Most Read of 2024: Behind the Work

Cadillac pulled out all the stops launching its all-electric Escalade IQ, enlisting Spike DDB, Spike Lee’s Brooklyn-based creative advertising agency, and Will Smith’s production company Westbrook Inc., to craft an unforgettable campaign starring Big Boi of iconic rap duo, Outkast.

With a 94% positive sentiment score, the campaign has racked up over 53.4m impressions (93% via broadcast paid media and 7% from organic social) and over 3 million video views (87% from YouTube organic social). It's no surprise that people were keen to find out just how it was made, which is why this interview by LBB’s Ben Conway with Juanita Slappy, head of multicultural marketing at Cadillac, and Alex Tyree, creative and strategic director at Spike DDB is LBB’s most read Behind the Work of the year!

Specsavers’ audacious out of home stunt caught the attention of, literally everyone, and kicked-up a storm on LinkedIn. To find out more about the vehicle vs bollard, which made passers by think of the brand’s iconic ‘Should’ve gone to Specsavers’ slogan without even writing it, LBB’s Tará McKerr caught up with Specsavers’ director of marketing services, Victoria Clarke. 

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This year, Publicis Groupe took on the monumental task of issuing a personal ‘thank you’ to each of its 100,000 employees. A feat pulled off thanks to the help of AI video, which was still very much in its infancy at the time, the efforts caught the attention of marketers around the world. Eager to find out more about the agency’s ambitious use of the evolving technology, LBB’s Laura Swinton spoke to the Groupe’s chief strategy officer and CEO of Publicis New York Carla Serrano and CCO at Publicis Groupe’s Le Truc, Andy Bird. 

            

Disney’s Christmas ad this year treated us to the heart warming story of a boy and his unlikely octopus pal. Created by agency adam&eve DDB, production was through Hungry Man, and direction came from Taika Waititi. Final Cut was responsible for the edit, and the adorable octopus was the work of Untold Studios. As our new eight-limbed friend becomes accustomed with the human world, he comes to realise the magic of Christmas and his biggest dream yet - to fly with Santa Claus. To delve deeper into how the aquatic creature became the face of Disney’s Christmas campaign ‘The Boy & The Octopus’, LBB’s Laura Swinton met with Disney’s Tim Pennoyer. 

The first Super Bowl mention on this list goes to skincare brand CeraVe, and its perfectly named brand partner, Michael Cera. Launching a three-part marketing campaign, kicked off by a fake news story claiming that Michael was the brains behind the brand (including a website, fake paparazzi shoots and influencer interviews), followed by an online debunking conflict led by influencers and dermatologists alike, the project culminated at this year’s Super Bowl with a spot directed by comedy duo Tim & Eric. To find out more about the ambitious work, LBB’s Ben Conway met with Charlotte Tansill, Ogilvy North America’s president of PR, social and influence.

 

Spain’s number one draught lager Cruzcampo brought the spontaneous spirit of Seville to the screen and out of home this year, introducing us to a happy go lucky Sevillian touring the city atop a beer keg. Rolling through the city’s historic cobbled streets, the campaign delivers a charming day in the life postcard, soundtracked by The Gipsy Kings’ rendition of ‘My Way’ sung in Spanish. To find out more about the work LBB’s Alex Reeves caught up with creatives Joe Moloney and Tom Devenport, Lucky Generals’ strategist Rachel Hamburger and director Gary Freedman. 

Beyoncé’s anthemic ‘Texas Hold ‘Em’ is undoubtedly one of 2024’s songs of the year, so it was only a matter of time before automotive giant Lexus did something in response to being named in the song’s lyrics; “So park your Lexus (woo) and throw your keys up (hey)". Celebrating the shoutout in a uniquely Lexus way, it launched an intricate seatbelt buckle – a diamond encrusted version of the car’s grill logo. To find out more about the work, Nisna Mahtani chatted with the team responsible at DDB Amsterdam.

  

LBB’s readers seem to have an insatiable appetite for Specsavers’ marketing efforts, as the brand makes its second appearance in this round up. This time, LBB’s Zoe Antonov found out more about ‘Airport’, the calamitous journey of a couple desperately trying to make it aboard their flight, as it becomes apparent that one of them really shouldn’t have skipped their eye test. The work of Specsavers’ in-house marketing agency, production company Merman and director Declan Lowney, the spot is a clever extension of the optician’s iconic ‘Should’ve gone to Specsavers’ slogan. 

 

  

Etsy made its big game debut this year, as it unveiled its first ever Super Bowl spot. Facing up to the pressure that comes with creating work for the most-watched advertising event of the year, the online retailer chose to tell the story of the Statue of Liberty’s arrival in the US. Promoting Etsy’s new ‘Gift Mode’ service, the spot, created by Orchard and directed by Biscuit Filmworks’ Andreas Nilsson, takes us back to the 1880s when France gifted the United States the iconic statue. To find out more about the campaign, LBB’s Addison Capper spoke with director Andreas, and Orchard’s chief creative officer David Kolbusz.

Waitrose has had everyone guessing in the run up to Christmas this year, as it launched its star-studded whodunnit campaign centred around a stolen Red Velvet Bauble Dessert. Created by Saatchi & Saatchi and produced through Smuggler with direction from BAFTA-winning Lucy Forbes, the supermarket’s spot delivered a twist on classic festive advertising. In the run up to the release of part two, which would reveal who the guilty party was, LBB’s Zhenya Tsenzharyk caught up with Waitrose’s customer director Nathan Ansell and Saatchi & Saatchi’s chief creative officer Franki Goodwin.