Work of the Week: 05/05/23
A pleasing trend apparent in our favourite work of the past week is the abundance of billboards. As many as four out of this week’s seven inductees into Work of the Week demonstrate brilliance and innovation in one of advertising’s oldest mediums. We are fully here for it.
It’s a selection of work that also reaches many corners of the globe with campaigns from New Zealand, Finland, Mexico, South Africa and the UK all present.
KitKat - Have a
Five letters and a red background demonstrate the staying power of KitKat's iconic tagline 'Have a Break, Have a KitKat' in this ad from Wunderman Thompson UK. A survey conducted by the agency showed that well over half of people not only identified the brand but also understood the brand message. It is a testament to the enduring power of a consistent brand message.
Minute Maid - Filled with Life
Juice brand Minute Maid is helping city dwellers soak up the sun through three activations by WPP's Open X, led by VMLY&R, that are reimagining out-of-home media. The 'Reflective Billboard' redirects sunlight into nearby windows and spaces, brightening up once-dark homes, the 'Open Billboard' eschews branding for space to open up the sunny sky behind, and the 'Extended Shelter' allows bus travellers to wait for their transport while sat in the sun.
Savanna - Dry Good
South African cider brand Savanna makes an intriguing statement about sustainability by launching a limited-edition fashion collection that embraces the inevitabilities of climate change. Created by Grey South Africa in partnership with designer Wanda Lephoto, 'Dry Goods' is a series of waterproof apparel for a world underwater. What's more, as part of the campaign's digital execution, Savanna attempted what it believed to be a world first: the first-ever recycled digital collectable. "By sourcing burnt NFT units and repurposing their artwork, Wanda has designed a singular piece that will be turned into a virtual digital avatar that we hope will make a statement in the conversation about sustainability in the digital realm,” said Kolosa Kokolo, Savanna Brand Team – Distell.
ASICS - Sound Mind Sound Body
ASICS uses typical beauty ad tropes in a smart campaign that highlights its research that 15 minutes of exercise per day offers more for our health and confidence than a miracle-working cosmetic product. The campaign, which was created by UK agency AGIT8, is a nod to the name ASICS, which is an acronym for the Latin saying 'anima sana in corpore sano' or 'a sound mind in a sound body'.
Pikari Mai
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Sam Bailey, founder of Kōpū O Te Rangi and co-creator of this project with Colenso BBDO in New Zealand, felt fatigued by the swell of royal gossip brought on by King Charles' impending coronation. "I felt like we [the Māori community] deserve the option to opt-out," they said. The result is Pīkari Mai, a new online web browser tool that replaces royal gossip and news with indigenous content pulled from a range of other news sources.
Save the Children - Rain
In 2022 more than 2,600 children in Mexico were murdered. This film from Save the Children and Grey Mexico uses the striking metaphor of raining bullets to highlight the everyday danger that's impossible for many Mexican children to escape. It was directed by Oriental Films' Charly Gutiérrez and 'Garra'.
Lidl Finland - Those Who Support Us
In Finland, the return of summer marks the arrival of the Ice Hockey World Championships, a busy period for Finnish advertising. While many brands opt for adrenaline-filled, high-energy, action films about the sport, Lidl Finland has opted for something a little different: this beautifully told, emotive story from Folk Finland and Directors Guild director Pete Riski.
