Rio Carioca Beer – Grumpy old man / #Losers (2019) 3×10 (Brazil)

 

A grumpy old man hates de Rio Carioca Beer ads and find them a bunch of losers.

 

“These Rio Carioca Beer ads, love to mock everybody. That’s why they don’t sell anything, or have money to appear on TV. LOSERS!”

“Rio Carioca Beer ads never shoed a woman in a bikini!”

The grumpy old man insists: “I’m not being funny about these Rio Carioca Beer ads. My son likes them. He’s a loser too.”

Campaign: #losers

Brand: Rio Carioca Beer

Agency: 11:21

Criative Director: Gustavo Bastos

Copywriter: Gustavo Bastos

Account Manager: Diego Crisostomo

Media Manager: Rodrigo Sani

Production Company: Movie Machine

Director: Bruno Miguel

Approved by: Luiz Eduardo Vieira

Billfold – cashless payments that doubles as ad space (for your venues drinks etc)

Someone realized that absolute pain it is to drag a wallet out every time you hit the bar at various clubs and concerts. Introducing Billfold, which wanst to be the solution.

We all know how it works by now, we stand in line forever. Either we’re standing in line to buy drink tickets, and then standing in another line to get the actual drink (argh), or we are fumbling with cash and wallets in crowded spaces where we’d rather not be.

 

Billfold, an RFID point-of-sale for high-volume service, (that’s nerdy speak for “cashless payment system”) is designed specifically to help facilitate the speed with which the line goes, by making all transactions faster. 

Not only that, the display doubles as POS ad space, the screen which the customer sees can show drink specials, for example, and increase sales on specific items. 

At over 400 events, Billfold has boosted patron spending up to 67%.

Billfold is the product of two veteran operators, Stas Chijik and Benjamin Roshia, who specialized in large-scale events in New York City. Stas and Ben are best known for launching the food and beverage operations at the 85,000 sq. ft. mega venue, The Brooklyn Mirage / Avant Gardner. After years of successful events and a constant drive for efficiency, they tackled the final pain point in their bottom line: the glacial speed of transactions and the resulting customer wait times.

“We’ve catered and operated events since 2008, and our area of expertise is high-volume beverage service. In 2012, we began specializing in warehouse parties and became partners in high production value events that took New York by storm, growing rapidly from 1,000 to 10,000 attendees per event,” says Stas. “We saw that payments were taking up too much time and affecting sales.” A traditional point-of-sale (known as POS) takes bartenders at least a minute to run a card and get a signature, and that’s after the patrons have already held up the line, fumbling through their wallet or purse. 

Unlike similar RFID systems, which require you to ‘put’ a specific amount on your RFID wristband and top that sum up as you go along spending during the night, this system doesn’t make you wait in two lines. The specific problem – one line for drink tickets, and one line for drinks – was the issue that needed solving so that party-goes could get down to business and party. Billfold creates a secure connection to a patron’s credit or debit card at a self-serve kiosk or online, which takes about 30 seconds. From then on, it’s head to the bar, order and pay in a matter of seconds, and off to the dance floor. “We needed it to be seamless and intuitive,” says Ben. “So we created a system that’s easy to learn for attendees and staff. The system can generally be set up with less than a week’s notice, it works with existing inventory software, and it’s priced to fit venue budgets, something most RFID systems can’t provide. It works for all aspects of an event, from food vendors to coat check and merch.” 

But that’s not all, you get quick interaction, faster drink sales without the hassle of card-swiping or screen signatures – and data too.

 

Billfold gives operators, event organizers, and sponsors valuable first-person data about actual purchasing behavior on site. It links emails to purchases, so that organizers can follow up with targeted offers tailored to their customers’ habits. This data can also be used to create instant product pushes. If a certain beverage isn’t selling as anticipated, organizers can trigger a flash sale and promote it on the customer-facing screens. Leftover inventory can influence profitable specials. 

One recent example: The team was running a 27-hour New Year’s Eve party. After the midnight toast, they were dismayed to see cases of champagne left over. They whipped up an on-the-fly mimosa special, displaying it to Billfold’s customer-facing screens. “We sold 327 mimosas in the first hour,” recalls Ben.

Safety Cake: the cake that can save lives

Would you treat a cake better than you would your friends? Turns out, most people do. Research shows that when Belgian motorists have food on the passenger seat 87% of them drive with extra care. Because they really don’t want to ruin that cake.

This insight led mortierbrigade to come up with the idea of the Safety Cake. A beautiful and fragile piece of pastry that has an immediate impact on the motorists’ driving behaviour. Joost Berends, Creative Director at mortierbrigade, explains:

“The idea started from the principle that we drive more careful when we transport food on the passenger seat, like for instance a pizza, some Chinese takeaway or a cake. An inquiry further confirmed this observation. With the Safety Cake we seek to bring across a very clear message about our driving behavior not being very logical, in a way that people can recognize. Because why wouldn’t you be just as careful with your passengers as with the cake standing next to you?”

With the hashtag #TreatYourFriendsLikeACake mortierbrigade invites motorists to treat their friends like a cake. I mean, with care.

Laura Gonzalez Schena, coordinator at RYD:

“With the Safety Cake we want to address road safety in an original and positive way. We don’t want to moralize or point fingers, yet seek to open the discussion with a positive message.”

The Safety Cake is part of a global awareness campaign and also has a wide social component, in order to reach as many young people as possible. With the hashtag #TreatYourFriendsLikeACake RYD and Renault invite young motorists to treat their friends as they would a cake. Motorists can find the campaign movie on www.safetycake.be, along with the recipe to drive safely.

Ad agency: mortierbrigade – Brussels

Who were the big winners at the inaugural Gerety Awards?

Grand Prix were awarded to LOLA MullenLowe for HIDDEN FLAG, McCann New York for Changing the Game, VMLY&R Warsaw for The Last Ever Issue and two Grand Prix were awarded to AMVBBDO for Viva La Vulva.

BBDO New York were awarded agency of the year with 2 silvers, 4 bronze and 8 shortlist. 

BBDO Worldwide were awarded Network of the year with 2 Grand Prix, 1 Gold, 3 Silvers, 4 Bronze and 17 Shortlists. 

MEDIA CUT GRAND PRIX for VMLY&R Warsaw with The Last Ever issue. They bought the most iconic porn magazine in Poland, published the last ever issue, and then shut down the magazine. (above)

 

Viva La Vulva by AMV BBDO was the most awarded campaign winning 2 Grand Prix, 1 Gold & and 1 Silver. (film below)

INNOVATION GRAND PRIX was awarded to McCann New York with “Changing the Game” for Xbox. 

