Work of the Week: 21/03/25
PETA - My First Lab Animal
Chosen by Tará McKerr, Europe reporter
If there’s one thing PETA does well, it’s making you feel uncomfortable. Viewing any of their campaigns means a moment of forced introspection, whether you like it or not. Perhaps that’s the reason the animal rights organisation seems to rattle so many people.
Their latest spot hoists us back to the ‘90s in a move that feasts on inducing the nostalgia of old toy ads. Everything from the colour grading, the framing, and sounds, to pixels, flow and demonstrations, mimics perfectly what millennials would have seen on their screens as kids. It’s done so well that you might miss the point at first.
And then there’s the blood. Squelching and splattering over the child’s face as she cuts into her first lab animal. It’s dark in its lightness. And that’s what makes it work so well. The work is, of course, a commentary on the disconnect that exists between the natural human state of loving and caring for animals, with the harm we are happy to inflict as adults. So long as it’s in the back of our mind.
HORNBACH - Feel Like a Kid Again
Chosen by Zara Naseer, EMEA members reporter
It’s been a long winter. Shrouded in the shadows, one demographic has been wasting away, at a loose end for what to do. But spring has sprung… and the DIY-ers are stirring.
The latest of HORNBACH’s delightfully insane campaigns with HeimatTBWA\ Berlin takes this idea and runs wildly with it. With little better to do, stir-crazy adults eat pages from books, cover themselves in peanut butter, and clip clothes pegs all over their bodies, until a familiar jingle – an ice cream truck, perhaps? – heralds a new arrival in town. Like a pack unleashed, they begin the hunt.
What follows is a truly deranged chase scene. Manic laughter erupts from their menacing grins as they charge down the street to reach what’s been promised: a looming oversized toy truck loaded to the brim with tools.
There’s so much that makes this such a fun watch. The depravity against the carefully curated suburban backdrop. The incredibly intense score and sound design (I think there’s even an elephant call?). The edit giving you hit after hit of madness.
"Deep inside each of us lies a dormant urge for unbridled childlike exuberance," explains Guido Heffels, HeimatTBWA\’s longtime chief creative for HORNBACH. The team behind this film definitely embraced theirs.
Diesel - The Houseguests
Chosen by Tará McKerr, Europe reporter
I have a confession to make: I didn’t come across this ad through the usual channels. Earlier this week, I woke up,and, through hazy eyes, started scrolling on my phone. Despite having tried to abide by the ‘dopamine detox’ mob mantra (meaning that you don’t take in social media in the mornings) – I ended up on TikTok. My eyes quickly widened to surprise, when on my FYP I found myself face to face with ultra-right-wing leader of delulu land, Katie Hopkins.
She was animated, speaking about how incredible ‘90s heirloom Katie Price looked starring in Diesel’s newest ad. Of course I rushed to view it, and I was far from disappointed. The brainchild of Diesel’s in-house creative minds, the film feels like stepping inside of a Salvador Dali painting on acid, but the painting is moving, and painting is partying, and actually, everything is wrong.
It has the loose resemblance of some of that crappy AI diarrhoea in that it’s sporadic, and every one thing births another weirder thing. But it isn’t sloppy; it’s chaotically artful and free. Pervy in places and hedonistic in others. It’s curated chaos, all hosted happily by a ‘90s banger by Transform. There’s so much about it that shouldn’t work, but it’s utterly delicious, playful, and sinister. A devilish cocktail one might be tempted to drink.
Apple - Someday
Chosen by April Summers, North America features lead
Being in awe of an advertisement is a funny thing. Falling headfirst into a fantasy, despite knowing it is intended to sell you something. Because, for a moment, you forget the cyclical nature of consumerism, fully immersed in a world crafted for branded content’s sake. Wishing there was more to the story, even after the ad has ended. Sometimes you can’t help it, it doesn’t matter, because for a few short moments you were rescued from a stressful day; a smile planted on your face; a job well done.
A maven of marrying movement and emotion, Spike Jonze takes pride of place behind the camera for a second Apple ad. Following up on his Apple HomePod film featuring FKA Twigs, ‘Someday’ is another instant classic. The score! The choreo! The set design! And let’s not forget the real money maker, ‘the internet’s daddy’ – Mr Pedro Pascal. Genius casting for a genius concept. Active noise cancellation has never looked so appealing.
