Work of the Week: 14/02/25

'Girlbossing' is often hard to swallow and it's yesterday's subject in terms of brands attempting feminism. But, this Nike commercial by W+K Portland, arriving after a 27-year-long hiatus the brand took from the Super Bowl, is a far cry from that rehashed, painful narrative. The reason why I love it so much is the chills-worthy context it came with. The most masculine, macho-charged event of the year, and this shows up. Newly-elected President Trump as an onlooker in the stands, and this shows up. The crowd boos Taylor Swift, and this shows up. It's just great. Not only because of the sick display of skill within it (talk about spinning a basketball on acrylic nails), but because of what it means plus its immaculate timing. 

On, the Swiss running shoe brand, has spent the last few years moving at breakneck speed. Esquire reports that the company has grown between 70 and 80 percent every year for the past seven years, meaning it’s rapidly become one of the dominant brands in the sportswear space. But the brand’s vertical logo depicting ‘O’ and ‘N’ can be hard to make out, at least until the undisputed alphabet expert Elmo showed up in this Super Bowl ad with sporting legend Roger Federer. 

The ad, from creative agency Flower Shop, clears up any confusion around the brand’s name with light-hearted and endearing humour (a highlight of which sees Elmo perched atop a purpose-built umpire’s chair). Long-time On partner Federer’s calm bewilderment makes for the perfect foil for the iconic puppet’s sincere inquisitiveness; which is a good thing, seeing as the brand has confirmed this ad marks the start of a platform “centred around softness”, which will continue to feature Elmo. 

I knew I was going to love this before I watched it. Every EE ad since Saatchi & Saatchi London launched the British telco’s new platform has been a stonker, showcasing perfectly-observed slices of real British life with a heightened energy, always with a belter of a tune synced to it. Add to that the careful selection of directors and the respect for their craft that the agency clearly shows, and we’re cooking. Then I saw it was Glenn Kitson at the helm and it was about millennial friends escaping the city for a weekend in the Peak District. I’m even an EE customer. To say it speaks to me is an understatement. I’m now wondering if I’m really as unique as I think I am because clearly I am, to EE, a very well-defined ‘demographic’. The result delivers exactly what I knew it would. Another authentic yet cinematic slice of life, with a great track behind it. They’ve done it again.

Axe’s latest fragrance campaign is unfiltered absurdity at its best. Lola MullenLowe and director, Lionel Goldstein, unleash the power of fragrance in the form of three surreal characters who lose their cool over one ‘irresistible’ whiff. There’s a dog, a ferocious baby, and a teddy bear whose clearly had too much sugar – all staging their mini rebellion. It feels cheeky, and has an irreverent romp energy that flips traditional masculinity on its head with a wink. 

Rolling out globally, from Mexico to the UK, the campaign will spill over cinema, TV, and digital – reminding us that sometimes a bit of madness is exactly what the industry needs. The films revel in the unexpected, in an attempt to prove that when creativity dares to be audacious, it can be as refreshing as the scent itself. Well… hopefully. I haven’t actually smelt it. 

 

In the midst of a largely positive showing for our industry during the Super Bowl this past Sunday, consider my attention caught by a spot that shunned celebrities for humans with hats made of flesh. In my write-up, I called Tubi's Cowboy Head', which was created by Mischief and produced by MJZ, "charmingly horrifying". I stand by that. And I mean it as a compliment. 

Dunkin' returned to Super Bowl LIX with a sequel to 'DunKings' – and it's the seven-minute version, 'DunKings 2: The Movie' that's felt the most blockbuster out of the Big Game ads this year. 

It's a star-studded affair, as we've come to expect, with director Ben Affleck joined by his actor brother Casey, plus Jeremy Strong, Kevin Smith, internet personality Druski, and football coach Bill Belichick. But it's the way the quick-witted characters interact that makes this my favourite.

It's a film in which Oscar nominee Jeremy Strong emerges from a coffee grounds cold plunge, like Dune's Baron Harkonnen, as part of his method-acting process to become Bostonian folk hero, Paul Revere. Need I say more? The actor's line reads during his revolutionary proclamation at the end of the film (see: "Atop my trusty steed, brown BEAUTY!") should earn him a few more nominations.

It's a masterclass in absurdity and having a laugh at the celebrities' expense – all wrapped up with tight dialogue and flawless commitment from the cast. I can't wait for 'DunKings 3'.

In a campaign that went viral on social media, Volvo Cars India teamed up with internationally renowned artist, Dr. Subodh Kerkar, for a social experiment with an important life-saving twist. Turning the road into his canvas, the artist hand painted a zebra crossing at a busy intersection which soon became known as his 'Most Ignored Painting'. 

During National Road Safety Month, vehicles were filmed consistently ignoring the crossing marks, not stopping for pedestrians and driving right over his signed artwork without noticing a thing. The experiment highlighted the lack of care from drivers that puts pedestrian lives at risk every day. Through the collaboration – which involved a teaser video followed by the big reveal of the 'Most Ignored Painting' at a special event –  Volvo and Subodh Kerkar have sparked awareness, initiating a movement to ensure that the zebra crossing, the most ignored painting in India, is not ignored anymore.