Carousell unveils bold new logo and brand identity across Asia

Carousell, one of the largest e-commerce platforms in Asia, today unveiled a fresh new look which includes a revamped logo, brand positioning and visual identity developed by next generation, creative brand agency, Superunion. The updated look is being rolled out across Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia

The new branding captures the power of positive experiences and possibilities living in the Carousell ecosystem, an app-first, peer-to-peer, digital marketplace where consumers and businesses exchange goods and services, including personal items like fashion and electronics, as well as cars and properties.

Ambrish Chaundry, Managing Strategy Director Asia said: “Working on the Carousell rebranding project has been very exciting for us. As they build momentum around regional expansion and widen their offering, it’s a perfect time to remind the world what makes Carousell special – a community of real people, “Carousellers”, who all want what is best for each other.”

Cassandra Leong, Brand Marketing Lead for Carousell, said: “Working with Superunion was a pleasure as they engaged the whole organisation, across departments and seniority, in arriving at a narrative and identity that captures our best selves. They have been true to what we stand for and yet have pushed us forward in terms of the brand identity and customer experience.”

The big idea behind Carousell’s new visual identity is that behind every Carousell transaction is a win-win story. What sets Carousell apart from other online shopping platforms is that two real people, a buyer and seller, come together to make an exchange happen, creating a ‘magic moment.’ The new visual identity leverages pops of colour, charming illustrations, motion and overlapping shapes to bring these magic moments to life.

The Carousell platform itself has also been updated to be in line with the visual identity, simplifying its user interface and marketing communications to focus on Carousellers’ items and stories.

Carousell Logo:

The updated symbol mark maintains the original inspiration of the Carousell name and logo, the Kodak carousel, alluding to the cyclical nature of items going round and round. Superunion modernised the logotype and wordmark to reflect a vibrant yet trusted marketplace, and enabled the brand to live successfully in a digital-first environment. The five outward ‘fins’ in the symbol mark represent the company’s five core values, strongly embodied throughout Carousell’s product and culture.

 

Colours:

Red remains the core Carousell brand colour, now brighter, to represent the ambition of the brand looking into the future. A new suite of secondary colours have also been included to showcase the diversity of the Carousell marketplace.

 

Motion:

As a natural extension of the digital brand, motion has been incorporated into the visual identity, celebrating energy and movement, representative of the liveliness of the platform itself and serendipitous moments which occurs in its ecosystem.

 

The new visual identity is being rolled out formally in the coming weeks, beginning with app changes, as well as a brand campaign which will launch in September.

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CREDITS

Scott Lambert, Creative Director – Superunion

Pete Tong, Designer – Superunion

Danley Stone, Client Director – Superunion
Charlotte Cheong, Client Executive – Superunion

Ambrish Chaudhry, Managing Strategy Director – Superunion

Sherman Chia, Senior Designer – Superunion

Cassandra Leong, Brand Marketing Lead – Carousell

Jem Seow, Senior Brand Marketing Specialist – Carousell

Davina Tjandra, Creative Design Lead – Carousell

Quek Siu Rui, Founder – Carousell

Marcus Tan, Founder – Carousell

Lucas Ngoo, Founder – Carousell

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Vans "This is DIY" (2019) 1:09 (USA)

So what is DIY, you ask? It’s about doing it yourself, obvs, and also you don’t need to know how to sing or know how to make art or make original music or even have talent. Apparently, you don’t even need to introduce yourself because Vans assumes the viewer already knows who they are.

Or maybe there’s another component to this spot, like they want me to go to the website for a “deep dive.” But you know what? I don’t care. I’m over these graffiti + music + artist + skateboarder + moving a sofa to an unexpected location outside + pseudo-profound organic manifesto about being a creator kind of campaign. They haven’t been original since adidas threw a house party in 2008. 

Original? adidas? See what I did there? 

Nevermind.

Client: Vans

Agency: In-house

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Roger and Big Machine Announce Merger

Creative agency Roger and full-service production company Big Machine announced a strategic merger today that will expand the creative capabilities for their respective agency, brand, and entertainment clients. The LA-based studios will retain the Roger name and continue all operations at their newly renovated facility in the Silver Lake neighborhood of Los Angeles. Representing Roger in the business partnership is Terence Lee, creative director, Dane Macbeth, creative director, and Josh Libitsky, executive producer; and Steve Petersen, director, Ken Carlson, creative director, and Sean Owolo, business development, for Big Machine.

 

With expanded creative firepower, Roger aims to set a new benchmark for multidisciplinary creative studios, offering the best in talent and resources for projects that require branding, design, animation, VFX, VR/AR, live-action, and content development.

Top Row (L – R): Sean Owolo and Terence Lee
Bottom Row (L – R): Steve Petersen, Ken Carlson, Josh Libitsky, and Dane Macbeth

“Big Machine and Roger have always looked at ways to partner on projects and organically expand our reach into new markets,” says Lee. “We just genuinely click as creatives and as friends, and share a vision for what it takes to bring together talent, ideas, and resources to create awesome work.”

 

“We saw a tremendous opportunity to make an impact within the industry in a way that wouldn’t be possible without joining forces,” adds Owolo. “Roger’s breakthrough creative for major brands and Big Machine’s Emmy-winning content know-how allow us to offer our clients a truly complete package for every aspect of their brand.”

 

Since the merger, the studio is already embarking on a number of projects, including major creative campaigns for Disney and Sony Pictures.

 

Custom-designed from the ground up to foster a collaborative working environment, Roger’s new 6,500-square-foot studio includes four private offices, three editing suites, two conference rooms, an empty shooting space for green screen work, a kitchen, and lounge.