WORKS FOR GOOD GRAND PRIX for FELGTB by LOLA MullenLowe (below)

“the hidden flag”

Kainaz Karmakar, the chief creative officer at Ogilvy India (west) was on the jury and shares what it felt like to be part of the Gerety Awards:

“The number one piece was Viva La Vulva. It hit my heart as a writer and as a woman.”

“Very few times in life you get the opportunity to be a part of real change. Gerety Awards is more than a show. It’s a statement. It’s a step. The first all-women jury for an advertising show. I feel lucky I could sit in that room.

If I had to talk about the work I saw and the work that stayed with me, the number one piece was Viva La Vulva. It hit my heart as a writer and as a woman. The love in the idea and the execution, makes it rise above many other greats. When I am voting a piece for a Grand Prix, in my mind it has to be something that pushes the profession ahead. Creative people should be pulling it out as an example for their teams and clients. It is the kind of work that even competition agencies can’t help admiring.”

Creative & Film Director Quinn Wilson Signs With Good Company

Quinn Wilson, a provocative filmmaker/creative director adept at shaping visual identities across the realms of music, performance and film – notably with singer/rap sensation Lizzo – has signed with Good Company. Based in New York and LA, Good Company is a full-service creative studio with a roster of diverse talents. Their multidisciplinary production and post expertise has them at the forefront of commercials, music videos, world tours, and experiential activations.
 

Quinn Wilson creative & film director and photographer

Quinn’s keen aesthetic shines through in the signature imagery Quinn and Lizzo have created together, starting with Quinn designing Lizzo’s debut album cover, to Quinn serving as creative director for her most recent tour, to directing the bulk of Lizzo’s music videos – including the sassy “Juice” (with over 34 million views and counting). Most recently, Quinn helped take the singer’s message of body positivity to the 2019 MTV VMA stage, giant inflatable twerking posterior included. 

Says [Managing Director/Co-Founder] Ryan Heiferman: “What Quinn has done with Lizzo is nothing short of amazing — the performances, the videos, and the overall aesthetic all sculpted under her artful eye. And Quinn has seamlessly transitioned into directing over the past couple years which makes her truly a great fit on our roster, as both a director and creative director.”

Quinn attended the Minneapolis College of Art & Design, where she thrived in a collaborative studio environment and developed a dramatic flair for makeup and design. A big break came when Quinn linked up with Lizzo as a makeup artist for the vocalist and her performers. Immersed in the hustle surrounding the shows, she began tossing innovative ideas out to the team to enhance the Lizzo experience for fans. Without realizing it, Quinn was acting as a creative director before she was hired as one.

This collaborative shorthand runs through the signature imagery Quinn and Lizzo have created, starting with Quinn designing Lizzo’s debut album cover, to creative directing Lizzo’s most recent tour. Quinn has a hand in every detail of the tour spectacle, proving her ability to conceptualize with a team of varied voices and skillsets and carry that vision through across mediums. Recently, Quinn helped take Lizzo’s message of body positivity to the 2019 MTV VMA stage, where the star performed her medley of hits in front of a giant inflatable twerking posterior.

Quinn took the leap to move behind the camera and recalls her a-ha moment. “My comfort zone was articulating my vision and hiring filmmakers whose technical ability I trusted. Learning all aspects of the craft has solidified a passion I’ve had within me since childhood. Directing has opened up another visual space for me to play in, and allowed me to take full ownership of my art.”

Quinn’s ability to translate the essence of the artist onscreen shines in Lizzo’s

videos for “Boys,” “Fitness,” “Truth Hurts,” and the much acclaimed “Juice” – a character-driven clip which hit the mark (with over 32 million views and counting) with its 80s-tinged references and sassy humor.

The success of these videos enabled Quinn to push forward into different areas of image-making. For Vogue Magazine, she captured a celebration of the LGBTQ+ identity spectrum with a series of striking portraits from the 2018 LA Pride Parade. In 2019, she made her foray into the commercial arena with promos for the Tyler Perry series The Haves and Have Nots on Oprah’s OWN Network.

Quinn was introduced to Good Company through her manager, Alli Maxwell, who has roots at Good Company, having produced and EP’d various projects for them over the years. As Quinn looks towards the future with the team, she explains, “Good Company are good people with good taste. Their support and expertise is exactly what I’ve been seeking as I push forward into the world of commercial and branded content and continue on in the music video space.”

“I’ve been lucky to jump around in professional roles within the creative world, but film feels the most at home for me,” Quinn added. “My heart is flying out of my body most when I’m making films. When I’m on set doing anything with moving images, I feel like I’m soaring through the air.”

announcement

announcement

Drink and Bike! – Carlsberg Sweden targets road cyclists in latest ad campaign

Ah beer. Is there anything you can’t do? Well, actually, beer isn’t all that great when you are really into fitness and working out – but, alcohol-free beer is ok. Hence the billboard, to remind the cycling enthusiasts out there that Carlsberg goes with biking too.

 

Conventionally you don’t think of drinking and biking but even the cycling community enjoys a cold alcohol-free beer sometimes. That’s why we’ve used this messaging and that’s why we’ve worked hard at perfecting our alcohol-free beer, says Mikael Johansson, Brand Manager at Carlsberg Sweden.

Jakob Eriksson, Art Director at the Swedish creative agency Animal, had this to say:
 

How would the brand Carlsberg approach the topic of cycling? That’s a really fun question to ask yourself considering the famously witty personality of the brand. With this ad we’re 100% confident that our lycra dressed target group can relate

 

The 330 gram Carlsberg

Ad agency: Animal

OOH

In time for Grandparents Day: Cox Communications ‘Grandstories’ from 180LA

What happens when grandparents stop worrying that their grandkids spend too much time on social media and start connecting with them through it?

 

Cox Communications, the largest private telecom company in America, launches ‘Grandstories’ just in time for Grandparent’s Day, on Sunday, September 8. The initiative brings grandparents closer to their grandkids by teaching them how to make stronger connections with the people who matter most using social media. ‘Grandstories’ reinforces Cox’s new brand positioning- ‘Bringing Us Closer’ – by demonstrating how broadband connectivity is most powerful when it creates more human connection. The work was developed by180LA for Cox Communications.

 

“Our Grandstories campaign is the first of many with a goal beyond selling broadband, but rather reminding us all of the human connections that technology enables,” said Gaston Vaneri, senior vice president, brand strategy, Cox Communications. “The campaign  brings that brand purpose to life in a very touching way, as we watch real grandparents learn to use social media to connect, with their grandchildren. Those connections enrich the relationship on both sides and on a very personal level. We hope the stories inspire others to embrace technology to connect with loved ones, especially grandparents, on this year’s Grandparents Day.”

