High Five: Make Me Laugh or Make Me Sad
The ads that I love are the ones I actually remember. I've worked in advertising for a minute, so I've seen a lot of ads. The ones that I remember, I can rattle off the top of my head because they made me feel something, and it's the feeling I remember. Being a career creative also makes you way more practical than I'd like to admit. An ad isn't good if it doesn't make you feel something about the brand - or the product - and see how they can fit into your life. A great ad has to have a story people care about, and sell you something at the same time. That's why most ads disappear right after they're made. These are some of the ads that have stuck with me...
Absolut Vodka - 'Bottles in the Wild'
Agency: TBWA\Chiat\Day New York
If you're a certain age, you definitely had some of these ads you clipped out of Creem taped to your bedroom wall. This is the perfect ad campaign. It puts the product front and centre (the instantly recognisable bottle) but was endlessly customised for literally every audience, location or trend, so they always felt fresh. Just the shape told you it was an Absolut ad. They even managed to set the bar for brand collaborations, which are super common now, bringing in photography and fine art.
Nike - 'Seen It All'
Agency: Wieden+Kennedy
Production: Spike Lee Joint
Director: Spike Lee
This spot manages to tell the entire story of 50 years of Nike, through sports while being funny and not feeling like a commercial all. It could have been self congratulatory - but it isn't. The focus is on all those moments with athletes that everyone remembers. It feels like the greatest sports highlight reel ever created. Plus the return of Mars Blackmon, the greatest character ever born from a commercial. Then they hit you with the future of Nike through sports, the next generation making those unforgettable moments.
Johnnie Walker - 'Dear Brother'
Directors: Dorian Lebherz x Daniel Titz
This is a very subtle story, and it takes some time to understand what's happening, but it's so beautifully shot that you don't mind hanging around to find out. I always heard this was done on spec and I believe it. Because no brand would green-light a pitch for a spot about two brothers spreading their fathers ashes. This is emotional and meaningful, which commercials almost never pull off. It also manages to actually make having a drink a part of the story that fits perfectly.
Hasbro's G.I. Joe - 'U.S.S. Flagg Aircraft Carrier'
As a child of the '80s, this commercial was life changing for every kid I knew. The USS Flagg was basically the biggest toy you could buy. It was over six feet long, and there was nothing like it. This commercial made that point very clear - by superimposing the kids onto the actual toy itself. Sure, the graphics are dated, but the impact of seeing real live kids running around a toy you could actually buy can't be overstated. I know grown adults that still talk about this commercial, this toy, and a few that have shelled out serious money to finally buy one decades later. There's no better example of showing your audience how a product needs to be part of their life. "Imagine being on the deck of this aircraft carrier!" Yes please!
Allstate - 'Mayhem: I'm Your Cat'
Agency: Leo Burnett Worldwide
'Mayhem' is another campaign I'll always stop to watch, because the setup is so perfect. Explaining the inner thoughts of the things in your life that cause problems and pain. I especially love the 'I'm Your Cat' spot because it puts a sinister but humorous and very true twist on all the things that cats do. Across the whole campaign, the Mayhem dialogue is always honest, clever and totally on point. And of course it ties directly back to all the reasons you might want to consider home insurance.