 

“Existing clients will appreciate the breadth of experience we have under one roof now,” concludes Libitsky. “We can assemble highly strategic and super-talented teams tailored to a specific project — or combine all of our resources in tandem to develop a fully integrated experience from the top down. We’re equally excited about how the merger positions us to explore and experiment with new mediums and areas of business.”

 

About Roger:

Roger is a Los Angeles-based creative studio specializing in branding, advertising, and content development for screens of all sizes. We partner with agencies, brands, and entertainment companies that are as passionate about creativity and innovation as we are. From strategy to execution, we bring their unique vision to life with a diverse team of makers and storytellers spanning live-action, design, animation, and VFX. Our recent clients include Discovery, General Mills, Adidas, and History. We’re Roger. Loud and clear.

 

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The "Restaurant of Mistaken Orders" , a pop-up restaurant where all the servers have dementia to raise awareness

The restaurant of mistaken orders is not your regular flashy pop-up. Its goal is to create a place where dementia patients can work, and be needed while making society at large better understand the condition. A lofty goal.

The creator,  Shiro Oguni had his prejudices about dementia crushed at a group home where dementia patients lived together, and that’s when he came up with the idea.

“Like everybody else, my awareness of dementia at first tended towards negative images of people who were ‘radically forgetful’ and ‘aimlessly wandering about.’ But actually, they can cook, clean, do laundry, go shopping and do other ‘normal’ things for themselves. They might go a little off course now and then….”

The restaurant has been designed to avoid mistakes, but since each server has dementia, some mistakes will happen. As diners are prepared for this, they are easily forgiven and sometimes quite funny. As when an older lady shows her guests to the table, and then sits down with them, momentarily forgetting that she’s on the job. The first pop-up had 37% mistaken orders served, but a full 90% satisfied customers because the interaction here is key. It’s not about the mistakes, Oguni says.

“The restaurant is not about whether orders are executed incorrectly or not. The important thing is the interaction with people who have dementia.”

It’s important to Oguni that the staff share the laughter with their customers. That they are not laughed at. For Oguni to hear that the servers say such things as “I’m still capable.” is the goal, and cultivating tolerance.

“Calling someone ‘The demented Mrs. Whozit’ is completely different from ‘Mrs. Whozit with dementia.’ Dementia is not what a person is, but just part of who they are. People are people. The change will not come from them, it must come from society.”

The restaurant was a rousing success as you can see from the short film below.

Shiro Oguni explains: 

“By cultivating tolerance, almost anything can be solved. The image of ‘Cool Japan’ is recently gathering much enthusiasm, but I think ‘Warm Japan’ is just as important. I want to promote a Japan that cultivates a warm, comfortable environment, so people will return home with smiles and a glow in their hearts.” 

If you would like to help, but can’t make it there for a quick lunch, they do accept donations as well.

PSA

The 2020 Cadillac XT6 – Crew Ready (2019) :60 (USA)

Rokkan Puts The Russo Brothers in the Driver’s Seat For Cadillac Campaign

XT6 Launch campaign continues to prove this isn’t your grandfather’s Cadillac

 

Continuing its string of disruptive work for the Cadillac brand, Rokkan has set a new bar with the launch of the Crew Ready, 3-row, XT6 SUV. In order to standout in the ever-crowded Lux-3 SUV segment, Rokkan collaborated with A-list, power-house directors The Russo Brothers and production company Bullitt. World famous superhero style with a twist defines the XT6 Crew Ready campaign and further defines the bold new direction of the Cadillac brand.

 

The campaign is comprised of a dynamic series of films showing off the XT6’s spacious 3-row interior, sporty design and rich technology suite – cementing its status as the perfect SUV for every squad, fam, or posse. In essence, XT6 Crew Ready is a celebration of size and style – performance and presence told through a cast of crews. They are both heroic and familiar –modern, tech-forward and cut from every cloth. The campaign also features the bombastic track, “Welcome To The Party,” by Diplo. The track adds a commanding layer of energy to the films for a brand whose legacy in music is unmatched.

 

“Our team has continued to push the boundaries of what the world expects from a Cadillac, and this campaign continues that dynamic creative trajectory.” Said Brian Carley, CCO of Rokkan. “We set out to uproot the idea that a 3 row SUV has to be marketed in an expected and uniform way and The Russo Brothers were the perfect partners to do just that with Crew Ready.”

This new work is a prime example of Rokkan’s disruptive and culturally relevant approach as the 19 year-young creative shop does what it does best: push the boundaries with clients to make an impact—not just on their business, but on culture at large.
 

Bullitt is a filmmakers’ collective and creative studio founded in collaboration with The Russo Brothers and Justin Lin. Combining the power of both entertainment and advertising, Bullitt harnesses the talent of innovative directors and other creators to forge experiences that connect to any desired audience. Brand supported films, AR and VR, and commercial campaigns, are just some of the projects to which Bullitt has developed, designed, and delivered, earning Cannes Lions and millions of eyeballs for its captivating and imaginative work.