 

Cox launched their new brand positioning in November 2018, with a focus on enabling more human connection. The company’s new tag line “Bringing Us Closer” is rooted in a belief that life is better when we people truly connect. In a society where online connectivity has often replaced genuine connection, Cox Communications is looking for new ways to inspire people to both reflect upon, and strengthen, the human bonds in their lives and communities.

 

“Isolation and loneliness is a growing epidemic. Especially among seniors,” stated Mike Bokman, group creative director, 180LA. “Our grandparents have so much knowledge to share, so many stories to tell, so much love to give. They deserve our attention, but our attention is not easy to get these days. So we’re helping to bridge that gap by inspiring grandparents to connect with their grandkids in the place their grandkids are sure to notice — social media.”

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About the Grandstories Initiative

Cox Communications trained and mentored seniors in the use of social media, documenting the process from the perspective of both grandparent, and grandchild, capturing authentic moments of connection. The grandparents used these new ways to communicate in order to share with their grandkids the things that matter the most to them.

 

The ‘Grandstories’ films and related assets will be featured in social media, and tips to help other grandparents and grandkids get connected are available on Converge, Cox’s content hub. This week the company is releasing ‘Seize The Day’ featuring a story about Larry and is granddaughter, Jessica. The additional short films will follow soon.

 

About the Grandstories Videos:

‘Seize The Day’ – Larry (79) and Jessica (33): After the passing of Larry’s wife, Pat, he realizes the preciousness of time. In order to reconnect with his granddaughter, Jessica, and make sure his wife’s memory lives on, Larry takes to social media to connect with his granddaughter, and share his most precious memories about Pat. He tells the story of how they met and fell in love while both serving in the Navy, and how they kept their relationship alive through letters while he was away at sea for nearly a year. Larry shares some of his favorite letters, many of which he still has to this day. To Larry’s surprise, Jessica also received a beautiful letter from Pat, which she shares with her grandfather in a powerful and emotional conclusion.

 

‘Family Recipes’ – Young(76) & Karen(21): Young is a traditional, non-English-speaking, Korean grandmother. She feared her granddaughter, Karen, is becoming too American, spending too much on her phone, and would soon forget her Korean roots. Young connected with Karen by sharing her family’s never-written recipes on social media. With the help of Cox, Young filmed herself making each cherished recipe, providing her granddaughter with step-by-step instructions. Young hoped not only to preserve her recipes, but also to pass down the family’s Korean culture and heritage, all while preserving a special bond with her granddaughter, but she had her doubts on whether her efforts were in vein. When Karen surprises her grandmother at home one evening before dinner with her attempt at Young’s kimchi recipe, her grandmother and grandfather’s reaction is not to be missed.

 

Making Up For Lost Time’ – Nadene(73) & Cody (26): 50 years ago, Nadene gave her newborn daughter up for adoption. She has been happily married since that time, but never had another child. Recently, she received a call – It was her daughter, who shared that Nadene has a 25-year-old grandson named Cody. Nadene was longing to have a personal relationship with her newfound grandson, but distance was an issue, as Nadene lives in San Diego and Cody in Oregon. She turned to social media to bridge the geography and connect with Cody. Nadene was concerned about coming on too strong, and scaring Cody away. The exact opposite occurred. Cody shared a wonderful, personal surprise with Nadene: he was getting married. Thanks to her efforts to connect, Nadene joined in Cody’s wedding celebrations.

Still from “Seize the day”

Client: Cox Communications

Campaign Title: Grandstories 

Agency: 180LA

Agency Location: Los Angeles, CA

CCO: Al Mosely

Group Creative Directors: Jason Rappaport and Mike Bokman

Copywriter: Eric Scott, Will Sands 

Art Director:  Robinson Mattei 

Head of Production: David Emery

Producer: Michael Quinones

Group Account Director: Andrea Goldman

Senior Account Manager: Morgan Theis

Strategy Director: Maggie Speciale

Social Strategist: Lauren Murphy

Director of Photography: Daniel Hollis

Story Producer: Carlin Cwik 

Executive Producer:   Cedric Troadec of Etcetera

Director: Mike Bokman

Editorial Company: Therapy

Editor:  Ken Mowe

Audio Record & Mix:  Therapy

John Paton Appointed Chairman of Independent Digital News and Media

Independent Digital News and Media Limited has appointed John Paton as Chairman. The appointment is effective immediately.

 

Paton joins from The Guardian Media Group PLC, where he served as director for the past six years, as well as two years as chairman of theguardian.org – the US-based charity which raises funds for independent and investigative journalism for The Guardian and its editorial partners.

 

In addition to The Guardian, Paton has significant experience as a media executive and investor and is co-founder of media advisory and tech investment firm IVA Ventures. Starting his career as a journalist, he has led media companies in the United States, Canada and Europe, ranging from less than $20 million in revenues to more than $1.2 billion and from 100 employees to 10,000 employees.

 

He is the founder and former CEO of Digital First Media, the then number two newspaper company in the US, and co-founder and ex-CEO of impreMedia, the then largest Hispanic news company in the US. He has served as a director of public and private media companies across the world.

 

He has been a strong advocate of the digital transformation of quality journalism, with a deep understanding of the opportunities available to media firms today. In 2009, he was awarded Publisher of the Year in the US by Editor & Publisher for his digital transformation efforts and has been named a finalist for Entrepreneur of the Year by Ernst & Young in New York City.

 

“I am honoured to join The Independent with its commitment to best-in-class journalism,” said John Paton. “I share that commitment. I am very excited to work with the team to rapidly expand the first truly independent, digital pure-play quality journalism company in the world.”

 

Outgoing chairman, Justin Byam Shaw, who will remain on the IDNML board, said, “The Independent has become a unique, global success story. It combines high revenue growth and profitability with a 35 year reputation for high quality, independent journalism around the world. In John, we have appointed a robustly independent Chairman, who shares The Independent’s values and, with his vast experience of digital media, will guide its continuing global growth.”

 

Since going digital only in 2016, The Independent has grown its audience to 89.9 million global browsers (Adobe Omniture).

announcement

announcement

Google bans British greasy spoon café ad, for advertising their faggots and peas.

These automatic ad bans just keep getting funnier.

To all people who fear that AI will soon take over the world, turn into Skynet and then kill us all off if they won’t use us human batteries…. We have a while to go before it gets there. The program is only as smart as the programmer, you know, and it seems like every week we hear of yet another gaffe where an online ad is rejected because the automatic system doesn’t grasp the context. Context is a really cool thing, y’all should look into it. Just last week “vaginas” was the word that sent up the alarm bells at Facebook, but this time it’s the word faggots that has offended Google’s text ad system.

