At The Drum, we believe great work deserves recognition and that talented creatives should get their share of reverence for the hard work they put in. So each week we will update our hall of fame, celebrating the 10 best ads from our Creative Works section. Welcome, and don’t forget to vote for your favorite!
This week, Wrangler released a campaign narrated by rising country music star and long-time friend of the brand Orville Peck. The film features a diverse array of real people following their passions, from a rap crew to a roller girl gang; an esports player, skateboarder and cowgirl; to young families and an older couple starting a new life together.
Also encouraging people to express their authentic selves, Netflix has released a beautifully animated spot (NSFW) to promote the return of Sex Education to screens for a third season. Sci-fi-loving erotica writer Lily Inglehart tells her beautiful tale in a fully-animated sequence that really does sum up everything you can expect from the show.
Finally, actress and activist Eva Longoria says “you’re worth it” to her first-grade self in a reflective video filmed as a part of the ‘Lessons of Worth’ series from L’Oréal Paris, which aims to put meaning behind the brand’s historic tagline.
That’s just for starters. Scroll down to see the best work from our Creative Works section. And don’t forget to vote!
Odeon: We Make Movies Better by Elvis
There’s so much more to a movie than just the film itself. It’s the powerful stories dazzling the silver screen and the wonder of being transported to a new world – something many people have missed during the past year. Odeon has put this feeling at the heart of its new campaign featuring Oscar-winning actress Nicole Kidman, developed by Barkley for AMC Global and executed by creative group Elvis.
‘We Make Movies Better’ sees Kidman romantically reminisce what it is that makes a great cinema experience, and that indescribable feeling you get when the lights begin to dim. The $25m national campaign reminds movie lovers that films are best enjoyed not on the sofa, but instead on the big screen at AMC and Odeon Cinemas Group.
Vote for the work here.
L’Oréal: Lessons of Worth by McCann
Actress and activist Eva Longoria says “you’re worth it” to her first-grade self in a reflective video filmed as a part of the ‘Lessons of Worth’ series from L’Oréal Paris, which aims to put meaning behind the brand’s historic tagline.
Launched with Viola Davis in May 2020, ‘Lessons of Worth’ is a series of spoken-word videos using personal anecdotes to give a deeper meaning to self-worth, because women should never doubt themselves. The series was designed with a creative desire to let women find their own meaning behind the ‘Because I’m Worth It’ tagline.
By sharing personal experiences and lessons they have learned in life, each video encourages us to learn to accept and value ourselves – thus were born the ‘Lessons of Worth’. Following Viola Davis, the campaign continued with Jane Fonda, Aja Naomi King and now Eva Longoria.
Vote for the work here.
Wrangler: For the Ride of Life
Wrangler, a global icon in denim and casual apparel, today announced its fall/winter 2021 advertising campaign, ‘For the Ride of Life’, which celebrates everyday people pursuing new adventures with energy and optimism.
‘For the Ride of Life’ is anchored by an inspirational campaign film narrated by rising country music star and long-time friend of the brand Orville Peck. The film features a diverse array of real people following their passions, from a rap crew to a roller girl gang; an esports player, skateboarder and cowgirl; to young families and an older couple starting a new life together. The result is a celebration of those who live with optimism, joy and courage, no matter where their ride of life may lead.
Vote for the work here.
Ancestry and New York Times: Records of Resilience
Ancestry has collaborated with The New York Times to support its ‘Black History, Continued’ editorial initiative by rolling out a special five-part series called ‘Records of Resilience’.
The fourth video within ‘Records of Resilience’ features attorney Kimberly Cook and documentarian Nicka Sewel-Smith. Sewel-Smith shares her experience of discovering her family lineage with the records of the Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen and Abandoned Lands, commonly referred to as the Freedmen’s Bureau Collections. She shares how she found Cook, the living descendant of Louis B Toomer, a man who was devoted to the education of a community of Black Americans shortly after Emancipation. The two discuss the magnitude of education and what values can be passed down regardless of biological relation.
Vote for the work here.
Lego: The Damp Knight’s Tale
Lego Group has launched a playful new iteration to its ‘Rebuild the World’ brand campaign.
Now in its third year, the 2021 ‘Rebuild the World’ campaign celebrates children as the masters of creative problem solving and shows what can be achieved when people work together to overcome their differences or challenges.
The campaign’s hero film tells the story of a knight who overcomes a challenge by working with others to find a happy-ever-after solution. The film concludes by revealing how the knight’s story has been imaginatively conceived by a group of children building, un-building and rebuilding through Lego play.
Vote for the work here.
Fisher-Price: Let’s Be Kids Together by Wieden + Kennedy
Toys possess magical communication powers. They exist in a special place between the adult world and the kid world. Through toys, kids can show us what it’s like to be a kid. And through toys, adults can show kids we hear them. In a world so divided, connecting through toys is more important than ever.
So Fisher-Price and Wieden+Kennedy Portland are launching a new brand film, ‘Let’s Be Kids Together’, from directing duo Against All Odds and animation house Passion Pictures. It features kids and adults, of course, as well as the Fisher-Price icons that help bring us together, including the Chatter Telephone, Xylophone, Bubble Mower and the Little People Farm.
Vote for the work here.
Ad Council: Child Passenger Safety Week by Leo Burnett
To coincide with Child Passenger Safety Week, the Ad Council and the US Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) today announced new PSAs to help keep kids safe in the car, produced by Leo Burnett Chicago.
Car crashes are a leading cause of death for children, according to the latest NHTSA data. When installed correctly, car seats can reduce the risk of fatal injury in a crash by 71% for infants and by 54% for toddlers.
Vote for the work here.
Samaritans of Singapore (SOS): The Honest Cookie by TBWA
In commemoration of World Suicide Prevention Day, Samaritans of Singapore (SOS) has developed a new product, ‘The Honest Cookie’, designed to encourage everyone to have open and honest conversations with family and friends of all generations, and break the silence around mental health.
Each Honest Cookie is baked with a different question inside to help initiate conversations around peoples’ feelings and how they are coping during difficult times. Simple yet meaningful, it allows people to come together and share what’s truly on their minds.
The outreach campaign, created by TBWA\Singapore, also comprises a series of social media content as well as on-ground engagements that will run throughout September.
Vote for the work here.
Pringles: Mr P
Mr P, aka Julius Pringles, the mustachioed mascot for Pringles, has enjoyed his first makeover in 20 years to coincide with the 30-year anniversary of the famous snack brand’s UK launch.
After an eye-catching transformation, the playful Mr P will now sport a modern emoji-style look, including bold new eyebrows and a fancy new red bow tie. Mr P’s new look has also seen him lose his hair, but at 54 years old, he is still looking as handsome as ever.
What’s more, it’s not just Mr P who has had a glow up – the iconic cans have also been given a fresh new look. They will now feature new bright and bold packaging, highlighting the range of flavors and, of course, their famous stackable shape.
Vote for the work here.
Netflix: Sex Education by Future Power Station
Netflix has released a beautifully animated spot (NSFW) to promote the return of Sex Education to screens for a third season. Sci-fi-loving erotica writer Lily Inglehart tells her beautiful tale in a fully-animated sequence that really does sum up everything you can expect from the show.
Director Yibi Hu and his studio Future Power Station bring Lily’s imagination to life to promote the show, which follows a group of high school students trying to navigate sexuality and identity.
Vote for the work here.
That’s it for this week’s round-up of the 10 best ads from The Drum’s Creative Works. Remember to vote for your favorite ad.