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Client: Cadillac

Chief Marketing Officer: Deborah Wahl

Associate Director: Content Benjamin Haynes

Director / Product Marketing: Jason Sledziewski

Marketing Manager: Bob Benbow

Assistant Manager / Content: Rob Whitley

Marketing Coordinator: Lisa Redinger

 

Agency: Rokkan New York

Chief Creative Officer: Brian Carley

Chief Creative Officer: Bob Winter

Executive Creative Director: Alex Lea

VP / Group Creative Director: Bill Carlson

Creative Director: Austin Muncy

Creative Director: Rob Rooney

Campaign Photographer: Justin Jamison

Creative Operations: Hank Romero

Head of Production: Bruce Andreini

Executive Producer: Jenny Lee

EVP / Chief Client Officer, Matt Garcia

EVP / Global Client Lead, Paul Mareski

EVP / Director, Emily Shahady

Vice President, Group Account Director: Scott Durday

Account Supervisor: Amanda Koegler

Account Supervisor: Maggie Decker

Chief Strategy Officer: Nicolas Chidiac

Group Strategy Director: Steve Lampert

Strategist: Spice Walker

Associate Strategist: Emma Pindel

 

Production: Bullitt

Directors: The Russo Brothers

2nd Unit Director: Ari Costa

Executive Producer: Luke Ricci

Executive Producer/HOP: Jenni Sprunger

Executive Vice President, Sales & Development: Allison Amon

Producer: Jeremy Barrett

Director of Photography: Trent Opalach

 

Editorial: Final Cut

Editors: Crispin Struthers + James Rosen

Social Media Asset Editor: Geoff Hastings

Assistant Editors: Mike Radforth + Cutler Gray

Executive Producer: Sarah Roebuck

Head of Production: Penny Ensley

 

VFX: MPC

Executive Producer: Camila De Biaggi

Producer: Aiste Akelaityte

Production Coordinator: Stephen Dierks

VFX Supervisor: Rob Walker

2D Leads: Rob Walker, Bilali Mack, Tamir Sapir

2D Tean: Giulia Bartra, Esther Song, David Anger, Renato Carone, Lawrence Merrill, John Shafto, Julien Aucouturier, Thiago Porto, David Piombino, Hector Cabrera, Luis Artigas, Kataleah Cowham

 

Color: The Mill

Colorist: Mike Rossiter

Producer: Evan Bauer

 

Audio: Heard City

Sound Design + Mix: Phil Loeb

Executive Producer: Sasha Awn

Producer: Andi Lewis

Hulu – Todd Gurley's New Cat, Mr. Hulu Has Live Sports (2019): 30 (USA)

A cat and a running back are shilling Hulu Live Sports. Yep, Todd Gurley got a cat, named him Mr. Hulu Has Live Sports, and made him an Instagram star at @MrHuluHasLiveSports. If you think it’s a little ridiculous and an extremely transparent sellout, well, that’s because it is. After all that’s what the #HuluSellout  campaign is all about.

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Ad Agency: Big Family Table

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Roman's Pornhub ads silence other ads.

Isn’t this clever. Roman, the erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation company, ran an ad on Pornhub that was as much an awareness play as a public service. Using their brand colors and typeface, the long-ish copy banner ad reads “We’re Roman,  and we’re not just treating Erectile Dysfunction and Premature Ejaculation, we’re buying up the ad space from those weird porn games so you can watch your video in peace.”

Clever idea. Except for one thing. When I loaded Pornhub’s page, one of those weird porn game ads was right underneath Roman’s ad. SInce we keep it clean around here, I blocked it out with Adland’s wholesome logo but you can trust me on it. Use your imagination.

Other things Roman doesn’t get rid of are those “meet local Milfs in your area,” ads. Or so I’ve been told. I wouldn’t know. What I do know is that Roman will deliver another product straight to your door that is even more relevant to Pornhub and that’s medication for genital herpes.

Zing!

 

Method Studios Welcomes Bryan Farhy and Michael Bennett

Global digital production company Method Studios today announced the hiring of Bryan Farhy as Managing Director, West Coast and Michael Bennett as Senior Vice President and Executive Producer, West Coast MethodMade. The pair joins Method’s advertising division, with Bennett focusing on design-forward work under MethodMade. Both Farhy and Bennett bring deep industry knowledge, proven leadership, and creative vision to Method.

“The needs of our clients are changing as advanced technology and the way media is consumed transform the entertainment experience at every level. Bryan, with his extensive background in production and experiential, and Michael, coming from the world of animation and design, bring in new perspectives and that’s really exciting. I think they’re two of the most wonderful humans that you could work with and they’ll be a valuable team to our clients and artists,” said Stuart Robinson, Managing Director and Executive Vice President of North American Advertising Production for Method Studios.

An unflappable extrovert and team builder, Farhy has a knack for connecting the right talent and opportunities as well as big-picture vision. As Head of Business Development and an Executive Producer at B-Reel, he helped the company earn multiple top honors, including Creativity’s Production Company of the Year, as well as a place on Forbes’ list of America’s Most Promising Companies during his tenure. Farhy has also held EP and Head of Sales roles at Ridley Scott’s RSA Films, and Stink Films, and is the founder of Fireflies West, a non-profit that organizes an annual charity bicycle ride between Los Angeles and San Francisco to raise money for cancer research.

 

“Method is a vanguard in digital production at a time when content is in great demand. The studio creates characters, creatures and the worlds they live in, and if you’re a creator right now, you’re running towards the right goal post. I’m honored to be part of the dynamic new team,” said Farhy.

 

With a background in design and animation, and a contagious positive energy, Bennett fosters open collaboration and ideation to forge new and unexpected approaches to content creation. He excels at helping artists, brands and agencies push the boundaries of design and innovative storytelling, often drawing from a contemporary design sensibility. Prior to joining MethodMade, he served as Managing Director of Laundry, where he established and spearheaded operations for the design and animation studio’s new San Francisco location. He also has held EP and Business Development roles at Laundry Los Angeles, Ntropic San Francisco, yU+co, and Belief Design.

 

Bennett noted, “I’ve worked with some of the best designers in the industry, and that has shaped my passion for the entire process, from conceptual vision to final results. I love content that feels like a gift to the audience instead of an ad, while still aligning with a brand’s identity. The work of MethodMade feels authentic and relevant across visual styles, and I’m beyond thrilled to help establish and grow the West Coast.”