– “Faggots… you mean…”

– “No no no, not the bundle of sticks, the other faggots.

– “You mean… uh.. faggots?”

– “Yes! As in saucy little plump, yummy, and fresh, faggots.”

You see, there’s a little café called “Fanny’s Rest Stop” in Newport, which despite their terrible taste in fonts and eclectic 50-diner-ish furniture, serves all the classics that a proper greasy spoon in the UK should. The owner, Jo Evans-Pring, enlisted her friend Chris Barnbrook for help setting up her online presence, to promote her business and advertise. Things were going quite well, with new customers dropping in and business picking up, until one day an ad was unceremoniously rejected.
 

“I posted an advert on the website for Fanny’s faggots with peas and onion gravy, a pretty traditional meal and one of my favourites, on the 27th.” explains Chris Barnbrook.

Jo Evans-Pring received an email from Google the day after a new advert went live, telling her that her advert had been removed.

“Recently, a post was removed from your Business Profile,” the email said. “To help ensure your posts create a positive experience for users, please review our content policy.” Ah, that blasted content policy again. Content policies don’t care about context.

“Me and Chris had a look, and realized they’d moved the faggots one – and we couldn’t think it was for any reason other than it having the word ‘faggots’ in it.” 

Oy vey, wait until Google hears about the delightful spotted dick and other assorted names that don’t travel well.

marketing mishaps

Markee the Sad

Cut+Run’s Gary Knight Edits With Perspective For American Express’ “Right Behind You”

Whether it’s your first violin solo at a school recital or your first performance in a sold out concert hall, American Express wants to let you know that they’re “Right Behind You.” Prettybird Director Max Malkin offers a unique perspective for agency McGarryBowen, with pivotal moments in people’s lives woven together by Cut+Run Editor Gary Knight. An evocative instrumental reimagining of Brandi Carlile’s emotional track “The Joke” is the perfect match for the anthem spot. As the music swells and reaches its final crescendo, the message is clear: from doing what you love, to following your dreams, to life’s most precious moments, American Express has your back.

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Client: American Express

 

Agency: McGarryBowen

 

Production Company: Prettybird

Director: Max Malkin

 

Editing Company: Cut+Run

Editor: Gary Knight

 

Finish: Jogger

Burger King France wants you to vote for which Burger shall be only €2 next week.

“From September 2nd to October 6th, BURGER KING® sets up a new political meeting in France and launches Democratic Burger: the first 2€ democratically elected burger. “

There has been a lot of voting between brands in many advertising campaigns over the years. Why I myself am guilty of once presenting such an idea to my Creative Director. Mine was for AMA margarine, a name that was very easy to confuse with the main competitor OMA margarine, which doesn’t have the healthy omega 3,4 and 6 in it – so naturally, I conceived of a campaign where the Danish people would have to vote for a new name where all options reminded them of the Omegas. It was an election year in Denmark, and my Creative Director was so tired of “vote for product” campaign ideas, he practically threw me out of the office head first. “That’s the oldest idea,” he yelled after me “I see a hundred variations every four years!” 

It probably comes as no surprise to you that I flashback to that moment and giggle a little every time Adland receives a produced campaign, that hinges on the “vote for product” core concept. And there is indeed a lot of them. As my tutor and mentor John Gillard used to say: Beware of your first idea as it’s inevitably too good.

September 2nd is a founder day for the French democracy. Now Burger King France joins in, and asks the customers to decide which promotional product they want. They get to vote on it.

All French people can vote on the BK app in order to weekly elect the burger that will be available at only 2€ among 8 in the running (Crispy Chicken, Big King®, Big Fish, Whopper®, Chicken Tendercrisp®, Steakhouse, BBQ Cheese & Bacon et Bacon Lover).

With the posters, they also have this 45-second ad, showing a family arguing about burgers – rather than politics – over dinner. What a misdirect. “BURGER KING® – DEMOCRATIC BURGER”

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President and Executive Creative Director Georges Mohammed-Chérif
Vice – President Thomas Granger
Managing Director Julien Levilain
Creative Director Julien Doucet
Creative Director Lilian Moine
Art Director & Copywriter Thibault Picot
Art Director & Copywriter Yvonnick Le Bruchec
Head of Account Loïc Coelho
Account Executive Fany Maupou
Head of Social Media Loris Bernardini
Social Media Manager Félix Brunot
Social Media Manager Arnaud Cherbonnier
Head of Strategic Planning Clément Scherrer
Head of PR & Communication Amélie Juillet
PR & Communication Manager Paul Renaudineau
Head of TV Production Vanessa Barbel
TV Producer Benoit Crouet
Rights Management Dee Perryman

Production Film Caviar
Director Cloé Bailly
Producer Céline Roubaud
Post-production FIRM
Sound Production Schmooze

Emmy-winning director Matt Dilmore has signed with production company Gifted Youth

Versatility and a knack for performance-driven comedy shine through in Matt Dilmore’s offbeat campaigns. He has directed Super Bowl work for Avocados from Mexico, an Emmy-nominated short for Old Navy, and spots for Yoplait, Little Caesars, KFC, Foot Locker, PlayStation, and Stella Artois, to name a few. Memorably, his parody ad inviting guests to stay at The Shining’s ‘Overlook Hotel’ aired as part of the 90th Oscars broadcast. A once in a lifetime opportunity, Dilmore brushed off Stanley Kubrick’s original camera lenses to craft the spoof.

Matt Dilmore

While making his mark in the ad world, Dilmore also helmed “The Great Imposter” for ESPN’s lauded 30-for-30 series. Chronicling the story of Barry Bremen, the Detroit salesman who postured as an athlete at nearly two dozen major sporting events in the 1980’s, the series won Dilmore and team an Emmy Award.

 

From high-end campaigns to his recent hi-8 music video for Swamp Dogg, Dilmore thrives on working across the filmmaking spectrum. He says, “I like rolling up my sleeves with my production team. I’m not one to let a project that’s hungry to be told slip through the cracks, because often times those are the most personal, human stories.”
 

That mantra is precisely why Dilmore is currently in pre-production on his feature film debut – an adaptation of an obscure memoir written by a 1970’s-era female postal worker about her relationship with an outsider artist.
 