Duracell - Bitter Truths
Chosen by Zoe Antonov, EMEA reporter, UK production
You don’t often get the advertising industry convincing toddlers not to eat batteries. That’s why this campaign stuck out for me.
Duracell is the only battery producer that coats its lithium coin batteries in BITREX, a non-toxic, extremely bitter substance that stops kids from swallowing the oh-so-appetising looking batteries. In collaboration with VML UK and celebrated children's illustrators, such as David Litchfield (creator of the best-selling ‘The Bear & The Piano’) and Maxine Vee (a Canadian artist known for her work with Disney), the bunny mascot brand created a striking out-of-home campaign to celebrate this. With ‘too-bitter-to-swallow’ messages such as “Your Dog Didn’t Go To ‘Live On a Farm’,” Duracell made something really special – a PSA that kids will be mesmerised by, but parents will read and remember.
KFC - BELIEVE
Chosen by Alex Reeves, managing editor, EMEA
In chaotic times, many of us are craving rituals and spirituality. But if you feel like there’s nothing real in the major religions to believe in, why not believe in chicken? KFC’s blend of 11 herbs and spices is certainly an argument for it. As is that thick brown gravy. Worthy of worship. And if we live in chaotic times, then the advertising landscape reflects that too – noisy, colourful, overwhelming. Which makes Mother’s muted slow burn of a second instalment of its ‘Believe in Chicken’ platform for KFC all the more potent.
There’s a quiet intrigue bubbling under the surface of the steaming lake of gravy here. It takes a full two minutes, without dialogue, to reach the climax of its poultry exhortation. The team at Mother and director Vedran Rupic have fought to pare everything back, allowing the absurdity of the chicken baptism to sing. There is a giant gold egg as well. I personally love this kind of oddness. I really hope it works out for KFC, because signing off on this idea has restored my love for advertising.
adidas - The Fabric of Legends
Chosen by Ben Conway, Americas reporter
The German Football Association (DFB) is commemorating its 125th anniversary with long-time partners, adidas. Working with Jung von Matt SPORTS and The Sweetspot's director Sinan Sevinç, the campaign involves a limited edition anniversary kit and an accompanying film that brings together German footballing royalty.
In the film, World Cup winners Thomas Müller and Rudi Völler oversee the manufacturing of a new jersey made of 'The Fabric of Legends' – combining some of the most iconic shirts from different eras of the national team's history. Goalkeeping hero Manuel Neuer and others make an appearance to contribute their own essence to the new kit, which will first be worn by the men’s team in the UEFA Nations League.
For quite an industrial setting, the charismatic performance from known jokester Thomas Müller and upbeat salsa music results in a funny, light-hearted spot that still gets over how much Germany's footballing excellence has meant to the country in the last 125 years.
IFK Göteborg - Platinum Print
Chosen by Addison Capper, managing editor, Americas
Football fandom is eternal – passed down through generations, woven into family legacies, and now, thanks to an ancient printing technique, preserved in a way that truly lasts forever. Swedish club IFK Göteborg and Forsman & Bodenfors are embracing this sense of permanence with a jersey launch campaign that features three original photographs all printed using Platinum Print, a 150-year-old process mastered by only a handful of people worldwide. Among them is Max Caffell, a Gloucestershire-based man who is the focal point of an accompanying film that brought me two minutes of unadulterated joy over my morning coffee earlier this week.
UN Women - InkVisible
Chosen by Sunna Coleman, Asia reporter
Henna is such a beautiful South Asian tradition and is often associated with weddings. So I was shocked to see stark images of Pakistani brides with what looked like henna ‘bruises’ on their faces – intricate henna redesigned as marks of abuse.
The striking campaign by UN Women in collaboration with Impact BBDO is a call for the millions of women suffering spousal abuse in Pakistan to reach out for help. Reportedly, one in three married women face physical and mental abuse by their partners, and a vast number don’t report the crime out of fear that the violence may escalate, or due to societal taboos around divorce.