 

About Method Studios

Method Studios, a Deluxe company, is an award-winning global digital production studio built around an exceptional team of artists and innovators creating content for high-end feature films, TV/streaming, advertising/marketing and interactive projects. Its network of facilities in Los Angeles, Vancouver, New York, Montreal, Melbourne, San Francisco, Atlanta, and Pune, India, provide a full range of services including ideation, conceptual design, pre-vis, look development, directing, on-set supervision, 3D animation/CGI, motion graphics, compositing, finishing; and through Method EXP, interactive experiences and apps. methodstudios.com

 

About MethodMade

Born from Method Studios, a global digital production company with pop culture pedigree and part of Deluxe Entertainment, MethodMade is a collective of award-winning directors, artists, technologists and tastemakers turning original ideas into iconic productions for the world’s biggest brands and entertainment properties, across all media. Instagram: MethodxMade www.methodstudios.com/en/methodmade

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adidas Originals OZWEEGO – Back to the future ft. Dough-Boy, Lala Takahashi and Jackson Yee (2019) :30 (China)

To promote the new adidas originals OZWEEGO for the Chinese market adidas and Hypebeast created this slick alt-reality campaign. The flagship commercial features a star-studded cast of C-pop idol Jackson Yee, Japanese influencer Lala Takahashi, and rapper-producer Dough-Boy. Hypebeast enlisted boutique design and VFX studio Fin Design + Effects to craft the VFX for the film.

Directed by Crystal Choi, Creative Director at Hypebeast, the 30-second film theme is reworking the past to create a new future. We see the evolution from the 1998 classic OZWEEGO to the new, fresh, futuristic design. This is why a 3D printer replaces the chisel and hammer that Jackson Yee uses to craft the new shoe. 

 

Fin Design + Effects was tasked with creating the futuristic flourishes to complement the theme of the film. Fin’s VFX Supervisor Justin Bromley was on the shoot with the director in Shanghai to advise on the technicality of the VFX in relation to the shots, after which the post production was handled by Fin’s Sydney studio.

Alastair Stephen, Head of Visual Effects at Fin Design + Effects, comments: “Hypebeast’s Crystal Choi approached us with a refreshingly clear and succinct vision. This was one of the things that initially drew us to the project as we knew we could get stuck into the production straight away – leaving ample room for creative adjustments. Crystal had very clear references for the visuals she wanted and was open to technical advice on how we could craft this. It’s a very design-centric spot, so our main challenge was constantly being mindful of achieving visuals that were true to Crystal’s design sensibility. It was a pleasure to build on our body of work with adidas and Crystal was very collaborative and clear; I think the sleekness of the spot is testament to that.”

Speaking on the process, Fin VFX Supervisor Robert Grbevski comments: “Technically-speaking, the film required us to cover a whole range of CG disciplines. It made for an interesting palette of design, ranging from more abstract sequences such as the cuboid figures, which were achieved in Houdini, to the more traditional photoreal effects such as the mannequins, which we achieved in Maya. We executed most of the work in Houdini – for example where the old OZWEEGOs evolve into the new model – as it was well-suited to the design-centric nature of the project. Compositing was all finalised in Flame.”

Client: adidas

Product: OZWEEGO

Agency: Hypebeast

Production Company: GTONE

Director & Creative Director: Crystal Choi

Post Production Company: Fin Design + Effects

VFX Supervisors: Justin Bromley & Robert Grbevski

Producer: Isabelle Howarth

Head of Visual Effects: Alastair Stephen

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Telenor – "That's not real" / Telenor takes a stand for screen-time (2019) :60 (Sweden)

Telenor pokes holes in the “offline prejudices” regarding how much time we spend online each day with this film. An older man reading the sports pages in his couch starts it off by declaring eSports to not be ” a real sport”. An influencer spotting a fuzzy blue hat that she selfies herself with sasses off that “This isn’t a real job”. Even the well-meaning mother wants her daughter to stop swiping left, and “meet someone for real.” 

Directed by award-winning director Adam Hashemi, the commercial features one of the world’s biggest esport stars Olof “Olofmeister” Keijber, the Olympic gold medalist and Stanley Cup Winner Håkan Loob, and Cajsa Wessberg – influencer, illustrator and model. 

Linda Wetterborg, Tribe Lead, Sales and Marketing at Telenor explains: 

“There’s a common belief that the online achievements and activities are less valuable than IRL ones. We don’t believe that and with this campaign, we want to encourage people to reflect on what their attitudes actually say about them.”

Erik Bergqvist, Executive Creative Director at Acne, continues:

“By balancing humour, sincerity and seriousness, the campaign’s aim is to encourage reflection with a message that even the naysayers can relate to. That led to a distinct visual approach and a tone-of-voice that differentiates itself from what you normally see from a Telco.”

With the tagline: The world has changed. Have you?  Telenor with this commercial aim to respond to the current ongoing debate surrounding the negative impact of online use, and hopes to open up for a more nuanced dialogue about screen-time and encourages everyone to challenge prejudice. Because Telenor wouldn’t want you to unplug.

lient: Telenor

Linda Wetterborg, Tribe Lead Sales and Marketing 

Tobias Clewemar, Head of Brand and Marketing strategy

Mimmi Sköldberg, Brand Campaign Manager 

Kendra Ibsen, Product Owner Brandhouse

Mathias Muhrman, Senior Content marketing Manager

Agency: Acne

 

Erik Bergqvist, Executive Creative Director
Niclas Norström, Planning Director
Tommy Carlsson, Creative Lead
Joel Lindblad, Copywriter

Isaac Bonnier, Senior Art Director
Henrik Åkerberg, Final Art

Johanna Gradin, Account Director

Pia Hansson Näslund, Account Manager

Fredrika Frenkiel, Account Manager
Olle Lindgren, Executive Producer

Production company: Bacon

 

Adam Hashemi, Director
Samuel Cantor, Executive Producer

Cinematic Filmmaker, Danielle Katvan Joins 1stAveMachine

Storytelling production company 1stAveMachine has expanded its renowned and decorated directorial roster by signing award-winning filmmaker Danielle Katvan.
 

