• by Todd Wasserman , August 2, 2022

The past three years have certainly put a new spin on how we see work, as a new Hewlett-Packard campaign reminds us.

The new campaign from HP, dubbed “The future of work,” is a mock defense of the old way of working. The ad features a businessman in a suit who wants to go over the “ground rules” of the world of work. Wieden + Kennedy, Portland, Oregon, handles.

“You need to come in early,” he says. “Work through lunch.”

As this narration continues, the visuals undercut what he is saying. When he says “You need to come in early,” the visual shows a man surfing in the early morning and then working on the beach on his laptop.

When he says “Keep your eyes on the market,” he’s speaking in an outdoor market and a man points to an open-air shop. “Different market,” the HP man says.

Workers are then shown on a ski lift, caring for a baby, and joking around with a child, all while the HP guy is giving instructions.

The man then asks “Is anyone listening?” He then walks off.

The ad is an attempt to ensure you know that HP is aware of the broad changes in worklife -- and can accommodate those changes with its products.