One of the hallmarks of a good ad is how it can create, seemingly out of thin air, an emotional connection between you and the brand. Certain products or brands rely on legacy, your shared history, while the challenge for newer players is to find a way past all our cynicism and reluctance, not to mention the “Skip Ad” button, to grab our attention and win us over. It is no easy task. You know what helps, though? The most adorable stuffed panda bear ever created. Onward!
Tile “Lost Panda”
https://youtu.be/u-evd9B-ZKg
What: The location service company Tile’s first-ever brand ad.
Who: Tile, Deutsch
Why we care: Did you even look into that little toy bear’s eyes? Are you blind to the tiny sweater vest? Inspired by a real-life customer story in which a little girl lost her favorite stuffed toy then found it with Tile’s help, the spot immediately draws an emotional connection between the product and your life. Tile CMO Simo Fleming-Wood told me the challenge was to strike a balance between an emotional pull to capture consumers’ attention while also effectively communicating how Tile works. Job done.
Covergirl “Made in the Mirror”
https://youtu.be/yARn15Ks1DE
What: New Covergirl campaign ad starring Issa Rae, Katy Perry, Ayesha Curry, personal trainer Massy Arias, 69-year-old model and dietician Maye Musk, and professional motorcycle racer Shelina Moreda.
Who: Covergirl, Droga5
Why we care: First off, anything with Issa Rae in it is worth watching. But here Covergirl also takes an unfamiliar tack for the fashion and beauty market, one that diverts significantly from the typical perspective. Droga5 group strategy director Katy Alonzo told me this week, “Traditionally in the category, it had always been women being transformed for very superficial, vain reasons. In a lot of ways, it was because the category had been stuck in a male gaze. So we wanted to rewrite a lot of those conventions.”
Pedigree “Adoptable Facebook Masks”
https://youtu.be/iZa3e-cKON4
What: A specialized version of Facebook’s new “masks” feature that lets you look like a dog, then helps you locate a dog nearby to adopt.
Who: Pedigree, BBDO New York, AllPaws
Why we care: Functional fun, people. Like an umbrella hat, except, y’know, cuter. To celebrate National Adopt A Shelter Dog Month, the brand is using the doggie mask filter effect to not only encourage people to adopt a dog, but give them a tool to actually find one–utilizing an app powered by AllPaws, an online resource that matches people with dogs at a nearby shelter.
In Real Life “#BeStrong”
What: A new anti-bullying PSA from Monica Lewinsky’s organization to mark October as Bullying Prevention Month.
Who: Monica Lewinsky, BBDO New York
Why we care: The PSA illustrates how all-too-common online interactions wold look like face-to-face. It’s the type of hidden camera advertising stunt that’s become familiar, particularly in recent horror movie marketing, but the effect of seeing people’s aggressive intolerance in real life is still unsettling.
Hewlett-Packard Enterprise “Eighteen Zeros”
What: A short film in which Hewlett-Packard Enterprise (HPE) engineers and execs outline the challenge and opportunity in getting computer modeling and simulation to take a massive step forward.
Who: Hewlett-Packard Enterprise, Atlantic Re:think, Digitas Studios
Why we care: So it turns out the cutting edge of computing is pretty tough to explain, and here we get a layperson’s outline of just what the sweet heck exascale computing actually it, and what it’s potential impact could be. I’m still not sure what it all means, but this was enough to get me excited.
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