As both a film and commercial director, Danielle’s distinct style infuses offbeat humor into highly stylized, cinematic worlds. “It’s like our world, but with the volume turned up a bit,” she describes. Katvan’s stories come to life through heightened visuals and eccentric characters, yet she always maintains an underlying thread of emotional authenticity. “The beauty of filmmaking is that you can escape to another place, but still feel emotionally connected to what you’re watching – and good performances are such a huge part of making that connection.”

Danielle has emerged as a directorial tour de force, from winning a Clio for her Vogue x Free People spot, to having her short film, The Foster Portfolio, premiere at the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival. She was also selected for the 2017 SHOOT New Directors showcase, and was a recipient of an award from Kodak for Excellence in the Craft of FIlmmaking.

Partner of 1stAveMachine, Sam Penfield says, “We have been big fans of Danielle’s work for some time. Her eye for authentic performances and beautiful cinematography, set against thoughtful art direction, have made for some incredibly compelling films. We couldn’t be more excited to be a part of her career going forward.”

Growing up in her parents eclectic photography studio in New York City, Danielle was exposed to the art of visual storytelling from a young age. She began by taking 35mm photographs, developing the film in their home’s darkroom. This evolved into an interest in moving images, when she bought her first video camera at age 12. It never left her side.

She has been a fan of 1stAveMachine since her early days as a filmmaker, captivated by their boundary-pushing material and original work ethic that truly matches her own. She is thrilled to be joining the roster, and looks forward to growing and refining her reel with 1stAveMachine’s support. “The team at 1stAveMachine has shown me such genuine support and enthusiasm, and I look forward to becoming a part of their family.”

1stAveMachine is a mixed media production company and storytelling outfit. They create video, digital, and experimental content for TV, print, web, and mobile, all with a unified singular vision. They have won numerous awards since their formation, including Gold, Silver, and Bronze Cannes Lions, AICP, One Show, and ANDY awards, and many others. Their work has been featured across the globe and during the Super Bowl, and their division 1stAve Content has been instrumental in pairing the perfect influencers and creators with agencies and brands.

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Kia GT Family – Barrel Racers (2019) :49 (USA)

Set on a West Texas ranch, Kia puts all three performance-inspired models to the test through a “barrel race” with a twist. Instead of thoroughbred horses, the Stinger GT2 and GTS models along with the Forte GT, race through the course demonstrating each model’s agility, speed, nimble handling and driving dynamics with every turn of the wheel. 

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Client: KIA Motors

Taylors of Harrogate – "Why didn't we think of that before?" in new £2M Coffee Bags campaign, created by Lucky Generals.

Why on earth did we not think of this before? This is the question that Taylors of Harrogate are building their campaign around, After all, it seems so obvious that one could brew a single cup of coffee the same way you brew a single cup of tea. Like all truly clever ideas, it’s obvious in hindsight, and so the campaign is humorously self-deprecating.

Since their launch in November 2016, Taylors of Harrogate has grown to the number one brand in coffee bags. This campaign follows a relaunch of the product. After over 18 months of product development, Taylors coffee bags are now available in a redesigned box with an optimised bag and a new blend in the range, Flying Start.

 Kelly Wright, Senior Brand Manager for Taylors of Harrogate says:

“Coffee bags are proof that consumers don’t need to compromise to enjoy proper coffee, but not enough people know they exist. We’re really excited to be championing Taylors coffee bags through this campaign, enlightening millions about this game changer of a product.”

 “We don’t take ourselves too seriously at Taylors. This campaign is funny, disruptive and self-deprecating, asking the question we’ve been asking ourselves for almost three years. We hope everyone loves it as much as we do!”

Danny Brooke-Taylor, founder at Lucky Generals, says:
 

“So often in life, the best solution to something is the one that’s been staring you in the face from the very start. We’re really proud of this campaign but why didn’t we think of it before?”

The film in the campaign will be airing in 60, 30 and 10-second cut downs. It depicts a woman pondering why this ingenious idea hasn’t struck us before, and all these silly situations through time where someone who has come up with the idea is interrupted in various ways. Props for the 1970s and 1980s art direction, by the way. I love the stoner guy talking to a coatrack and the giant 80s phone. 

The TV campaign will be supported by a range of shopper marketing, out of home, digital, PR and sampling activity at music festivals and train stations across the country this month, targeting consumers who prefer roast and ground coffee but sometimes have to compromise with instant coffee in the interest of convenience.

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Credits

Brand: Taylors of Harrogate

Client name and job title: Taylors Coffee Bags – Why didn’t we think of them before?
Creative Agency: Lucky Generals

Media agency: Goodstuff
Director: Randy Krallman
Production Company: Smuggler
Production Company Producer: Gustav Geldenhuys
Editing House/Editor:  Marshall Street Editor / Tim Thornton-Allan
Post Production: Electric Theatre Collective 

Post Production Producer: Jon Purton

Colourist: Janson Wallis 

2D Lead: Paul Wilmot

2D Artists: Flavio Kawamoto, Tomer Epsthein

DMP: Dave Gibbons

Sound Studio/Engineer: Wave Studios / Parv Thind 

 

About Lucky Generals

Lucky Generals is a creative company for people on a mission. An Emmy-nominated, multi-award-winning agency, with creativity at its core, we believe in making work that makes a difference. Founded in 2013 by Helen Calcraft, Andy Nairn and Danny Brooke-Taylor, Lucky Generals is now an international agency with offices in London and New York. Clients include Amazon, AB Inbev, Celebrity Cruises, Funding Circle and The Co-op.

