Work of the Week: 30/05/25
Ocado - Life Delivered
Chosen by Ben Conway, Americas reporter
Love Song director Louis McCourt has knocked this out of the park. Created by Uncommon, 'Life Delivered' is a topsy-turvy, back-to-front trip from party end to party beginning, nestled perfectly amidst the psychedelic sound of the Chemical Brothers and Noel Gallagher's 'Let Forever Be'. It's positively shimmering with sunshiny energy and bounces along with beautiful shot after shot of captivating reversed footage. It's sonically, visually vibrant and slightly nostalgic, perfectly encapsulating the spirit of British summer and bringing that tagline, 'Life Delivered', to life in style.
O2 - Big Fish
Chosen by Paul Monan, head of creative excellence
This one certainly caused quite a bit of discussion in the office this week. I mean, it's a beautiful blend of absurdity and bizarreness – a talking fish, not the obvious hero in a telco campaign, and of course humour is subjective, right?
But the new O2 Telefónica campaign, from Serviceplan's dedicated O2 unit Bubble, has a fair few fans around LBB towers and finds itself on this list. Injecting humour into a humourless topic – let's be real, who enjoys waiting around for a technician to fit their new router, let alone enjoys having to pay for the privilege – the campaign marks a new direction for the network, which will roll out across TV, digital and social.
And with Andreas Nilsson at the helm, via Czar, there aren't too many better directors to bring this fish to life.
ISDIN - Magic
Chosen by Zoe Antonov, EMEA reporter, UK production
This has to be one of the best looking ads I’ve seen in a while – and not just because of Carlos Alcaraz. While it has an air of greatness familiar to many ads involving sports people, this ISDIN campaign shows us a different side to tennis players. Usually propped against lux or premium products, from watches, to shoes and clothes, this tennis film gives us a more serious take on what it means to step onto the clay court.
Production company Rebolucion managed to create a grittier, more honest version, and one that is almost mythical. A pathetic fallacy done better than right, the sun gleams at the other end of the court as Carlos fights it in a Sisyphean battle. The narration, in Carlos’ voice, adds yet another layer of depth to the scene. All in all – a perfect film.
Campari - The Bartender
Chosen by Zhenya Tsenzharyk, UK editor
Ah, Campari – Aperol’s sophisticated, older sister. The superlative spritz star.
The apéritif’s ruby hue is the ideal companion for the Cannes Film Festival red carpet – all it needs is a suitably glamorous bartender to mix up the negronis. Enter: Mads Mikkelsen.
The luscious spot, directed by Martin Werner, with creative direction from &FRIENDS and AKQA Italy, sees the actor put a personal spin on the classic cocktail. With exceptional attention to detail. My favourite moment is when Mads expresses the essential oils from a strip of orange peel that’s been embossed to look like film stock. A moment of pure elegance. It’s the perfect detail to tie together all the drama happening on and off screen.
Toblerone - Tantrum
Chosen by Alex Reeves, managing editor, EMEA
This kind of ‘viral stunt’ makes me a bit nostalgic for the early days of YouTube advertising, when ‘digital agencies’ first started making moving-image work for their clients that wasn’t made to end up in TV ad breaks. Flash mobs and ‘epic fail’ stunts that drove organic online buzz around a brand used to be all the rage. These days, most social media scrollers are allergic to such contrivance. But something in this stunt for Toblerone by LePub has flown in the face of that. Maybe it’s the simple fact that it is so believable. The prismic Swiss treat is the top duty free chocolate brand, so somewhere out there are lots of children who have come to expect a triangular bar every time their parents travel – to the point where we totally buy it that this girl is throwing a genuine tantrum. Could this be the start of a branded viral video renaissance?
UN Women Sweden - Signs of the Times
Chosen by Zara Naseer, EMEA reporter
It’s a miserable truth that women are still fighting for the same rights they were 50 years ago. A hundred, even. As progress rolls backwards in several countries, the marches must continue forward.
