Out to Launch
Wednesday, July 6, 2016
Old Spice wants your five-year plan. Nike soccer sparks brilliance. Let's launch!
  • USA Swimming launched a sweet TV campaign that coincided with U.S. Olympic swim trials in an effort to attract more young swimmers to the sport. The 60-second spot, part of the #SwinUnited campaign, uses real home video footage of Olympians Michael Phelps, Ryan Lochte, Missy Franklin and Katie Ledecky as kids competing in their first swim meets. Before they made it big, they were all just a bunch of youngsters having a blast in the pool and hamming it up for the camera. "Before we were winners, we were all beginners," closes the ad, created by Colle+McVoy.

  • Heavy rain delayed the filming of golfer Jordan Spieth's Coca-Cola ad, and being cooped up in a trailer made him stir-crazy. Spieth got creative in his small quarters, drinking a few Cokes and making putts and shots that put us sub-par golfers to shame. One particular shot turned on the radio, aptly playing Missy Elliott's "I Can't Stand the Rain." If there's a hole or round object inside the trailer, Spieth will flawlessly make a golf ball fit, even if it's a halved avocado. The spot ends with Spieth hitting a shot from inside his trailer to a putting hole outside. Wieden+Kennedy Portland created the campaign.

  • That often-asked job interview question: "What is your five-year plan?" Old Spice, keeping with its quirky, outlandish ads, takes a stab at answering it in "Five Year Plan," part of the brand's "Smell 'Em Who's Boss" campaign. The ad illustrates the powers of Old Spice Swagger and Desperado deodorants, combined with Old Spice Hair. When a interviewee is asked his business plans, he confidently lists the changes he'd like to make in the company. Things get weird when the man's head vanishes inside his suit, the way a turtle disappears in its shell. The same thing happens to the man conducting the interview. The two heads cross paths under a desk and wind up switching places. The young gun sits at the head of the desk, with the older boss taking a back seat. Wieden+Kennedy Portland created the campaign.

  • The YWCA Metropolitan Chicago is celebrating its 140th anniversary with the "Without the W" campaign that plays off the W in its name to challenge conventional wisdom about the "swim and gym" organization.

    Developed with agency VSA Partners, the creative showcases the role women play in communities by removing the the "W" from iconic Chicago landmarks and communities, such as “Windy City,” “Lakeview” and “Englewood.” The missing letter is designed to encourage viewers to ask: what if, suddenly, the women were gone? What would our city look like? What would become of our city? How would we move forward? asks the agency. See creative here, here, here and here.

    The campaign appears via out-of-home, print, digital, along with event activation. YWCA will “take over” the Chicago Sky basketball game on July 10, with a meet and greet with player and YWCA-supporter, Imami Boyette.

  • Carne Lima, part of WPP, created a digital campaign for Amnesty International that brought missing people back to life via social media. In Peru, thousands of people have gone missing during the fight against terrorism. The Peruvian government refused to accept the UN regulation Against Forced Disappearance, which acknowledged the missing and would compensate their families. "The Last Message" was created with permission of the missing people's families. Facebook and Twitter pages were made in the names of those missing with a plea to sign the UN petition and force the government to accept the terms of the UN regulation. Following the campaign earlier this year, the Peruvian government accepted the UN terms.

  • Running throughout the European Championships, Nike created an inspirational ad that brings fans inside the locker room of the Turkish national team for a half-time speech by their captain, Arda Turan. The ad is part of the brand's global "Spark Brilliance" campaign. In his riveting speech, Turan urges his team to never give up. Losing isn't what's bad -- it's when you give up that hurts individuals and the team as a whole. He tells the team to work hard for the young kids who idolize and watch the players, dreaming their own dreams of soccer glory when they grow up. Along with the 60-second spot, Nike also created a 360 degree virtual reality version of the speech. Wieden+Kennedy Amsterdam created the campaign.

  • In another ad running throughout the European Championships, Nike launched "Spark Brilliance," or as the French say: "Fais Briller Le Jeu." The 90-second ad follows the progress of French soccer player Blaise Matuidi. You've seen that spark of fire -- the motivation someone needs to stay focused and driven to follow through on a dream. For Matuidi, the spark that motivated him came from watching Jay Jay Okocha. Viewers watch a young Matuidi work hard, play harder, fall down and get back up again. His training and perseverance paid off, and now Matuidi is an inspiration to youngsters watching him, not to mention artists and designers. Wieden+Kennedy Amsterdam created the campaign.

  • I'm officially old because I've never heard of rapper Lil Dicky and his penchant for being frugal. He stars in an ad for Carl’s Jr. and Hardee's promoting a $4 Real Deal, which includes a spicy chicken sandwich, a double cheeseburger, small fries and a drink. In the ad, Lil Dicky parodies the lavish spending in rap videos while enjoying the combo meal. He uses a leaf-blower to circulate money, caresses piggy banks and sits in a pool of pennies, arguing that the only thing more ridiculous than his actions is the $4 Real Deal. 72andSunny created the campaign.