In the Golden Age of advertising, you could simply stress the benefits and features of a product to get a sale. In today’s modern advertising world, it’s important to appeal to the customer in some way to get their attention, whether that is humor, emotion, shock and awe or by humanizing the brand. All of the ads the Kolbeco team have chosen create a narrative that compels you to feel something; they all have a bigger purpose than sales.
Poise, Sam in my Pants
Erin
Poise takes an uncomfortable topic that many women might not want to talk about, and present it in a way that is relatable and entertaining. This campaign just honestly makes me laugh every time I see it. It’s one of those commercials that you have to keep watching to see what happens. I think it was clever and a risk that worked for them.
Microsoft’s, Empowering
Angela
I was inspired by this Microsoft ad because it brought the human side to technology. Technology is not just about video games, texting and the latest apps. Technology doesn’t isolate us, it brings us together. I thought this commercial did an excellent job bringing a face and human approach to a tech product.
Always, Run Like a Girl
Scott
Always took another approach from all those humorous period commercials (like the Poise one seen above) to really address what it means to be feminine and powerful. The drama is convincing in this and it is a fearless look at commonly held beliefs. It is what advertising is supposed to do – challenge and change beliefs.
Skype, Stay TogetherIt’s not often, or ever that I can remember, that a commercial has brought me to tears. The moment when the two best friends who have never met, meet for the first time and run towards each other left me ugly crying like Kim Kardashian. This commercial is pure and honest, you can’t make up that sort of emotion.
DirecTV, Super Creepy Rob Lowe
Jeremy
This campaign makes the best use of a celebrity. His past as the bad-boy/pretty boy character in Gen-Xers’ lives makes for great juxtaposition. Also, the script-writing for the “super creepy” segment was pretty wonderful (watching folks swim). As a brand, DirecTV was able to show they don’t take themselves too seriously while explaining the traditional features/benefits speak. It also has a nice nod to St. Elmo’s Fire at the end.
Team Favorite: Antennas Direct Cake Delivery to Comcast
To congratulate Comcast for being named the Worst Company in America, Antennas Direct decided to hand deliver a cake to Comcast’s Philadelphia headquarters. The video chronicling the epic cake delivery from bakery to Comcast headquarters, includes interviews of Comcast customers and how they feel about their service. We loved the thought and creativity behind this funny, and slightly outrageous, campaign.