Gifted Youth Executive Producer Josh Morse knows first-hand the quality that clients are getting with Dilmore, having worked with him a number of times as Head of Production at Barton F. Graf. “The level of talent and energy that Matt brought to every project made him a trusted go-to for Barton and their clients. I couldn’t be happier to be working with Matt on this side of the table.”

announcement

announcement

Special Olympics Athletes Unite To Inspire and Design Original Logo for 2022 Special Olympics USA Games

oday, the 2022 Special Olympics USA Games Organizing Committee unveiled its original and unprecedented logo for the 2022 USA Games which was, for the first time in the organization’s 50-year history, inspired and designed by nine artistic and talented Special Olympics athletes. Athletes from across the country gathered for a three-day workshop in Orlando, where they joined forces with professional designers from creative ad agency partner, Publicis Seattle, to provide the vision for the 2022 USA Games logo, as well as the primary color palette that explodes with life. The mark represents the natural elements of Florida culminating in a fiery spark of the Special Olympics spirit.

 

“It is an honor to be part of the team that created the logo,” Special Olympics athlete Lee Savage said. “This was so important to us because Special Olympics is such an important part of our lives. We are proud of the logo and hope it can be an inspiration to society.”

 

“This logo tells a story of how a combined passion for sports, perseverance, and art can literally come to life on a blank canvas,” said Joe Dzaluk, President & CEO of the 2022 Special Olympics USA Games. “These incredible athletes used their unique talents to inspire and design an iconic image for the 2022 Special Olympics USA Games brand, and it proved to be more meaningful than any of us could have ever imagined.

 

Additionally, Iranian-American filmmaker Rayka Zehtabchi, who is best known for her 2018 Academy Award-winning documentary short Period. End of Sentence., directed a mini-documentary that was filmed during the three-day workshop. This unique approach to developing the 2022 Special Olympics USA Games logo served as the perfect platform to unlock the creativity and confidence of the Special Olympics athletes. Zehtabchi’s film beautifully captures the positive impact of the process and the undeniable spirit and talent of the athletes.

Melissa Nelson, President, Publicis Seattle, commented, “We’ve been privileged to partner with  Special Olympics for the 2018 Games and now again for the 2022 Games. This collaboration inspires our people to do what they do best: explore exciting new creative thinking and opportunities.

 

Pete Kearney, Executive Creative Director, Publicis Seattle, added, “We’ve always felt this was never our logo to create — it was the athletes’. We embraced that idea and empowered the talent, vision, and passion of these spirited artists. We’re in the business of changing perceptions, and with this work, we’ve shown that creative power exists in each and every one of us.”

The nine athletes included: Aarushi Pratap of Special Olympics Florida (Fashion Design), Andrew Weatherly of Special Olympics New Jersey (Abstract Painting), Caroline Shin of Special Olympics Florida (Web Design), Coby Fineran of Special Olympics Iowa (Tattoo Artist), Haley Waggoner of Special Olympics Nebraska (Cake Decorating), Lee Savage of Special Olympics Florida (Drawing), Mariah Gilbert of Special Olympics Washington (Drawing), Marta Páramo of Special Olympics Florida (Painting) and Patrice Jetter of Special Olympics New Jersey (Graphic Design).

 

About 2022 Special Olympics USA Games:

Orlando was officially announced as the host city for the 2022 Special Olympics USA Games in May 2018. Taking place from June 5-11, 2022, more than 4,000 athletes, 10,000 volunteers, 1,500 coaches and 125,000 fans from all 50 states and the District of Columbia will travel to unite and participate in one of the world’s most cherished sporting events. The Games will be comprised of as many as 20 Olympic-type team and individual sports and will take place at the 220-acre ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World Resort, providing a premier venue for amateur sports in the nation. To learn more about the 2022 Special Olympics USA Games, please visit www.2022USAGames.org and follow the organization on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

 

About Publicis Worldwide:

Publicis Worldwide is a global creative agency network enabling our clients to Lead The Change in their own marketing and business transformation. We do this through a combination of strategy, creativity and technology. With over 16,000 employees in 110 countries, clients include Adidas Sports, Axa, Carrefour, Cartier, Citi, Diesel, Emirates, Heineken, Hewlett-Packard Enterprise, L’Oréal, Nestlé, Orange, P&G, Renault and Sanofi.

 

Publicis Worldwide is part of Publicis Communications, the creative agency network solution hub within Publicis Groupe.

Client: 2022 Special Olympics USA Games

 

Campaign Title: 2022 Special Olympics USA Games Logo

 

Joe Dzaluk, President and CEO

Bill Schoonmaker, Chief Marketing Officer

Kyle Jaimes, Partnership Manager

 

Agency: Publicis

Agency Location: Seattle

President: Melissa Nelson

Executive Creative Director/s: Jason Lucas, Pete Kearney

Creative Director/s: Chris Campbell, Earl Wallace IV

Sr. Art Director: Chad Ford

Sr. Designer: Michelle Billings

Copywriter: Kai Nedderson

Head of Production: AJ Karim

Executive Producer: Jen Allen

Assistant Producer: Grace Gutierrez

Group Account Director: Garth Knutson

Account Supervisor: Pat Hutchinson

Account Executive: Brooke Songey

Project Manager/s: Nina Scarnici, Kurt Hartwig

Studio Director: Ricky Fisher

Sr. Print Producer: Molly Costin

 

Special Olympics Athletes/Artists/s: Caroline Shin, Haley Waggoner, Lee Savage, Aarushi Pratap, Marta Paramo, Coby Fineran, Andrew Weatherly, Patrice Jetter, Mariah Gilbert

 

Director: Rayka Zehtabchi

Director of Photography: Sam Davis

Editor: Sam Davis

Assistant Editor: Tim Deters

 

Design & Animation Company: Laundry

Executive Creative Directors: PJ Richardson & Tony Liu

Creative Director: Reza Rasoli

Managing Director: James Sweigert

Head of Production: Matthew Primm

Producer: Dean Marchand

Design: Reza Rasoli, Yoojin Seol, Teppei Maki, Ana Perez Lopez

Animation: Reza Rasoli, Teppei Maki, Ramzi Hogan, Samantha Maurer, Ana Perez Lopez

 

Audio Record: Push Button Productions

Producer/Engineer: Yeosh Bendayan

Producer/Engineer: Jon Ruhff

 

Mix / Sound Design: Bart Radio

Producer/Engineer: Bart Smith

 

SBT removes Chavo from show scenes to increase visibility of homeless children

A special episode of El Chavo broadcasted last Saturday caused much talk. Through its social responsibility platform SBT do Bem, SBT deleted the main character of the show on the Childhood Day (August 24) to raise the awareness about child abandonment. The context couldn’t be better, since Chavo is a boy living in a barrel who doesn’t know his parents or relatives and, in some episodes, even starves.

