Work of the Week: 04/07/25
Casper - This Is Perfect Sleep
Chosen by Ben Conway, Americas Reporter
As an industry, we measure ads against a number of metrics: Creativity, novelty, craft… But at the end of the day, we recognise that these pieces of art, however beautiful or original, are about selling. Selling a product, or an idea of a product; the person you could be and the life you could have, if you had this product.
Perhaps I was just a little sleepy when making my selection this week, but GUT Toronto’s latest for mattress brand Casper Canada makes me want to leap through my screen and join these people in sleep perfection. Yes, the film sounds great and is wonderfully shot by Merchant’s Alex Hulsey. Yes it excellently uses light, and authentically captures the reality of messy sleep. But above all else, it activated a visceral ‘I NEED THIS’ reaction within me. Isn’t that what every brand dreams of?
McDonald’s - Filet-O-Fish Facebook Society of 2012
Chosen by Alex Reeves, managing editor, EMEA
Remember when the internet was still alive? When people came together over shared passions, free to connect across borders and indulge in their interests without culture-war arguments erupting between state-sponsored bots? It was a better internet. And in 2012, that culture gave birth to a society that never got its chance to truly flourish. Well, thanks to the creative thinking of the people at Leo UK, the Filet-O–Fish Facebook Society of 2012 is back and brimming with life. It’s even got merch that I very much want to wear. And it’s starring on billboards that showcase the surprisingly dated online aesthetics of 13 years ago. I see a lot of advertising people talking about harnessing the power of online fandom; I think this is the sort of thing they really mean.
The Loss Foundation - Loss, But Not Alone
Chosen by Abi Lightfoot, Americas reporter
It’s hard to describe grief. It’s harder to experience it. Sadness intertwined with anger, denial, regret, and so much more, it’s a sensation that’s entirely unique to each person, but unfortunately, universal too. This campaign from The Loss Foundation, the UK’s only charity supporting people bereaved by cancer, highlights the isolating effects of grief, and the importance of opening up and connecting with others who are also dealing with loss.
Highlighting the Foundation’s free, confidential support groups, the film, directed by Robert Sanderson through Partizan features actress Kimberly Nixon (‘Fresh Meat’, ‘Cranford’, ‘Outlander’) as she grapples with her own loss and finds the courage to connect with others. Soundtracked by ‘Avril 14th’ by Aphex Twin, the moving instrumental score and honest narration helps to break the silence around grief, in a way that doesn’t sensationalise or underestimate the experience.
Uber Moto - La Ciudad a tu Ritmo (The City at Your Rhythm)
Chosen by April Summers, North America features lead
This new work from Uber and Wieden+Kennedy Mexico is alive with authenticity. It transports you to Mexico on the back of a bike. The catchy original song, by Latin artist RIVVAA, has an infectious bassline that punctuates the chaos unfolding on screen. Because for millions of people living in Mexico, getting from A to B can be chaotic, and the launch of Uber Moto will make getting around a lot easier. Directed by Roger Guàrdia and produced by Madrefoca, this ad is a snippet of culture that speaks to anyone looking to unlock the city they live in.
Nike - Scary Good
Chosen by Jordan Won Neufeldt, Canada reporter
As someone who’s grown up watching Nike’s football ads – occasionally while huddled around the computer screen with friends – hearing that the it has found a new way to promote its wares, sponsored players, and the beautiful game itself is always something that instils a sense of anticipation. After all, quality and innovative craftwork are just expected from the brand at this point.
Once again, to my delight, it seems that Nike, in partnership with Wieden+Kennedy London and ProdCo director Ian Pons Jewell, has delivered. 'SCARY GOOD', its latest platform, has everything a fan of the game could ask for. Player appearances from the likes of Kylian Mbappé, Erling Haaland and Alexia Putellas? Check. Cool moments of flashy footwork? Also delivered. And, the VFX – both across the headline spot, and each of the eight individual films – is superb. All in all, it’s exactly what you’d want a Nike football campaign to be, and is a fun way to advocate for the revival of instinctive, creative and free-flowing gameplay.
E4 - The Simpsons Title Sequence
Chosen by Paul Monan, head of creative excellence
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Domino’s - Delivery All Over Mykonos
Chosen by Paul Monan, head of creative excellence
This Domino's campaign from The Newtons Laboratory captured the attention of a few of us in the office this week. It's hyper-local, appearing exclusively on the Aegean island of Mykonos, on which there's just one single Domino's outlet, setting out to tell holidaymakers that they can get their food fix (no matter where they are) through the medium of reflection.