Mercedes Canada has stirred up controversy with line "the values that unite us all" in short Twitter ad

Mercedes Canada has stirred up controversy with their most recent tweet celebrating “the values that unite us all.” That is, gay pride, because pride is now in Canada, a full two weeks after gay pride month USA finished, and a week after most Gay Prides in Europe, which may have triggered some of the responses to this tweet. “Is this Pride thing a multi month celebration now? I’m growing tired of it” responds one twitter user, while others concentrate on the line “the values that unite us all” as it is juxtaposed with various LGBTQ people.

Say what you want about peoples reactions, this does teach us a valuable lesson about advertising placement. After having seen pretty much every brand on Twitter US change their logotypes and tweet Gay Pride things for all of July, I too was getting rather fed up. Then the second wave began for me, as Gay Pride in Sweden began in August. Now it is in Canada. There is value in keeping your advertising local when it is. 

Then there is also a problem with the practice of rainbow-washing, a.k.a pinkwashing. Like Greenwashing and Equalitywashing, consumers know when brands are pandering and the act of rainbow-washing can threaten brands. Products that profit from pride divide the LGBTQ community because honestly is that bottle of rainbow Absolute Vodka in a box of glitter really a company showing allyship or just making a quick sales bump?

Will people buy more Mercedes now that Mercedes Canada has had a bearded Drag Queen talk about “spirit” together with other LGBTQ people who mention things like life and sunlight? The most hostile response that Mercedes received, however, was an image reminding them of their past that shows this car brands willingness to follow the current zeitgeist without question. I’m sure that wasn’t the result the creative team had in mind, when they talked about “the values that unite us all.”

Mercedes-Benz greets the airplanes flying overhead with a “Heil Hitler!” salute made with vehicles manufactured at the Daimler-Benz factory in 1936.

marketing mishaps

Markee the Sad

Leo Burnett London and McDonald’s create spoof fashion brand ‘Schnuggs’ to launch spicy chicken nuggets

McDonald’s and Leo Burnett London have launched an amusing campaign called ‘Schnuggs’ celebrating the release of new Spicy Chicken McNuggets, their hottest new product launch and the latest addition to its menu, available for seven weeks. The models Andrezo, Esmeralda and Jake strut their best “Cool” faces drumming up the hype as they are wearing custom made Spicy Chicken McNuggets apparel. It is the hottest fashion drop of the year – Spicy X Chicken McNuggets = Schnuggs. 

 

Spoofing the launches of fashion brands like Supreme, this is just McD’s way of teasing you about the hot, literally, chicken McNuggets.

Together with the spoof fashion brand, there’s also ads with mysterious burn holes in the Metro, that announced the launch of Spicy Chicken McNuggets at McDonald’s on Wednesday 7th.

Liz Whitbread at McDonald’s said “The Spicy Chicken McNuggets campaign is a very exciting product launch for us. An existing innovation to one of our most loved products and with Schnuggs, we’ve got a campaign to match.”

Graham Lakeland, Creative Director at Leo Burnett London, said: “We drew inspiration from these cult-like brands that have this young audience going crazy for their latest product.  Therefore, creating a spoof ‘hype beast’ clothing brand to model our new Spicy McNuggets felt like a great fit. This, coupled with a mixture of food-focused posts helps us create a buzz to become one of the most talked about foods this year.”

Billboard for the spicy chicken McNuggets

Agency: Leo Burnett London
Creative Director:  Graham Lakeland
Creative:  Aaron Taylor
Planner/CSU Director: Carl Juresic, Adriana Ferran, Linnea Berglund
Designer: Paul Reddington, Sam Kallen
Photographer : Myles New

"Hi, I’m William Devane, on the phone to my agent because if I have to do another one of these ads…"

Lately, I’ve been fascinated by these commercials for Rosland Capital, starring journeyman actor William Devane who you might know from 24, The Grinder, or if you’re in your senior years, the early 1980’s soap opera Knot’s Landing. My guess is this audience these commercials are intended for know him best for the latter.

 

Rosland Capital is one of those companies that tend to appeal to listeners of talk radio, preppers, survivalists, tin-foil hat wearers and senior citizens who are always worried that their hard-earned money might one day vanish overnight because some foreign regime or shadowy cabal has taken it.

Like other companies of this nature or commercials by ambulance-chasing lawyers), they exploit fear by promising security in an insecure world. Unlike other companies, however, the production value of these is higher.

Watching Rosland Capital commercials are as oddly soothing, mildly patriotic and hypnotic as they are laced with barely concealed paranoia. The premise is always the same. William Devane on location. Never the same place twice. He introduces himself, explains why he’s in that particular location, and references some timely topic in a generalized way. And then there’s a slow wind up that leads to why he buys gold from Rosland Capital, making sure the emphasis is on the word “gold.”

 

He relaxes at home. He’s flying a plane. He’s doing yard work. He’s standing in front of what could be the White House. He’s on a battleship. Yeah. A freaking battleship.

 

I started wondering where else William Devane could be, just to mix it up and keep it fresh. And I hereby give Rosland Capital permission to use these premises.

“Hi, I’m William Devane. Like you, I worry about chemtrails. They contain lead, arsenic and other heavy metals. Until QAnon infiltrates the CIA and puts a stop to their nefarious plans once and for all, I’ll stay the fuck indoors and order precious metals from Rosland Capital.”