Through 'InkVisible', UN Women has not only seen an increase in the number of women reaching out for help but gained strong support from female parliamentarians in the National Assembly who wore henna as wounds and bruises to further the message and push for improved laws against spousal abuse.
Puma - Go Wild
Chosen by Abi Lightfoot, Americas members reporter
Marathon season is upon us. It comes with the pursuit of the elusive ‘runner’s high’ – a sensation known only by those who willingly choose to test their body’s stamina and endurance to the limits, craving that ‘high’ that kicks in after mile two, five or 10, apparently.
Based on the consumer insight that “running will give you a rush like nothing else,” PUMA has launched ‘Go Wild’, its biggest global campaign to date presenting a new vision of sport which is rooted in self-expression, enjoyment and social-connection.
Soundtracked to the brilliantly fitting ‘Because I Got High’, the spot, created by adam&eveDDB and directed by Elliot Power through Love Song showcases that the gruelling elements of running – the early mornings, blisters and wet weather conditions, are all worth it thanks to the ultimate runner’s high moments – setting a PB, making friends and achieving more than you thought possible.
Heineken - Pub Succession
Chosen by Ben Conway, Americas reporter
On the west coast of Ireland, there’s an island called Achill – I’ve been many times and it’s truly a gem in the stunning Atlantic landscape of County Mayo. More recently, it found fame as the shooting location for ‘The Banshees of Inisherin’, so you may already be somewhat familiar with the picturesque, rural scenery.
It’s harsh, no doubt, in the winter time – and let’s be honest, for much of the year, as it experiences upward of 200 rainy days annually and abrasive coastal winds. But it’s heaven for surfers, and home to some fine, hardy people. This includes Joseph ‘Josie’ McLoughlin, who owns McLoughlin’s Bar on Achill Sound – a pub that’s been in the family for 155 years.
After 43 years behind the bar, Josie is looking to retire but wants to keep the McLoughlin name above the door. So Heineken has stepped in to launch a global search for a new McLoughlin to take over as publican. The recruitment campaign involves print and OOH placements in New York, Boston, Auckland, Buenos Aires and elsewhere, and offers a succession package that will help the new landlord find their feet on Achill.
It’s something of a continuation of Heineken’s ‘Pub Museums’ from 2024, and another effort from the company to protect the pubs that are so often at the heart of their communities.
Maple Leaf Foods - Look For the Leaf
Chosen by Jordan Won Neufeldt, Canada reporter
Something interesting I once learned in a political science class is that one of the biggest factors in the Canadian identity is proudly being not American. But, while there’s undoubtedly a real truth to this, it’s clear to see that since the trade war began and tariffs started flying, this collective ethos has undergone an evolution. Today, residents of the country have achieved unprecedented levels of unity. We’re proud of our country, we’re proud of what we stand for, and we’re proud of our sovereignty. And, as part of this, we want to support the businesses in our country – the Canadian-owned ones who will continue to reliably deliver in these turbulent times. That’s why the ‘buy Canadian’ movement is of such significance right now.
Capitalising on this brilliantly, Maple Leaf Foods, alongside its partner creative agency No Fixed Address got in on the action this week with a smart campaign reinforcing this initiative. However, instead of taking the ‘us versus them’ approach that some other Canadian companies have already utilised, it decided to lean into the concept of ‘stronger together’. As the name suggests, Maple Leaf Foods proudly sports a maple leaf on its packaging, and in truly selfless fashion, it used its own media placements to highlight other food brands who do the same with a series of out-of-home ads. It’s clever, well-timed and resonant work – an immaculately served, delicious reminder to Canadians of which brands they should look for in stores at a time when their traditional picks may no longer be viable options.
Amazon Business - Success
Chosen by Olivia Atkins, EMEA editor
Traktor returns to what it does best and helms a traditional 30-second ad that, in my opinion, is faultless. It reinvents the wheel by reimagining the story of Little Bo Peep, where we see her repurpose her business with a little support from Amazon. The ad from Joint perfectly embeds Amazon Business into her world, answering a real need and positioning the brand as a seamless, reliable solution. It's a perfect example of simple and impactful on-brand advertising. And you can't argue with the soundtrack from Iggy Azalea and Charli XCX.