There's something almost AI generated about the close-ups (which, for full transparency, I can neither confirm nor deny). The colours, the style and the look are bold, vibrant and draw you in. The branding and copy are minimal. This leaves us with work to do, focusing on the reflections and polo-clad delivery drivers within them - who appear in places you don't necessarily expect them: at sea, on the beach, or in the club.
Strava x Distance - The CatRace
Chosen by Sunna Coleman, reporter, Asia
Fashion catwalks are designed to showcase the latest looks in all their glory. Models saunter down the runway, stopping to pose at every angle so audiences can take in all the details. That’s why Distance and Strava’s ‘CatRace’ caught my attention. It’s the complete opposite of what a catwalk usually is.
To put sport at the heart of sportswear, the fitness brands crashed Paris Fashion Week with a show where athletes (in place of models) ran the runway. It all lasted just 57 seconds, and was later made available on @distanceathletics Instagram with a slow motion replay as well as a lookbook.
A campaign that kind of defeats the point of a runway but in doing so, drums up lots of attention and completely stands for what the brands represent.
Spotify Africa - Khuphuka Nathi
Chosen by Addison Capper, managing editor, Americas
Music is one of the most diverse blessings we have on the planet, so seeing Spotify tailor its advertising to specific markets always intrigues me. The latest example is a new film for Spotify Africa from Publicis Machine and director Sam Coleman. A celebration of Zulu identity, it follows a young boy’s journey from urban Durban back to his rural roots, delivered with enough cinematic flair to engage without overshadowing the story. Music plays a central role, especially so given the client. “The score needed to trace a journey through music, community and heritage,” said Sam. Composer Ndabo Zulu delivers on that brief beautifully, blending traditional Zulu sounds with modern genres like Gqom, the pulsing, homegrown dance music of Durban.
Ribena - There’s No Taste Like Home
Chosen by Tará McKerr, Americas reporter
As I write, the ad in question has been adorned with the accolade of a certain bird eaten exclusively at Christmas and Thanksgiving. But watching it, I found myself experiencing a bit of welcome joy. It is rooted in play, as an adult brother and sister splash around in a living room overcome with rain(?). The siblings slide and slosh to the soundtrack of ‘99 Red Balloons’ as a sip of Ribena ignites memories of times long passed. In the finale, we see reflected in a puddle the memory of the kids hugging their mum. Upon returning to reality the sister comments, “I miss her.” Not in a soppy sombre way, but with a slight smile on the edge of her mouth. A moment of acceptance but bittersweet longing. It feels more restrained than it does overdone. A real pleasure to watch if you enter the viewing uninhibited.
Motrio - The Wonderful Tale of Motrio
Chosen by Olivia Atkins, EMEA editor
Hugues de La Brosse turns the genre of car servicing ads on its head with The Wonderful Take of Motrio, a meticulously crafted and unexpectedly hilarious campaign from Buzzman and Birth Paris. Opening like a Western blockbuster with a gang of cowboys wrangling a wild beast from a wagon, only the beast is a battered Renault Clio. That unexpected metaphor is the campaign’s masterstroke: transforming a mundane garage service into an epic tale of care and redemption. What makes it really stand out for me is the total commitment to the bit – from the zoomorphic treatment of the car to the deadpan performances and sweeping cinematography by Rodrigo Prieto. Every frame is packed with precision and intention, yet it never loses its warmth or absurd charm. Rather than pushing price points, the film builds a world. It's not just funny – it's funny because it’s so finely crafted. In doing so, the campaign doesn’t just rebrand Motrio garages; it reimagines what this kind of advertising can be.
Doc Edge Documentary Festival - Sapiosexy
Zhenya Tsenzharyk , UK editor
A sapiosexual is a person who finds intelligence attractive and arousing above other attributes. In ‘Sapiosexy’, we follow Jack after he’s transformed from someone who used to eat crayons (his brother informs us, helpfully) to an enjoyer of the highbrow. The cause? We can’t be sure but it’s probably his newfound love of documentaries.
This wry and witty idea is at the heart of the film and the wider supporting campaign to showcase New Zealand’s Doc Edge Documentary Festival, created by Saatchi & Saatchi NZ. While the 30” trailer hits a lot of beats, the full documentary (it’s only seven minutes) is worth a watch to get the full effect of Kiwi humour, dryly winking performances, and direction by Saatchi & Saatchi NZ’s ECD Lee Sunter. I felt quite sapiosexy after watching it and, I can’t lie, I liked it a lot.