Driving home that point is an initiative from UN Women Sweden and NORD DDB. ‘Signs of the Times’ uses AI to digitally restore protest placards from historical photographs, and makes them available to download on the organisation’s website. Next time you’re DIYing yours, you can choose from a selection of slogans including 'Abortion Is a Women’s Right!' (1972), 'Equal Pay Now!' (1954), and 'Women Against Violence Against Women!' (1981). Alarmingly timeless.
ANZ Bank - Record Season
Chosen by Tom Loudon, AUNZ reporter
ANZ Bank and TBWA\NZ have launched ‘Record Season’ – a limited-edition vinyl that transforms Auckland FC's historic debut season into an orchestral audio experience, featuring consecutive opening wins, a 532-minute defensive streak, and the unified chants of thousands of fans.
When AFC was introduced to the A-League, the club initially struggled for sponsorship. So brands like ANZ have a vested interest in building AFC’s brand, not just their own, and ensuring a return on sponsorship investment. For ANZ, that started with the 'Day 1 Jerseys', which saw a select number of shirts hung around the city using OOH sites to reward original fans. The team went on to win the league in its very first season.
'Record Season' is the latest example of the bank making a move regular sponsors often don’t – prioritising fans first. Ultimately, immortalising a team's first, triumphant season on vinyl does more to build the club’s brand than ANZ’s – a strategic generosity designed to build and celebrate real fandom.
Morrisons - Fresh From Market Street
Chosen by Aysun Bora, Germany Reporter
With ‘Fresh From Market Street’, Morrisons makes the case for their fresh and local produce. The scenes of customers looking for food at the sea and the farm, then finding themselves in Morrisons are funny, colourful and inherently British. In a witty and creative way, the spots by Leo Burnett remind you of the hardship that comes with sourcing food. It also makes you appreciate the local supermarket even more. In its simplicity the films manage to carry Morrisons’ brand identity of British, local fresh food in 40 seconds. A real success if you ask me.
Tesco - Can’t Argue With That
Chosen by Abi Lightfoot, Americas reporter
The infamous 'Pineapple On Pizza' debate reared its head again this week, this time as the subject of BBH Ireland's latest campaign for Tesco Ireland.
Infusing new life into the Tesco Value platform, the spot taps into Ireland's love of a good debate – showing that whilst people might disagree on pizza toppings, everyone can appreciate a good value shop. The campaign is led by a high-energy 60 second TV spot directed by Amara Abbas through ICONOCLAST that takes the debate to new heights as it's picked up by the mainstream media and causes division between friends, families, neighbours and first dates.
Spotify - No Playlist, No Start
Chosen by Olivia Atkins, EMEA news editor
What makes this campaign so striking is its bold restraint: it champions the emotional power of music without playing a single note. By showing relatable moments frozen in limbo – before a run, before a study session, before the dishes get done – Monks Madrid taps into a universal truth: we often can't start until the right soundtrack clicks. The silence becomes the story. It builds tension, expectation, and recognition, proving just how pivotal playlists are to our routines. This decision not to use music ironically heightens its absence, spotlighting how deeply woven Spotify is into everyday life. Pairing this with a smart, user-driven mechanic – crowdsourcing playlists across categories – grounds the campaign in authenticity and gives users a meaningful role in the narrative.
ONE23WEST - H2Ottoman
Chosen by April Summers, North America features lead
I was privy to the fact ONE23WEST was working on a prototype concept related to water conservation before the H2Ottoman was officially announced, and even in its earlier iteration, I was excited. The Vancouver-based agency are renowned for being an idea and design collective intent on resolving the miscellaneous challenges their clients face. This project feels slightly different, in that it seeks to solve a broader problem facing the world at large, with the team doubling down on their dedication to delivering a seemingly seamless solution.
The H2Ottoman is a prime example of sophisticated purpose-built design. This "discreet, design-forward piece of outdoor furniture doubles as a 20-gallon rainwater reservoir" so not only does it look good and feel practical, but it also solves a very real world problem, effortlessly. ONE23WEST are masters of their graft, dreaming up concepts, and figuring things out on behalf of the consumer, so we don't have to – we can just marvel at the finished product.