The action developed by WMcCann aimed to raise awareness by removing from the show one of the most beloved characters in the country. After watching all episodes of the show, the agency used the technique of rotoscopy to remove the boy from the episode scenes, which were edited to create a new story. In the special episode featuring original voice actors, the village characters notice Chavo is missing and start looking for him. This way, SBT ensured visibility to a social problem that is often invisible to the public eye.

“This is one of the oldest shows of SBT, it has just completed 35 years on the SBT grid and people love it. But unfortunately, it addresses a persistent social problem: child abandonment. And as SBT do Bem promotes actions for reflection and transformation of society, we wanted to use this opportunity to raise awareness about this problem through a character that shows the situation of many children in Brazil, although many times we don’t see Chavo as a homeless child, but he lives in a barrel, is always hungry (looking for ham sandwiches), and has no father or mother,” said Priscila Stoliar, SBT Marketing Manager, who also informed this theme will be further addressed by SBT journalism department.

Credits:

Agency: WMcCann

Client: SBT

Name of the campaign: Chaves sem Chaves

CCO: Hugo Rodrigues and André Marques

COO: Kevin Zung

Executive VP and Rio de Janeiro General Director: Marcio Borges

Creative Directors: Ricardo Weitsman, Nicolás Romanó and Viviane Pepe

Head of Art: Felipe Gomes

Creatives: Alexandre “Xela” Oliveira, Rafael Dyer, Pedro Chaves, Felipe Latgé and Ricardo Weitsman

Editor: Yuri Porto

Client Service: Anna Moraes and Vitoria Silvestre

Media VP: André França

Media: Horácio Rosário, Daniel Neves, Vitória Lobo, Lucas Gonçalves

Production VP: Tato Bono

Production: Cayan Lobo, Rosinha Pinheiro, Fabiana Diniz

Production House: Homem de Lata Filmes

Director: Ale Braga

Post-production: Bernardo Leite and equipe Mandrill

Sound Production: Satélite Áudio

Voice-over: RioSound   

Graphic Production: Maurício Martim, Nereu Marinho

Projects: Yarha Costa

Public Relations: Kerena Neves, Bruna Ramos and Patrícia Lázaro

Client approval: Priscila Stoliar, Daniela Martins and Becken Lima

CommunityAmerica Credit Union – A New Day – (2019) :60 (USA)

Advertising agency Cactus launched its latest work for client CommunityAmerica Credit Union (CACU), an inspirational, integrated branding campaign that leverages its sponsorship of NFL team the Kansas City Chiefs and its quarterback Patrick Mahomes to highlight a shared sense of hometown pride.

 

The effort—launched mid-August during the Chiefs’ second preseason game and  includesTV, radio, digital, native and out of home media—meaningfully connects CACU to the Kansas City community by positioning it as the premier local financial institution for the nation’s most overbanked metro.

 

Kansas City’s collective momentum is moving forward—from its growing tech industry to its thriving small businesses to its NFL team. The new work supports this sentiment and the idea that there’s nothing locals can’t accomplish together.

 

In the inspiring 60-second execution, Mahomes rouses his team to victory in a locker room speech that doubles as an anthem for the people of Kansas City—and the town itself. It opens with Mahomes walking through the stadium one early morning and cuts to various members of the Kansas City community throughout. “Today is a new day,” the quarterback is seen telling his teammates. “A day we’ve been waiting for our whole lives.” As they cheer on the MVP, we see shots of people experiencing major life moments: a baby taking its first steps, an architect about to retire, a young couple moving into their new home, a woman opening her own business, a man gazing at the engagement ring he just bought.

 

“Everyone knows KC is on the rise,” Mahomes’ pep talk concludes, “but what they don’t know, is we’re just getting started” The spot tags with the message: “CommunityAmerica. Powering the rise of Kansas City.”

The 60 second ad, which is available in 30- and 15-second cutdowns, is a different tone for CACU, which has done two previous campaigns with Cactus. While those efforts also played up the credit union’s local pride, they were humorous and focused on specific products, such as Chiefs checking. They were also effective: In 2018, CACU surpassed its checking account target by 16% and added more than 1,000 more households than it expected.

 

“This fall, our focus is on highlighting local growth and reinforcing CACU’s commitment to the community of Kansas City, the credit union’s breadth of products and sophistication as a financial institution,” said Norm Shearer, Partner and CCO. “And strengthening our relationship with Patrick and the Chiefs, whose teamwork could not better illustrate the spirit of this town.”

 

New-member acquisition remains CACU’s primary objective in advertising, while encouraging deeper product engagement with current members is a secondary one. Cactus designed the TV and radio ads to create brand awareness, likability and a strong feeling of connection, and the OOH and digital executions to support product-specific messages and generate awareness for product relevance and benefits.

 

Advertising Agency: Cactus, Denver, CO (USA)

Brand/Client: CommunityAmerica Credit Union (CACU)

Havas acquires Buzzman, the most awarded French independent agency

Buzzman is no longer independent. Havas Group today announced the acquisition of a 51% stake in Buzzman, the most awarded French independent advertising agency, a move that will further reinforce the Group’s creative excellence and bring on board a highly talented team.

Buzzman was founded in 2006 by George Mohammed-Chérif, keen to put the power of digital culture to work for brands. With the founding of Buzzman, he created a whole new model of a 100% independent advertising agency combining supreme creativity with an advanced understanding of consumer engagement. Buzzman has since become one of the most awarded agencies in the market and is acclaimed as one of the boldest and most creative in Europe.
 

Georges Mohammed-Chérif (L) and Yannick Bolloré (R)

Georges Mohammed-Chérif on the left and Yannick Bolloré on the right.

Working alongside associates Thomas Granger (since 2009); Julien Levilain (since 2011), Olivier Amsallem (since 2007), Tristan Daltroff and Louis Audard (since 2010), and Clément Scherrer (since 2015), George Mohammed-Chérif has instilled in his teams a powerful culture and working methods rooted in exacting standards, autonomy and solidarity. Paris-based Buzzman reports a gross margin of 12.3M€. Its 140 talents leverage creativity and entertainment to profoundly influence consumer perceptions, behaviours and practices. Pushing the boundaries of traditional advertising and creating innovative concepts, Buzzman gives brands a way to engage with their audiences through powerful storytelling.

Buzzman works with leading brands such as Burger King, PMU, Boursorama Banque, Ikea, Ouibus (SNCF), Fleury Michon, Hippopotamus, Mondelez (Oreo, Milka), EasyJet, L’Oréal (Diesel, Puma Fragrances, Garnier), Huawei, NRJ Mobile, PayPal, BMW and more.

In keeping with the entrepreneurial and decentralized spirit embraced by Havas, Buzzman will now become part of the Group’s creative division, whilst retaining its independence in its 10th arrondissement offices. The agency can count on Havas Group to invest in the best talents and creative tools. The entire management team, headed by Georges Mohammed-Chérif, will continue to run the agency.

