High Five: Recent Faves from VMLY&R's David Guarnieri
Coming out of the pandemic, we’re all more open to light-hearted humour and authenticity, especially when it comes to advertising. Successful campaigns have the power to provoke a feeling and stay in our minds. Being relatable is the key to resonating with consumers and building or reigniting a connection with them. A brand must tap into consumers’ emotions and maintain a personality that is true to their brand. Here are my high five favourites from the past year that have done just that...
Apple - 'Fumble'
Agency: TBWA\Media Arts Lab LA
Production: Somesuch x Revolver
Director: Kim Gehrig
Is there anything more relatable than that heart-in-your-throat moment when you drop your phone and frantically try to stop it from hitting the ground? Apple’s 'Fumble' ad captures this moment flawlessly without a single line of dialogue. Playing in the background is the song ‘The Conference’ by musician Nitin Sawhney, which acts as the perfect soundtrack to this desperate chain of events. And the fact that she fails, gives a sigh of relief and carries on with her day makes it even more relatable to us all.
Bud Light Seltzer - 'Last Year's Lemons'
Agency: Wieden+Kennedy NY
Production: Arts & Sciences
Director: Mike Warzin
They say that when life gives you lemons, make lemonade. And that’s exactly what Bud Light did. In contrast to its 'Bud Light Legends' spot, the brand playfully addressed the pandemic with 'Last Year’s Lemons'. This hilariously dramatic commercial cleverly captured some of the most relatable moments of 2020 as a way to launch its Bud Light Seltzer Lemonade. In the midst of the doom and gloom of the times, it was cheeky spots like these that brought some much-needed humour back into the ad space.
Heinz - 'Draw Ketchup'
Agency: Rethink
Production: R+D Productions
Sound: Vapor Music
When we think about ketchup, don’t we all naturally think of Heinz ketchup? This is what Heinz set out to prove with its 'Draw Ketchup' campaign. Seeing everyday people draw their own renditions of what they envision when they think about ketchup was a very clever way for Heinz to show how engrained their brand awareness is in our culture, and how connected we all are to their iconic bottle.
Unilever's Dove - 'Reverse Selfie'
Agency: Ogilvy UK
Production: Independent Films
Director: Benito Montorio
Post: Absolute
An unfortunate truth of today’s society is how distorted self-image has become for young women due to the exposure to unrealistic filters and face-tuning on social media. Dove faced this pressure head-on by reversing the process. Its '#NoDigitalDistortion' campaign took a stand against unrealistic beauty standards by undoing the filters and touch-ups to reveal a young woman’s real beauty. This made an impactful statement that we can all appreciate. Taking steps in the right direction is necessary - and Dove did just that.
Apple - 'Start-up'
Sound: A G Cook
From the whir of a Mac starting up to the twirl of an iPod wheel, Apple product sounds are truly iconic. Apple’s 'Start-up' spot created a musical masterpiece using a variety of unmistakable sounds from the past 45 years of products. It was a fun and beautiful way to drum up nostalgia for all of us who are oh-so familiar with these tones that contribute to the soundtrack of our own lives.
