advert-body-3 by Wieden+Kennedy

Home robotics company Anki released an ad for Vector, its ‘good robot’, to appeal to consumers fearful of a world filled with mechanized destroyers.

The Wieden + Kennedy crafted spot shows a homeowner checking through his options at an electronic store, first spotting the little silver bot staring wide-eyed at its potential new owner.

He thinks against it, then ponders the other choices: a smart speaker that’s more than willing to sell your private information to brands, a drone that creepily hoists his newborn in the air, a camera that locks him inside his own home (politely), and a dog that we almost get to see attack his master.

Ethan, the protagonist, has enough reason to make his decision, and plucks the good robot from the shelf. Anki, well known for its revamping of the toy racetracks with its series of phone-controlled RC vehicles, made the bot to assist around the house, much like the smart assistants infiltrating homes everywhere.

As part of this Good Robot campaign, Anki has targeted robot makers all over to help make a more friendly future for humans and robots. Mobile billboards will be driving around robotics and AI firms, as well as universities with leading robotics programs in a push to build with humanity in mind.