Yannick Bolloré, Chairman and CEO Havas Group said: “I am delighted and proud that Buzzman is joining Havas. Welcome aboard! Georges was one of the earliest advertising pioneers to seize on the amazing opportunities that digital has to offer. He made all the right decisions and took a bold step at just the right moment, launching a startup that has since become a creative force to be reckoned with, in France and beyond. This deal ties in perfectly with our determination to position Havas at the convergence of communications and entertainment since becoming part of Vivendi.

Georges Mohammed-Chérif, President and Creative Director of Buzzman added the following: “In recent years, Buzzman has been the target of repeated approaches from leading communications and consulting groups. The reason why we have now chosen to go with Havas is Yannick Bolloré’s readiness to listen and his grasp of what it is that underpins our extraordinary creativity: our independence. The one non-negotiable condition for joining the Havas Group was maintaining our autonomy. We will now be able to take advantage of the synergies offered by the network and expand the field of opportunities, whilst holding fast to Buzzman’s recipe for success from the outset: exacting standards, outspokenness and boldness.

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The Woo Agency Redefines What It Means To Be A Superhero In Empowering Campaign For Warner Bros.' DC Super Hero Girls

 

When approaching a campaign to launch the series DC Super Hero Girls, Warner Bros. and LA-based ad agency The Woo decided to flip an old superhero paradigm on its head. They discovered girls didn’t aspire to become like their favorite superheroes, the characters are beloved for qualities girls saw in themselves. Strength, kindness, intelligence – these were the powers that united and inspired. Enter “She’s Like Me.”

“DC Super Hero Girls” is a popular animated franchise that first found a devoted audience as a web-series and has recently been rebooted as an animated show on Cartoon Network. Featuring Wonder Woman, Batgirl, Bumblebee, Supergirl, Green Lantern, and Zatanna — not to mention other popular characters from the DC universe — these teenaged supers have to balance their lives as crime-fighters and as normal high-school students trying to figure out their place in the world.

 

In the spirit of the series and based on ample research about its viewers, The Woo and Warner Bros. crafted a campaign built upon a deep belief in empowering young girls and their families through entertaining, positive content. Featuring the photography of Josh Rossi (who rose to fame after photos of his young daughter dressed as Wonder Woman went viral), and three videos of young girls heroically facing everyday situations, they created moments that would appeal to both kids and their parents. And appeal they did – with the spots quickly achieving millions of views.

 

Knowing that what they did behind the scenes should reflect the message being shared, Warner Brothers and The Woo put together a largely female team to bring this vision to life. This included Warner Bros.’s internal staff, The Woo’s Executive Creative Director and Associate Creative Director-Writer, along with the Director, Editor, Producer, Director of Photography, Production Designer, and the entire cast.

 

“Empowering a younger generation of girls is not about changing perceptions. It’s about taking ownership of the transformative, powerful qualities our audience shares with the DC Super Hero Girls. When we exert the power to be strong, empathetic or helpful, the world is a better place and anything is possible,” says The Woo Executive Creative Director Valerie Moizel.

 

Client: Warner Bros.

Director, Franchise Management & Marketing: Ami Sandhu

Vice President, Worldwide Franchise Management and Marketing: Kevin Morris

Manager, Worldwide Franchise Management & Marketing: Adam Bodenstein

 

Agency: The Woo

ECD: Valerie Moizel

ACD/AD: Brock Pisciotta

ACD/CW: Amanda Wallace

Executive Producer: Lorna Paul

Production Manager: Ryan Anderson

SVP, Managing Director: John Gibson

Account Director: Erika Rosenwinkel

Head of Strategy: Andrew Cagan

Director: Maya Albanese

Director of Photography: Laura Merians

Production Designer: Melisa Myers

 

Editorial: Cosmo Street

Editor: Julie Kravitz Gannon

Animation Director: Mac Whiting

 

Composite: Baked Studios

 

Color: Baked Studios

 

Audio: 740 Sound

RSA Films Signs EMMY Award-winning Director Peter Atencio for Commercials

RSA Films is pleased to announce acclaimed filmmaker Peter Atencio has joined the company for commercial representation. His work directing and producing the hit sketch comedy show “Key & Peele” landed him in the cultural zeitgeist and earned him an EMMY Award for Outstanding Variety Sketch Series along with multiple other EMMY nominations, a Peabody Award and an American Comedy Award.  He’s also met success directing and producing the TV drama “Whiskey Cavalier” this year for Warner Bros. and ABC. As a commercial director, Atencio is known for Pepsi Max’s popular viral campaign “Test Drive” for Davie Brown Entertainment/The Marketing Arm, which features Jeff Gordon pulling pranks in disguise. Work from that campaign was honored with Clios, a One Show Pencil and an AICP award.  Other commercial directing highlights are spots for Xfinity, Mountain Dew (Call of Duty: Black Ops 3), Taco Bell, Twitter and Honda, to note just a few.

 

Atencio also directed and produced Scott Free’s highly praised “Jean-Claude Van Johnson,” the original series for Amazon Studios that is a genre-busting, tongue-in-cheek portrayal of Jean-Claude Van Damme’s life in the spotlight. And he has directed feature films such as Keanu, an action comedy for Warner Bros. starring Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele that evolves around an adorable gangsta kitten.

 

Peter Atencio on set Jean-Claude Van Johnson

Peter Atencio on set Jean-Claude Van Johnson

“Peter is a natural narrative storyteller and has a sixth sense about comedy, whether its improv or scripted,” comments David Mitchell, Managing Director, RSA Films.  “That’s complemented by his in-depth technical knowledge of filmmaking and producing. He can direct huge stunt pieces or massive special effects with the same expertise as he can two people on a simple white psych being funny. He’s a great addition to the roster and a versatile resource for our advertising clients.”

“I grew up as a fan of not just Ridley and Tony’s feature film work, but also their incredible advertising work,” Atencio comments. “They almost single-handedly made commercials cooler, funnier and more visually impressive. That legacy – that advertising was something that could be as equally culturally defining as feature films – continues today. I want to follow that same set of guidelines: How do we make advertising cool, funny, engaging and impressive?”

Among today’s upper echelon of comedic storytellers, Atencio directed all 55 episodes of “Key & Peele,” which Rotten Tomatoes praised for its “effortless ability to balance absurdity with thoughtful social commentary” and called an “endlessly inventive sketch series” at the end of its five-season run in 2015. He learned a lot from the experience and continues to draw from it. “The most important takeaway was harnessing the right energy on set to allow the comedy to happen organically,” he relates.  “As someone who is meticulous about planning and prep, it was very eye-opening to be a part of a show where we often threw out the script in favor of something much funnier we’d find on set. I try to incorporate that flexibility into what I do now. I’m still meticulous, but filmmaking is an organic process, and it’s best to embrace that – particularly when it comes to comedy.”