 

“Hi, I’m William Devane, laying down some bass in Steve Albini’s studio. With the exception of math rock, the only thing I’m more obsessed with is the sound math that’ll make my retirement goals a reality. That’s where Rosland Capital’s gold comes in.”

 

“Hi, I’m William Devane, here at the farmer’s market. They say an apple a day keeps the doctor away. Know what’ll keeps you from having to eat cat food in your golden years? Gold. I buy mine from Rosland Capital.”

 

“Hi, I’m William Devane. If you’re like me, you are utterly convinced we’re living in a computer simulation, like unwitting characters in an absurd video game. I don’t know about you, but the only way to win is to play for keeps. That’s why I do two things: Play dirty. And level-up my gold and silver with Rosland Capital.”

 

“Hi, I’m William Devane. See that tree over there? I can make it move by telekinesis. What I can’t do on my own though, is protect my retirement funds. That’s why I always buy gold and silver from Rosland Capital.”

 

“Hi, I’m William Devane, getting some dental work done. Even though we still call it novocaine, most dentists have replaced it in favor of newer numbing agents like Lidocaine because it’s faster-acting. In all honesty though, there’s no better tingling sensation than knowing all that money you worked for is safe because you invested in gold through Rosland Capital.

 

“Hi, I’m William Devane. Did you ever turn your back for five seconds on a perfectly ripe avocado only to discover it turned brown? I don’t know what’s up with that, but I do know if you buy gold from Rosland Capital, your financial future won’t spoil.”

 

“Hi, I’m William Devane. And I’m on the phone talking to my agent. Because if I’m going to do another year of these Rosland Capital commercials, they’re going to pay through the nose. In gold.”

 

“Hi, I’m William Devane, on the set of a pornographic film. I was blessed with three things: A birth name that sounds lewd. Natural stamina. And the ability to plan my future wisely. That’s why I buy gold from Rosland Capital.”

 

*Record Scratch.* 

*Freeze Frame.* 

Yup, that’s me, William Devane. You’re probably wondering how I ended up in this situation. Stuck in Suvarnabhumi airport customs. Sweating bullets. Yuri said this would be the last time. He always says that. “Just one more job, boychik.” If I put my foot down, he shows me those photos again. Threatens to tell the police. “You can do almost anything in Thailand, but not that. What will the authorities think? You’ll spend the rest of your days in a Bangkok prison, boychik.”  Just how valuable can peacock feathers and python venom be? Lord knows what he does with them, or who he sells them to. If there’s a lesson to be learned from this, it’s that you should never trust a Ukrainian with a glass eye. Well that, and keep your money secure from a volatile stock market through the purchase of sound financial investments like gold and silver from Rosland Capital.”

 


 

In addition to being a freelance CD CW (ask for the password to my portfolio) I’m also an author.

advertising jokes

advertising jokes

BBR Saatchi & Saatchi and the StopCancer Association present: The Cancer That Stuck Me

Every day in Israel, ten young adults ages 18-40 find out they have cancer. Still, the country’s support system does not recognize this age category as a population with special needs.

Quite the opposite in fact. For many of these young adults who are just starting out in life –  starting a family, buying an apartment, beginning their careers; getting cancer means getting stuck.

 

Why? Because young cancer patients (and even recovering young cancer patients) can’t get a mortgage, women cancer patients are not told to freeze their eggs (in spite of what you can imagine cancer treatments may do to their ability to conceive & have a baby) and 60% of them are not hired back to work. For these people, getting cancer means getting stuck.

 

The “Stop Cancer” association was created to change that and provide a network of support for young adults with cancer. Therefore, in honour of the first ‘Young Adult Cancer Awareness Week’, BBR Saatchi & Saatchi launched #The_Cancer_That_Stuck_Me.

 

The idea behind the campaign was to emphasize that while a ‘regular’ 29-year-old, buying his first apartment, life is on track to move forward, the life of another person that same age, who just was diagnosed with cancer, suddenly gets stuck. While he is asked to deal with the disease, once recovered buying an apartment will be an impossible dream as he will not be eligible for any funding or mortgage.

The campaign carried which was carried out on every media platform available, attempts to illustrate how cancer patients are getting stuck. It began with organic Instagram stories which hit a nerve and spread everywhere as hundreds of celebrities joined the cause and shared their stories. Live prime television broadcasts froze, live radio broadcasts got stuck, as did TV Promos, movie trailers and YouTube pre-rolls. Even Israeli President Mr. Reuven Rivlin voiced his position. The case study shows much of this.

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Advertising Agency: BBR Saatchi & Saatchi, Israel

Chief Executive Officer: Ben Muskal

Chief Creative Officer: Yaron Perel

Creative Director: Kobi Cohen

Art Director: Gali Divon

Account Supervisor: Moran Darzi

Account Executive: Adva Aviad

Media Strategy Manager: Ronit Shekel

Marcom Director: Eva Hasson

VP Content & Production: Iris Yisraeli

Producers: Livnat Alon

Photographer: Ron Kedmi

Video Photographer: Leehou Porat

Video Editor: Tom Lin

Original Music: Yaya Cohen Aharonov

Studio BBR Manager: Yaron Keinan

Studio BBR: Zehava Gonen Greenberg, Masha Varshitsky, Noam Carmel, Jenny Gindus, Eyal Vinitzer, Gabi Levi Elkayam, Robert Mizikovsky

 

Stop Cancer Team:

Marketing & Strategic Manager: Adi Muggia

Community & social network Manager: Yifat Mor

Minisite Content Manager & copywriter: Sharon Shinar

Minisite Technical operator: Liran Rozen (Anova company)

 

Tal Center non-profit organization Team:

CEO & Stop Cancer project manager: Shira Segal Kuperman

Chief Executive Officer of Foreign relations & resources developing: Saar Amir

Operation& publicity manager: Shani Adelshtein

Tal Center Founders: Zohar & Yankale Yakobson

 

Ben Horin & Alexandrovitz Public Relations Team:

Head of Public Sector Department: Amit Melnik

Team leader: Ortal Elias

Media consultant?:  Yuval Mor

Marmite bites back at Vegemite in full page ad: "See you at the home of Cricket" #MarmyArmy

So, recall that Marmite ‘started it’ as they handed out free jars of Marmite at the Ashes? Yeah, then Vegemite responded with this full-page advert in the Mirror, declaring Vegemite to be a “far stronger taste, made of resilience and fortitude with a dash of cunning and guile” and that it “tastes like Australia”

 

Marmite wasn’t going to take that in silence, they have now responded with this: 

“Dear vegemite”

“Dear vegemite

We might not taste like Australia.

but love it or hate it,

we won’t be tampering with it.

— see you at the home of cricket.”
#MarmyArmy

Now, the #MarmyArmy are probably equipped with free jars of Marmite giveaways, if I’d venture a guess, and they just announced where they will be so if anyone nearby fancies a free jar…. Created by Adam&Eve DDB, London, it might look a tad passive considering how brash the Vegemite ad was, but just like the Brits they may be subtle on the surface but I’m certain something bigger awaits. Also, what did they mean by “tampering”, is this yet another Cricket reference flying over my head? I’m sure it is.

OOH

Bat for Lashes "The Hunger" | Directed by Natasha Khan / Lief (2019)

Bat For Lashes, aka Natasha Khan, unveils her new song “The Hunger” from her highly anticipated new album Lost Girls out on September 6 via AWAL Recordings.  The video for “The Hunger,” which Khan directed and stars in, is shot in an otherworldly nowhere place, and reveals Khan’s character Nikki Pink’s rise as the head priestess of the Lost Girls, spreading magic and light through a triumphant ceremonial performance. A meditation on love, grief, release, and redemption, the video was produced in collaboration with her production company Lief.

Following on from the lush slow burn of “Kids in the Dark” and the poppered up 80’s rush of “Feel For You”, comes third single ‘The Hunger’: a powerful, mystical anthem, spilling out across five precisely crafted minutes. “I started that song with this organ sound on a really old ’80s synth”, Natasha remembers. “Then (co-writer/ producer) Charles Scott IV brought in his bass, and every time we were adding more and more stuff it was getting closer to this particular feeling that I wanted. There’s nothing like this feeling of translating something that’s in your DNA, part of who you are energetically, coming out in music. Like it matches a thumbprint inside of you.”

Spanning 10 tracks, Lost Girls sees Khan dreaming up her own fully formed parallel universe, laying tantalizing clues on social media. If her last album, The Bride, was melancholy and mournful, a tone poem of loss and regret, Lost Girls is her mischievous younger sister, widescreen in scope and bursting with Technicolor intensity.  It’s an album for driving in the dark; holding hands at sunset; jumping off bridges with vampires; riding your bike across the moon.   Within the women of Lost Girls and her character Nikki Pink, Khan unfolds elements of herself; within these songs, we do the same.  Filled with gauzy, 80’s-esque power ballads, Iranian-inspired beats, and the sort of epic sonics reserved for film credits rolling up a screen, Lost Girls is a noir, supernatural night-riding adventure, and one of the finest albums in Khan’s rich, varied discography.  

Nikki Pink: Natasha Khan

Lost Girls: Avery Wheless, Evangeline Neuhart, Dominique N Godinez, Kenzie McClure, Angelica DeWitt

Director: Natasha Khan

Producer: Margo Mars

Production Company: Lief

Director of Photography: Sean Conaty

Costume Design: Devin Winter

Nikki Pink Dress: Romance Was Born

Hair & Make-Up Artist: Alex Perrone

Line Producer: Roberto Rodriguez

Casting: Avery Wheless

Editor: Jamie O’Donnell

Colourist: Yoomin Lee

Titles: Fraser Muggeridge Studio

Co-op – Ice Cream / “It’s what we do” (2019) :30 (UK)

Two little old ladies who enjoy open water swimming, have a dip and chat. According to ad creators Lucky Generals, their gabbing is completely unscripted but they still manage to long for ice-cream and explain that Co-op has replaced plastic carrier bags with environmentally-friendly alternatives. Which, in the end, keeps the open water swimming sea clean for these swimming ladies. I’ll pass on the swim, thanks, but I wouldn’t mind some ice-cream.

 

Ali Jones, Customer Director at Co-op said: “Building stronger communities by being a stronger Co-op is what we do and we are committed in helping our members and customers to make more ethical choices. Reducing the environmental impact of products is and always has been at the core of Co-op and the introduction of compostable bags in stores where local authorities accept them, is helping to reduce plastic contamination in a targeted way.”

 

Kate Murphy, Creative Director at Lucky Generals, said: “In this ad we knew we needed to bring an important message to life, but in a relatable and lighthearted way. Our swimmers, Jackie and Margot answered this perfectly and were an absolute joy. They brought such fun and warmth to the day, despite having to swim around in some very cold water.”

Brand: Co-op

Client name and job title: Alison Jones, Customer Director at Co-op

Creative Agency: Lucky Generals

Director: MJ Delaney

Production Company: Merman 

Production Company Producer: Lucy Tate

Executive Producer: Siobhan Murphy

Editing House/Editor: Rebecca Luff @ tenthree

Post Production: The Mill

Sound Design: James Cobbold @ 750mph

Audio Post-Production: 750mph