Christmas Adverts 2017: Who is my number 1?

Well well well, this year is almost over and what better way for any creative to finish the year then to look forward to the competitive Christmas ads. Unfortunately though, this year I was thoroughly disappointed! John Lewis? Meh; Aldi, cute but the same as last year; Very, cute I guess; Debenhams, errr I didn’t get the hype; Very… cute I guess.

I had big expectations for John Lewis this year – I absolutely adored last year’s trampoline ad, but this year’s monster ad felt like a washed down version of the same vibe. I don’t know, it just didn’t do it for me. There wasn’t the same creative spark and humour.

There’s one ad that stands out from the rest by far, and that’s ASDA! Ad agency Saatchi & Saatchi created a Willy Wonka cross Wes Anderson style advert for ASDA called “Best Christmas Ever”. The ad depicts a magical tour around The Imaginarium where all of ASDA’s Christmas treats are created:

Sara Rose, CD at Saatchi & Saatchi (London) said:

Although the campaign has a fantastical element to it, our stories are firmly rooted in what Asda has to offer shoppers this Christmas, from old favourites to inventive new treats like gin infused chocolates and massive Christmas puddings. Our first thought was ‘how do they come up with these things?’ And the campaign just grew from there.
Earlier in the year we held sessions with our customers to get feedback on our Christmas range. As we talked to them about Christmas we could see how much joy and happiness planning their Christmas brought them—we knew we wanted to reflect that in our ad.

ASDA has gone full force on this campaign with the use of social by creating a Snapchat filter that turns users into the ad’s moustached weightlifters. Also, 2-second content and carousel ads feature on Facebook, and the use of Trueview videos for the first time. Trueview will connect audience search terms to relevant video content online via YouTube and Facebook.
The 60 second TV ad will be supported by 30 segments (focusing on gifting, home decorations, parties and gatherings, and “the big shop”) as well as :10s and :06 bumpers on YouTube. AND all of that will be joined by cinema, radio, print, digital OOH. And breathe.

Toyota. We are Hybrid.

“Toyota Motor Europe and Saatchi & Saatchi EMEA have launched a new brand film “We Are Hybrid”, celebrating Toyota Hybrid’s 5 million unit sales success and the happiness effect the engineering has on drivers.
The film made it’s debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show and is directed by hot shot UK collective “Bullion”. The film is a dynamic edit of different people, objects and places that, when paired together, form different kinds of smiles. Hundreds of images were filmed over 4 days across the UK to bring this bright optical experience to life. Combined with typography, punchy messages and positive music, the film aims to convey the feeling of a Toyota Hybrid driver.”

Usually I love Saatchi’s adverts, but I am not impressed by this. I have no further comments.

New billboard campaign launched in Chicago features images of pregnant boys to remind them that a baby isn’t just the girl’s responsibility

“A new billboard campaign featuring images of pregnant boys has been launched in Chicago with the intended aim of reducing teen pregnancy rates in the city.

The Chicago Department of Public Health has said it choose the unusual images because it wanted to impress upon young males that teen pregnancy is not just the girl’s responsibility. 

The ad campaign has been rolled out this week in the city and suburbs, on transit buses, trains and billboards. 

 

 

The ad campaign has been rolled out this week in Chicago and suburbs, on transit buses, trains and billboards

They have been placed close to local high schools where the teen pregnancy rate has recently increased, reports MyFoxChicago.

A similar campaign ran in Milwaukee last year and has been credited with helping to reduce teen pregnancy rates there. 

Earlier this year a new teen pregnancy prevention ad from New York’s Human Resources Administration (HRA) came under attack for using ‘slut-shaming’ insults to deter unwanted pregnancy.

The campaign, which launched on March 3 in bus shelters and subway stations, featured pictures of toddlers next to messages that read: ‘Honestly, Mom… Chances are he won’t stay with you’ and ‘I’m twice as likely not to graduate high school because you had me as a teen.’

 

A similar campaign ran in Milwaukee last year and has been credited with helping to reduce teen pregnancy rates

 

Those ads were accused of using threats and ridicule to ‘promote the difficulties of teen pregnancy,’ instead of offering assistance and eduction to address what the HRA calls ‘the real costs of teen pregnancy for teens and their children.’

New York City’s Planned Parenthood denounced the ads, saying they are not the answer.

Haydee Morales, Vice President of Education and Training explained: ‘The latest NYC ad campaign creates stigma, hostility, and negative public opinions about teen pregnancy and parenthood rather than offering alternative aspirations for young people.

‘The City’s money would be better spent helping teens access health care, birth control, and high-quality sexual and reproductive health education, not on an ad campaign intended to create shock value’ 

An interactive component to the campaign also offered young people the choice to ‘Text “NOTNOW” to 877877 for the real cost of teen pregnancy.'”

 

Copying Saatchi’s ‘Pregnant Man’, much?!

NSPCC Dummy Child Abuse Advert

NSPCC Dummy Child Abuse Advert

One of my favourite adverts. I love all of the NSPCC adverts, I think they’re fantastic. And I’m not being biased just because it’s Saatchi & Saatchi!

I also love this one (another oldie):

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFtRuBdtMmw%5D