Creative Works: 10 of the best ads of the week from Headspace to Sandy Hook Promise
At The Drum, we believe great work deserves recognition and that talented creatives should get their share of reverence for the hard work they put in. So each week we will update our hall of fame, celebrating the 10 best ads from our Creative Works section. Welcome, and don’t forget to vote for your favorite!
This week, mobile network Giffgaff launched its first ad in British Sign Language (BSL). Working together with network member Aleks, alongside Stink Studios, the ad features a 3D animated version of Aleks himself utilizing BSL to create an ad that is inclusive of the deaf community.
Meanwhile, Headspace has launched its latest international campaign ‘Find Some Headspace’, documenting the highs and lows of the last year while showcasing just how important it is to be in the right headspace. The campaign film reveals snippets of people’s personal lives over the past year, with the voicing of real members who have written into Headspace to explain the joy that the app has given them in recent troubled times.
Finally, Sandy Hook Promise, the non-profit that aims to prevent gun violence in schools, has returned with another powerful campaign by Alex-Henry Rubin and BBDO NY. The heart-wrenching video features survivors of school shootings somberly reciting lyrics to Katy Perry’s pop anthem Teenage Dream – a stark reminder of innocence lost and lives forever changed.
That’s just for starters. Scroll down to see the best work from our Creative Works section. And don’t forget to vote!
FTX: You In? by DentsuMB
NFL quarterback Tom Brady and supermodel Gisele Bundchen have starred in a $20m campaign to endorse cryptocurrency exchange platform FTX and have one question for everyone: you in? The humorous ad, by newly-appointed agency DentsuMB, was rolled out during the highly-anticipated opening game of the football season between opponents Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Dallas Cowboys.
Vote for the work here.
Disney: Happier Than Ever: A Love Letter to LA
LA native and seven-time Grammy award-winning pop star Billie Eilish has delighted fans with a new concert experience Happier Than Ever: A Love Letter to Los Angeles, which is exclusive to Disney+ subscribers.
The special takes viewers on a dreamlike journey through Eilish’s hometown in all its glory and features intimate performances of every song from the singer’s new album Happier Than Ever.
Vote for the work here.
UberEats: Tonight I’ll be Eating by Special Group
King of the internet Lil Nas X and legendary singer Elton John have teamed up in a glamorous new campaign for Uber Eats created by Special Group and directed by Guy Shelmerdine.
‘Tonight I’ll be Eating’ features the celebrity duo promoting the grocery, alcohol and convenience offerings available from the delivery service. In typical flamboyant style, the superstar singers switch iconic looks, ride playground horses and fight about whether fries pair well with mayonnaise.
Vote for the work here.
Playboy: Tennis Club
In an ode to the legendary brand‘s iconic sporty pictorials and admiration for tennis, Playboy is rolling out a campaign tied to the launch of Tennis Club, a soft retro-meets-streetwear hybrid collection of wardrobe staples that call back to the brand‘s extensive history with the sport.
Shot in bright, natural lighting, the Tennis Club campaign exudes a playful, flirty energy that highlights the competitive tension in a tongue-in-cheek way, as well as drawing the consumer in with a focus on clean lines and stylish yet classic applications of the Playboy logo. The line itself will boast an array of light knits, classic pleated tennis skirts, trousers and overshirts that can be mixed, matched and layered.
Vote for the work here.
Giffgaff: Giffgaff Gives Back by Stink Studios
Giffgaff, the mobile network run by you, has partnered with Stink Studios London and worked closely alongside one of its members to create its latest TV ad in British Sign Language (BSL).
Ingrained in Giffgaff’s ambition to make ads with a difference, and as part of its ‘Giffgaff Gives Back’ series, this latest campaign was created after member Aleks challenged Giffgaff to create an ad that was inclusive of the deaf community.
Featuring an animated version of Aleks, who is deaf, Stink Studios worked with the brand and its members to make sure the creative properly and accurately harnessed BSL and conveyed what Aleks wanted to say. In the 10- and 30-second versions, the bespoke 3D animation of Aleks uses BSL to share what he loves most about Giffgaff – sharing his story and experience of being with the mobile network.
Vote for the work here.
Supercell: Clash Combat by Waste
Finnish gaming giant Supercell has teamed up with independent creative agency Waste in a new spot to mark Video Games Day. The animated ‘Clash Combat’ ad takes viewers on a nostalgic journey through gaming history, evolving from an 8-bit graphics arcade-style design to a rich 3D modern aesthetic.
The spot starts with a retro synthesized sound effect and heavily pixilated graphics that are sure to pique the interest of old-school gamers who grew up with classic Nintendo consoles. As the short video progresses, we see players one and two battle for the winning title, all the while leveling up into the sleeker versions of themselves that modern-day audiences will be more attuned to.
Vote for the work here.
Headspace: Find Some Headspace
Headspace has launched its latest international campaign ‘Find Some Headspace’, documenting the highs and lows of the last year while showcasing just how important it is to be in the right headspace. The campaign film reveals snippets of people’s personal lives over the past year, with the voicing of real members who have written into Headspace to explain the joy that the app has given them in recent troubled times.
Vote for the work here.
Sandy Hook Promise: Teenage Dream by BBDO NY
Sandy Hook Promise, the non-profit that aims to prevent gun violence in schools, has returned with another powerful campaign by Alex-Henry Rubin and BBDO NY. The heart-wrenching video features survivors of school shootings somberly reciting lyrics to Katy Perry’s pop anthem Teenage Dream – a stark reminder of innocence lost and lives forever changed.
Vote for the work here.
Science Moms by Ad Council
The Ad Council is working with a group called Science Moms to launch a nationwide ad/PSA campaign to bring climate conversation to the forefront.
Science Moms is a non-partisan group of climate scientists who are also moms. It’s the largest educational effort on climate change since Al Gore’s push on climate education in 2007.
According to new and unreleased data conducted this August by the Potential Energy Coalition, more than 60% of Americans are concerned about climate change, but only 14% talk about the issue often, leading us to ask the crucial question: what will it actually take to start a conversation on climate change?
Vote for the work here.
McDonald’s: Cooler Bag by TBWA\Paris
With summer coming to an end, many are enjoying their final picnics outdoors. Since mid-June McDonald’s has been promoting its cooler bag, allowing friends and families to keep their snacks at the perfect temperature.
This new campaign, signed by TBWA Paris, is inspired by the famous saga of ‘pictos’, the minimalism of which honors the brand’s iconic products.
It is through the poetic universe of the illustrator Baptiste Stéphan that the properties of the cooler bag are revealed. The artist’s landscapes are transformed, revealing the brand’s iconic products – Big Mac, fries and sundaes – thanks to the temperature contrasts between their silhouettes and the desert landscapes.
Vote for the work here.
That’s it for this week’s round-up of the 10 best ads from The Drum’s Creative Works. Remember to vote for your favorite ad.