Atencio also enjoys commercial projects where he gets to do things film and TV work would not normally allow. He points to Tomcat “Trebuchet” (Barton F. Graf), a “stunt” for Tomcat deer repellant which trebuchets a variety of artificial forest animals straight up into the air and out of a garden, as one example, while his Pepsi Max “Test Drive 2” spot – with Jeff Gordon pranking auto journalist Travis Okulski – is another. “That ‘Test Drive 2’ spot is probably the most memorable experience for me, because it’s not often that a multinational corporation gives you the go-ahead to plan and execute a kidnapping and high-speed car chase with a NASCAR champion driver who’s in disguise as an ex-con.”

His experience working at a high level in both advertising and entertainment enables Atencio to offer brands and agencies the best of both worlds. “I pride myself on having a distinct vision, but being easy to collaborate with,” he says. “That means having great communication throughout the whole process, so that no one is surprised by what’s happening.  On set, I prefer a relaxed and jovial atmosphere, as I find that it usually results in better performances and stronger results. When a spot is intended to be funny, I’m always happy to help pitch jokes throughout the process, and I tend to incorporate a fair amount of improv into my plan for the shooting day. There’s nothing better than going in with a tight idea and a strong script, and then making it even funnier with some experimentation on the day. Even the best comedy writing in the world gets stronger when it lives and breathes inside the world we’ve created on set.”

Atencio is repped for television and film projects by UTA and managed by Peter Principato at Artists First.

ABOUT RIDLEY SCOTT AND ASSOCIATES

Founded by Ridley and Tony Scott in 1968, RSA Films has, for 50 years, been one of the world’s leading commercial production companies. RSA has created a legacy of excellence in commercials, music videos, features, television, branded content, VR and beyond that has expanded over the years to sister companies Scott Free and Black Dog Films. Headquartered in Los Angeles, with offices in New York, London, Hong Kong and Shanghai, RSA has a roster of over 70 directors, including Ava DuVernay, Sam Mendes, Paul Feig and Jake Scott. RSA has received numerous Cannes Lions, EMMY, BAFTA, AICP, CLIO, MTV and MVPA Awards since its inception. RSA Films is a Ridley Scott Creative Group company.

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Göteborgs-Posten newspaper has Swedes putting themselves up on display to experience prejudice firsthand

Anewspaper deliveres news, but that’s not the only job of a journalist. A journalist should find the facts of any event and report them without prejudice. 
Göteborgs-Posten, a large broadsheet in Sweden with headquarters on the west coast in Sweden’s second-largest city, Gothenburg, believe that a journalist’s factual reporting can help raise awareness, increase understanding and help crush preconceptions. 

As the agency explains; 

 

“Fake news, fast news and filter bubbles are big challenges within today’s media landscape. They all create a narrower, twisted view of our world and have led researches to warn against growing prejudice in our societies.

The solution, they say, is unbiased and well-researched journalism.

In order to create awareness of the growing prejudice in our society and the polarisation that it inevitably leads to, Stampen Media launched a social experiment in Gothenburg, Sweden called Visible Thoughts.”

Many of us are acutely aware of the rarity of unbiased journalism these days.

So the agency created this social experiment, “Fördomstolen”, which is a portmanteau pun meaning prejudice court, but also to pre-judge

 

The experiment was in a shop-window in the centre of Gothenburg. Brave participants were simply asked to sit in the window, and people outside would judge them based on their appearance alone. They could label the person by selecting words they thought fit, such as “middle class”, “feminist”, “highly educated”, “humanist”, “bisexual”, single”, “vegan”, “trainer” and so on. 

The answers were shown in real-time in the shop window and online. The agency thinks this is the way we can all break out of our bubbles. Bubbles, in particular, are everywhere these days when people will carefully select who to follow (and who to block) on social media, which in turn silos us all into different corners. 

 

“Over 6000 people took part in the experiment. It not only created awareness around the subject in Sweden, it made people realise how lack of knowledge feeds our prejudices. Because only real knowledge and a better understanding of the world we live in can prevent us from keep judging each other.

The goal of the campaign was to start conversations around prejudice and to encourage people to want to get to know one another, outside of their own bubble. If we can make people realise that we all carry prejudice, we can also increase tolerance for what is considered different.”

Client: Stampen Media

Agency: Stendahls, Gothenburg, Sweden

As hurricane Dorian pummels the Bahamas, Coke ads cheerfully speak about "waves"

As hurricane Dorian, a terrifying cat 5, pummeled the Abaco and Grand Bahama islands in the Bahamas people searched social media for news. Unfortunately for brands, that’s when their ads appeared as promoted tweets in their feed.

Now, we all know that “programmatic buying” as someone dubbed it means that nobody actually placed this ad in this poor context – but it doesn’t matter to the viewer at all. Having Coke cheerfully talking about waves when your searching for news about the islands that were literally underwater due to Dorian, is quite distasteful. “Anytime is the best time to start a wave” No, chief, this ain’t it.

“Anytime is the best time to start a wave” – no Coke, this is not a good time.

Island-inspired tweets ready to be promoted when people are talking about the beautiful tropical islands don’t look so great right now either. All we need is a bathing suit and floaties? The international airport on Grand Bahama in the Bahamas and many communities and towns were literally submerged. We’re going to need more than floaties, Hilton.

“All you need this summer is a bathing suit and as many floaties as you can fit…”

Once again, we know that these ads aren’t planned to show up between tweets showing extremely dramatic news regarding hurricane Dorian, but they are targeted by geography and keywords same as always, you would think that advertisers knew to have a “shut it down” button ready for emergency situations like this by now. 

I’ll leave you with this one, perhaps not the worst of ads, but then you might remember that there’s a couple of Bacardi Distilleries in the Bahamas. 

If you want to help the people of the Bahamas, early relief efforts are deployed by International medical corps and the  Bahamas redcross are asking people to donate non-perishable goods, baby supplies, bedding, and cleaning items for them to distribute to the areas most affected by Hurricane Dorian using the hashtag #HelpUsHelp. Donating to Team Rubicon will help as they are an international disaster relief nonprofit organization made up of military veterans and first responders, they can help with anything from rebuilding houses to clearing debris and helping organize large groups of volunteers. They went to the Bahamas early to help put up sandbags and board up windows, so they already have people in the country.

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