Work of the Week: 08/12/23
There’s a lot of Christmas advertising still knocking about this week, but we’ve got to the stage where the big, emotional TV campaigns are largely behind us. Some, like Dutch retailer bol’s campaign, are hitting all the right notes in that vein. But the more responsive, non-traditional and just plain weird stuff is what this time of the year is good for. Like IKEA’s turkey-sized meatballs, or a pretzel-maker’s plea to stop putting gingerbread people in houses made from their own flesh. Or GREENIES’ relatable comic tale of Santa not entirely welcoming the slobbery affection of a canine friend.
There’s plenty going on beyond Christmas, like COP28 in Dubai, spurring The Rainforest Alliance to deliver an encouraging message for all of us who believe we can have a personal impact, even while large corporations and political forces seem unwilling to make the changes we need. And in Australia, it’s approaching the height of summer, making skin protection even more important than usual. The Champions League is in full swing too, as Expedia is reminding us in an intriguing spot.
It’s just a sample of the global picture the world that advertising can paint. Check it all out below.
GREENIES - Stuck
With the seemingly non-stop demands of the holiday season, it’s easy for dog parents to let their pet’s oral health slide down the list of priorities. But new work from adam&eveDDB highlights how giving GREENIES dental treats is a simple way to help maintain pet oral health. In the spot we see poor Santa getting jammed in the chimney on Christmas Eve. Unable to defend himself from the friendly licks of the family pet, Santa reaches for GREENIES Dental Treats, showing how easy it is to give your pooch a tasty treat that also keeps their teeth clean and breath fresh.
The Rainforest Alliance - Pessimism is Out. We’re All In!
In the face of growing feelings of climate futility, this ad is all about the importance of optimism and the power of collective action in the fight against climate change. The film, directed by Max Joseph, presents us with a hero standing resolutely against the voice of a sceptic – becoming an inspirational role model for all, with laser beams shooting from her eyes. The film features a cameo appearance of TikTok's #1 news content creator NewsDaddy (Dylan Page) too. It’s just the shot of optimism we need while COP28 grinds on.
bol - The Shop of Christmas Makers
Dutch online retailer bol offers a festive message of inclusivity in this Christmas campaign by DEPT. An elderly couple is tidying up Christmas decorations, soundtracked by ‘It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas,’ we then see the couple packing up and clearing the streets of all decorations while the celebration is still in full swing. The unexpected reason behind it is revealed: their granddaughter struggles with the sensory overload of holiday lights and sounds. A heartwarming story depicting an unexpected way to show people you care this season.
IKEA - Turkey-Sized Meatball
People love IKEA’s meatballs. They eat turkey at Christmas and they don’t like it as much. But they still often need to feed large gatherings of family and friends at this time of year. IKEA, with the creative support of their UK agency Mother, has taken the only logical step to solve this problem: make a meatball the size of a turkey. These will actually be available to purchase, as will Veggieball Christmas Trees for those who don’t eat meat, created using lots of veggieballs from the IKEA range, with cone-shaped base to create a do-it-yourself plant-based showstopper.
Snyder’s of Hanover - Pretzel Cabin
Don’t make gingerbread people live in houses made of themselves. That is the twisted behaviour that pretzel brand Snyder’s of Hanover has illuminated for us with this campaign. And we’re shocked to our core that this has been normalised. You won’t catch us doing that anymore. But how about a pretzel person in a gingerbread house?
Expedia - Destination UEFA Champions League with Cesc Fàbregas
Expedia has made the most of its UEFA Champions League Official Supplier status by launching its European travel hub Expedia Live to help fans travel to matches. Now it’s partnered with creative agency Anomaly to create a new ‘Nothing Beats Being There’ film, with football legend Cesc Fàbregas. Combining the Spanish midfielder and football manager with footage of the fun and energy of living the game within the host cities across Europe, it explores how he’s “never been to the UEFA Champions League… not really”. Because he’s always been on the pitch. Lucky us! Because we can go and experience what Cesc never did, getting lost, marching with the crowd, starting chants, messing about with the rivals. Expedia makes it possible.
Queensland Health - Sunshine
If you’re not from Queensland, you might not know the five-step advice for sun safety: “slip, slop, slap, seek shade and slide on sunglasses.” That’s what this film is referring to when it says to ‘do the 5’. But we love that it’s not a simple PSA. The sun is Queensland’s biggest killer, so CHEP Network Brisbane has made a chilling horror film about it. It certainly scared us!
