What better way to start 2015, than by looking back at some of the best ads from 2014. Below are my picks, in no particular order. More than anything each of these ads I believe will make you feel something..
I may be one of the few people to leave out the very popular First Kiss ad for Wren Clothing. Whilst I think the short film is wonderful, I know not one friend that could tell me the brand behind the ad.
Overall 2014 saw some wonderful advertising, perhaps not as great as previous years, however I suspect that 2015 will be a lot better. Expect more social experiments, and many things that further blur the line between advertising, art, and technology.
Wishing you all a very happy and prosperous 2015.
Chris.
1. Honda: The other side: An incredible interactive use of YouTube and storytelling. Try it out for yourself at http://www.hondatheotherside.com.
Advertising Agency: Wieden + Kennedy London.
2. Save the Children: Most Shocking Second a Day Video:: This fantastic PSA highlights the plight of Syrian refugees by showing what it would be like if war came to the UK.
Advertising Agency: Don’t Panic, London
3. Nike: Together – LeBron James. Nike celebrate the emotional comeback of LeBron James’s to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Advertising Agency: Wieden + Kennedy, Portland.
4. TD Bank: Sometimes you just want to say thank you. When people think of banks they rarely think of a positive emotion, this ad helped to change that for Canadian TD Bank.
Advertising Agency: Diamond Integrated Marketing, Toronto
5. John Lewis: Monty The Penguin. For this years Christmas ad spectacular they created an ad, an app, a song, and a teddy bear, and enjoyed a very happy Christmas sales uplift.
Advertising Agency: adam&eveDDB
6. Newcastle Brown Ale: IfWeMadeIt.com. This years biggest Super Bowl ad, didn’t even air at the superbowl and came from an English beer brand. If you enjoy the ad below go to www.IfWeMadeIt.com. or watch the case study at http://youtu.be/6nKkOjkKyf8
Advertising Agency: Droga5, New York.
7. Beats by Dre: The Game Before The Game. This wonderfully shot ad shares the story of the game before the game, although not an official sponsor of the World Cup this was one of the most popular ads during the World Cup.
Advertising Agency: R/GA
8. Guy Cotton: Sortie En Mer. This is one of the few ads that really effectively ties together technology and emotion. The ad is a website, that challenges you to save yourself from drowning. Try it out at http://sortieenmer.com/
Advertising Agency: CLM BBDO
9. P&G / Always #LikeAGirl. This year P&G made two wonderful ads, one was a their “Thank you mum” ad for the Sochi Winter Olympics, and the other was the one below that aims to change the way the phrase “Like a girl” is perceived. I admire the way they told this story, and the positive impact it has had on society, it’s something I believe marketers should strive to do more often.
Advertising Agency: Leo Burnett
10. Fantastic Delites: How Far Would You Queue. So simple yet so funny, a brilliant activation that tested how long people would wait to get a free sample. A smart bit of humour can go a long way, this ended up being one of the most viewed ads on YouTube in 2014.
Advertising Agency: Clemenger BBDO, Melbourne.