Best Ads of the Week: Uber Eats & Hellmann’s star-studded Super Bowl spots

This week, Kate McKinnon and Pete Davidson befriend a Hellmann’s loving cat, Apple releases two shorts for the Apple Vision Pro and KFC unveils a campaign that’s too tall for TV.

Uber Eats: Don’t Forget Uber Eats by Special US

After the success of its Super Bowl teaser last week, which saw David and Victoria Beckham recreate their infamous ‘My Dad drove a Rolls Royce’ meme, Uber Eats has finally released its full Big Game spot.

The ad, titled ‘Don’t Forget Uber Eats,’ opens with Jennifer Anniston being handed flowers from an assistant who says she wasn’t aware you could get such an assortment of items on Uber Eats. The actor replies that to remember that, she needs to forget something else to make room for the new information. David Schwimmer, halftime performer Usher and rapper Jelly Roll also appear in star-studded commercial. Creative agency Special US is the team behind the campaign.

KFC: Vertically Gifted by Mother

KFC Tower Burger from Mother on Vimeo.

To promote its Tower Burger, KFC has launched a new ad campaign that shows off the chicken sandwich in all its glory. The video spot comes with a warning that it is just too tall for TV while showing a close-up shot of the burger.

The camera then pans vertically to fit in more of the burger, which includes a hash brown, cheese and chicken. The campaign takes a playful approach to media placement, rotating the Tower Burger 90° to fit horizontal screens and reorientating billboards to fit vertical posters. On social media, ‘regular towers’ will be given a makeover, including the Blackpool Tower.

Apple: Hello Apple Vision Pro

The much-anticipated Apple Vision Pro is now available to purchase and, to promote the launch, the tech giant has released two spots. In ‘Hello Apple Vision Pro’ and ‘First Timer,’ viewers see how the device can integrate into everyday life while bringing a new dimension to it.

In the first ad, which is soundtracked by Supertramp’s Dreamer, viewers see people using the device throughout the day. That includes interacting with favorite apps, capturing and reliving memories, enjoying TV shows and movies or chatting with others in FaceTime. The second short shows much of the same, with a man using the headset for the very first time, this time soundtracked by If You Only Knew by Gabriels. The spots were created in-house by Apple and will appear on broadcast TV in the US and on the brand’s own YouTube channel.

Haribo: Football by Quiet Storm

Gummy brand Haribo has released the latest ad in its ‘Kids Voices’ campaign, but this time with an American twist. The spot, developed by Quiet Storm, made its debut last night at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards.

As the US prepares for the Super Bowl, the biggest football event of the year, the confectionary company has got in on the action with a spot called ‘Football’ that sees two adult players chat to each other. The usual twist is that the voices coming out of the duo’s mouths belong to children.

Hellmann’s: Mayo Cat by VML

As Super Bowl LVIII approaches, Hellmann’s has released its anticipated ad starring comedian Kate McKinnon and a cameo from fellow SNL alumni Pete Davidson. ‘Mayo Cat’ opens with the actor raiding her fridge looking for something to eat. As she finds a random assortment of food, she wonders what to do with it until her white cat offers some words of wisdom: ‘May-ow!”

With the realization that combining the scraps with mayo might transform the food – and the knowledge that her pet can talk – McKinnon’s life dramatically changes. She is thrust into the limelight with her furry friend, appearing on cooking shows and at book signings. The cat becomes a worldwide celebrity, even dating funnyman and notorious lothario Pete Davidson, who has appeared in three Hellmann’s Super Bowl ads now.

McDonald’s: Hottest Drop by Leo Burnett

McDonald’s and its agency Leo Burnett UK have launched an outdoor ad campaign designed to build up excitement around a new collaboration. The fast food chain has joined forces with Frank’s RedHot to create the ultimate chicken burger and fans are being given the chance to get their hand on the limited-edition meal first through early access tasting boxes.

All you have to do is scan the QR code and get the top-secret passcode to the drop site, which is GetMeAMcSpicyFranksRedHotTastingBox.net. There’s also a Fomo-inspiring film to coincide with the push that was created in partnership with Fred Rowson from Blink Productions.

Specsavers: Shouldl’ve Gone to Specsavers by Merman

Specsavers is continuing its ‘Shouldv’e’ campaign with a new ad directed by Declan Lowney. Harnessing the signature Specsavers humor, the ad introduces us to a couple named Greg and Ella, who are about to leave the airport for vacation. While Ella manages to check in with no problems, Greg, after parking the car, comes skidding into the airport with his wheelie suitcase, cutting it fine to make the departure on time.

A series of frantic and tense scenarios ensue before the ad ends with Greg racing to where he thinks the plane is preparing to take off as a concerned-looking Ella, who is already onboard, spots him from the airplane window on the opposite end of the tarmac. The ad was produced through Merman and the media agency was Manning Gottlieb OMD.

Liverpool FC & Carlsberg: The Challenge by Fold7

Four of the last five games between Liverpool and Chelsea have ended 0-0 – a perfect opportunity to promote a 0.0% lager. Back in December, Liverpool FC and Carlsberg inked another 10-year sponsorship contract, putting out a stop-motion video of fan tattoos to mark the occasion. The agreement will take the partnership to an incredible 42 years – the longest in the Premier League.

As part of the partnership, Carlsberg is assigned a match each season where it can have more of a presence and, this year, that game was Liverpool and Chelsea which happened to take place on the last day of Dry January. The brewer saw it as a great opportunity to promote its alcohol-free beer while agency Fold7 spotted that four of the last five games between the two teams have resulted in 0-0 draws, providing a chance to drive an association between product and occasion.

Old Spice: How Could You by Wieden+Kennedy

Fans of Old Spice’s humor-infused campaigns rejoice. The dynamic duo of Deon Cole and Gabrielle ’Gabby’ Dennis are back to show just how coveted the brand’s latest innovation, the Total Body deodorant spray, is. The new commercial, titled ‘How Could You,’ showcases the versatility of the new spray, proving that it’s not just for the underarms but can be sprayed all over the body. The scenario? A yoga studio.

As people stretch on their mats, Cole gives himself and his wife a whiff. He thinks to himself, “Mmm, my body smells good – but so does hers. Did she...” And just like that, the scene cuts to the ladies’ locker room, where Dennis and her friends are caught red-handed, liberally spritzing themselves with the product while laughing maniacally. The spot then cuts back to yoga class as Cole gathers the courage to confront her. “How could you?” he asks, looking surprised and bewildered. Without missing a beat, Dennis retorts with a mischievous grin, “It has 24/7 freshness and it smells better than mine. How could I not?” Directed by Ruganzu ’Riggs’ Howard and created in partnership with Wieden+Kennedy, the new ad marks a continuation of Old Spice’s existing brand platform, ‘Men Have Skin, Too.’

Samsung: Circle to Search by Iris

Samsung has teamed up with TfL to reimagine the tube map as a circle to promote the fact Google’s Circle to Search technology is coming to its new Galaxy S24 phone. The feature allows users to search by simply circling an item on their screen, meaning they won’t have to switch apps. The map will be on display for two weeks at Circle line platforms at five stations: King’s Cross, Blackfriars, Westminster, Liverpool Street and Paddington. King’s Cross will have the biggest advertising takeover, along with Victoria Underground, which will be wrapped in the map.

Creative agency Iris is behind the campaign, while media agency Starcom was behind the media buy along with Global. Along with the TfL activation, Samsung has created an above-ground running route that follows the Circle Line and, as part of the campaign, will get customers to take part in an organized run on February 3.

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