Out to Launch
Wednesday, July 27, 2016
Brands get ready for the Olympics. Don't text and drive. Let's launch!
  • We all have an inner voice that gives us positive reinforcement when we need it. In Foot Locker's amusing back-to-school campaign, James Harden's inner voice sounds like Colin Farrell. The 60-second spot promotes the Adidas Ultra Boosts. Harden chats with two fans at the gym, telling them to be confident and trust their inner voice that sounds like Colin Farrell. Magically, Farrell starts praising Harden and tells him when to part ways with the fans. In the parking garage, Harden runs into another set of fans. His inner voice tells him to get into his car in a unique way, so he goes in head-first through the driver's side window. As Colin Farrell says: "Nothing awkward about this at all." The ad, created by BBDO New York, will run on TV and the brand's social media channels, and will be accompanied by Snapchat and pre-roll videos.

  • Gillette launched "Perfect Isn't Pretty," a three-minute video starring Olympic athletes and their far-from-perfect lives. A 60-second version of the ad will run throughout the Summer Olympics on NBC. The video stars Olympic swimmer Ning Zetao from China, cyclist Andy Tennant from the U.K., Brazilian soccer player Neymar Jr. and decathlete Ashton Eaton from the U.S. Each athlete works hard, leaving little room for a personal life. Tennant argues with a girlfriend about training schedules; Neymar Jr. would rather spend time with his child, but falls asleep on the couch post-workout. My favorite shot was Eaton getting up from his couch: He moved slowly and looked stiff. It's basically what I always look like after a long run. Created by Grey New York, the video also serves as a music video for Sia, whose song "Unstoppable," plays throughout the athletes' training and downtime.

  • Just in time for the Olympic games, Coca-Cola launched a 60-second spot that answers the question: "What does gold feel like?" Judging by the reactions of athletes when they found out they came in first, it feels pretty good. The experience is also similar to drinking Coca-Cola with your friends. Or so the ad goes. "Gold Feelings" not only shows athletes' emotional reactions, it also features quotes from them. Look for taekwondo star Jade Jones, water polo player Petar Muslim and hurdler Sally Pearson throughout the ad. What didn't exactly mesh with those athlete quotes was the image of friends bonding over ice-cold bottles of Coca-Cola. The brand believes the taste of gold is something anyone can taste, so it juxtaposed athlete quotes like, "it bubbles inside you," with a shot of the carbonated beverage. Not the same. Ogilvy Brazil and David created the campaign.

  • We've heard Donald Trump say things that the average person wouldn't dare say. And that's exactly what happens in a set of ads for EMILY's List, a PAC devoted to putting pro-choice Democratic females in office. Targeting Millennials, the ads launched during the Republican National Convention. The ads begin with a simple premise: Try to get people on the street to read actual Donald Trump statements out loud. Person after person stand in front of a microphone and refuse to read what's in front of them. Eventually, one person reads a statement: "Putting your wife to work is a very dangerous thing." Remaining folks turn their cards around to show the camera what they say: "Laziness is a trait in blacks" and "A person who is flat-chested is very hard to be a 10." "The president speaks for all of us Don't let Donald Trump speak for you," closes the ad. Remaining 15-second spots focus on people's refusal to say things about Mexicans, and make sexist remarks or laziness comments. SS+K created the campaign.

  • Milka launched a global brand campaign called "Tenderness is Inside" -- also the first time the company advertised its chocolate and biscuits under the same brand platform. The campaign is running in Central and Eastern Europe and will roll out in additional international markets later in this year. In "The Strongman," we follow an adorable boy on a bus trip to see his favorite sideshow character -- the strongman -- perform for local townspeople. The boy tries to see his hero but is pushed out of the crowded tent. So he tries his luck at a popular carnival game, "Ring the Bell," but the sledgehammer proves too heavy. Dejected, he sits alone until the Strongman comes outside. Strongman is unable to break off a block of Milka chocolate for himself, so he asks the kid to help. The boy easily breaks the chocolate, has his confidence back, and gives the game another swing. "The Biscuit Jar" tells the story of a young girl, shopping for the perfect cookie jar. Each one tries to grab her attention, but only one really speaks to her: the jar that looks exactly like her grandfather. Wieden+Kennedy Amsterdam created the campaign.

  • When in Transylvania, it seems fitting that blood is an accepted form of currency. Last year's Untold Festival, held in Romania, offered concert-goers a fitting option to obtain a one-day pass: donate blood. Created by McCann Bucharest, the campaign drew attention to the horrifically low blood bank supplies, with an additional goal of changing the way Millennials view donating blood. This year, the agency added a new incentive to buying a festival pass: the bracelet can be used to access famous tourist attractions in Transylvania for free or at a discounted price. It also encourages festival-goers to extend their visit to Transylvania, hopefully increasing tourism. The festival takes place in August, and afterwards, tourists can use the festival bracelet to visit Bran Castle (home of Dracula), White Citadel, Corvin Castle, the Merry Cemetery and the Turda Salt Mines, to name a few.

  • The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration launched a 60-second ad to combat texting and driving. "Don't Let an Emoji Ruin Your Life" targets Millennials and illustrates how one split second can change your life forever. A girl with an emoji face wakes up and heads to high school. Her emoji face changes from asleep to sad, nervous and crying in the school bathroom. The kids are looking at her strangely, but it's not because of her emoji face. Viewers see a flashback of the girl texting and driving with her boyfriend in the passenger seat as they're hit hard by another car. The Tombras Group created the campaign.

  • Adidas Golf launched a trio of TV ads set to run throughout the golf season and starring Jason Day, Sergio Garcia and Dustin Johnson. These athletes work hard and are motivated by their naysayers. Jason Day doesn't want to win just one major, he wants to win everything. Sergio Garcia works extra hard when he thinks of the haters who tell him that his best playing days are behind him. Dustin Johnson is a little more zen, talking about challenges in life and how to handle them. Each player is "Geared for More." Venables Bell created the campaign.

  • Random iPhone App of the week:SamyRoad, a technology platform founded in Spain, has launched stateside. The free app offers tools and resources to help creators monetize their passions. SamyRoad users connect with SamyRoad brand clients to create original, branded content. So far, SamyRoad is a community of 25,000 creators and influencers built around seven different passions: fashion, art, music, startups, travel, adventure, and charity. Content is uploaded to a road (a "profile") or imported from other social media accounts such as Instagram and YouTube. In 2015, SamyMediaHouse produced 160 campaigns for 28 global brands, involving 600 creators from the SamyRoad community. SamyRoad has worked with brands including L'Oreal, Procter & Gamble, Sony Pictures, LVMH and Pernod Ricard.