-minute film that mixes humor and high emotion to spark conversation around issues of masculinity in our increasingly woke, #MeToo world. Launched on Monday, “A Man Like You” is getting lots of attention,…

Gap Wins Widespread Praise for Breastfeeding Ad That’s an Instant Classic

It’s not easy to do a breastfeeding ad. Lots of brands have tried, but so many of their efforts have been met with mixed reactions as they tackle a loaded topic that still manages to offend so many. Which is why this Gap ad, posted over the weekend to the brand’s Instagram, promoting a new…

FCC Chairman Defends Net Neutrality Decision

BARCELONA–On Monday, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai defended his decision to end net neutrality in the United States, claiming the regulation is needed to build out the nation’s next-generation wireless infrastructure. On the first day of the Mobile World Congress technology trade show, Pai said rolling back Obama-era rules that could let telecom companies…

Apple Celebrates Marriage Equality in Australia With Lovely ‘First Dance’ Ads

Australia reached a milestone moment in December, when the nation’s parliament overwhelmingly approved marriage equality after years of resistance from conservatives. It’s an issue that has galvanized brands–notably Airbnb, whose Acceptance Ring project last year, by Clemenger BBDO Melbourne, was a creative high point. Now, to celebrate the breakthrough, Apple has released a set of…

Johnnie Walker’s Transformative ‘Jane Walker’ Campaign Will Support Gender Equality

The “striding man” is now a striding woman–and she plans to make her voice heard this year. Beverage giant Diageo’s Johnnie Walker brand has flipped the gender of its iconic mascot after more than 100 years in tribute to women around the world. It grows more relevant by the day with conversations about gender equality…

Live Nation Wants to Be the Only Resource Brands Need to Reach Millennials, Gen Z

When you think of Live Nation, you might think of a ticket sales company that helps music fans find out when their favorite artists are playing at their preferred venues–but the brand wants you to know that it does more than just sell tickets. Last year, Live Nation moved over 530 million tickets, and with…

A Giant Termite Tries Stand-up Comedy in Orkin Ads, but Hilarity Does Not Ensue

Wanna watch a bug bomb? We thought Orkin had long ago exterminated the human-size talking insects that infested its commercials. After all, the animatronic oddities haven’t appeared in ads since 2012. Well, at least one titanic termite survived, and he’s worked up a comedy act in a new digital campaign from The Richards Group. Hitting…

Inside McDonald’s New ‘Serial’-Style Podcast Telling Its Side of the Szechuan Sauce Story

Rick and Morty fans can rejoice. Szechuan sauce is returning to McDonald’s. Starting today, over 20 million packets will be available at McDonald’s restaurants across the country. Last week, the company released a three-episode podcast called The Sauce that details what went wrong in October when the fast-food behemoth tried to bring back the beloved…

How Would a Robot Process the Trauma of War? This Powerful Ad Shows Us

How would a robot deal with war? It’s a reductive question, given that using robots in a military contexts begs a far more serious one: How will we deal with the effects of robotics in warfare? But charity organization War Child U.K. uses a childlike approach in “Escape Robot” to great effect. Created by agency…

Michelob Ultra Continues Its Commitment to Health and Wellness With New Premium Organic Brew

Michelob Ultra is going organic. The Anheuser-Busch brand has unveiled a new premium brew, Michelob Ultra Pure Gold, which is made from organic grains. It is 85 calories and has 2.5 carbs, according to the company. “Since the brand was founded in 2002, we’ve been committed to innovation,” said Azania Andrews, vice president, Michelob Ultra….

Former Olympians to Air Regional PSA During Closing Ceremonies Urging Athletes to Give Up Milk

Milk Life, a campaign from the MilkPEP board (which is funded by U.S. milk companies), made its Olympic debut in the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio. Ahead of the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games, the board said the campaign would make a splash again–securing a partnership with the U.S. Olympic Committee to produce content around…

New Agency Consultancy Promises to Feature Real Moms in Ads

Mom is non-threatening. She wears a cardigan, she’s rarely seen outside the home and she adores her family. She’s not a unique individual with her own will and wishes at all–just a prim, proper, wholesome mother. We’ve all seen that narrative portrayed in 1950s-era consumer products ads from the likes of Tide, Coca-Cola and, of…

This Search Consultancy Is Helping Innovators Like Microsoft Stay Ahead of the Game

You may wonder, how is it that innovative brands like Microsoft, Netflix, HBO and GE stay ahead of the competition? A lot surely goes into answering that question, but search consultancy VentureFuel claims to be a small sliver in the pie. Launched four years ago, VentureFuel actively vets hundreds of global startups daily and then…

Comcast Spliced Footage of Jessie Diggins’ Historic Gold Medal Win Into Its Epic Same-Day Olympics Spot

Jessie Diggins made history in Pyeongchang earlier this week when she, along with team sprint freestyle partner Kikkan Randall, won the first Olympic gold medal for the U.S. in cross-country skiing. Diggins’ come-from-behind win inspired some truly epic announcing and also led to her selection as the U.S. flag bearer for Sunday’s closing ceremony. Fans…

KFC Responds to U.K. Chicken Shortage Scandal With a Timely ‘FCK, We’re Sorry’

KFC went through a highly publicized, somewhat bizarre crisis in the U.K. this week: The fast food joint known for its fried chicken ran out of chicken. Now, KFC is apologizing with a creative stunt: rearranging its name to spell “FCK.” The shortage stemmed from “operational issues” with new delivery provider DHL, forcing most of…