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Creative Works: 10 best ads of the week, from TikTok to Dunelm

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By Amy Houston, Senior Reporter

October 20, 2021 | 10 min read

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.

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Creative Works: 10 best ads of the week from TikTok to Dunelm

This week, TikTok released a creative spot that hilariously takes inspiration from some of the social giant’s most-viewed videos, including the infamous ‘hidden apartment’ series, after appointing Publicis Groupe’s US-based center of creative excellence Le Truc to work on the brief.

British homewares brand Dunelm, meanwhile, offered up a bright new campaign, ‘Dun Your Way’, designed to blow away those autumn blues and set to Do Your Thing by Basement Jaxx.

And non-governmental organization AllRise filed a complaint against Brazil‘s president Jair Bolsonaro to hold him accountable for crimes against the environment, releasing ‘The Planet vs Bolsonaro’ with the help of creative agency 180 Amsterdam to highlight the devastation his actions have had on the planet.

TikTok: You Have To See It

The latest ad from the social media giant stars ordinary people, celebrities and TikTok creators discussing cultural moments on the platform. We see a variety of people discussing @samanthartsoe’s viral video that had TikTok viewers on the edge of their screens as she subsequently finds an abandoned mystery apartment behind her own bathroom mirror.

With cameos from Martha Stewart – who dramatically starts breaking down a random wall in search of a hidden apartment – plus well-known TikTok creators including @tinx, @ghosthoney, @alexisnikole and @brookeab, the ad hopes to entice non-users to join the platform.

TikTok, which has now surpassed 1 billion users, is the first client for Le Truc, which opened its doors in February this year.

The new agency aims to unite over 600 creatives and producers across Publicis Groupe New York by bringing together the NYC-based creative and production force of Publicis, Digitas, Razorfish, Rokkan, Saatchi & Saatchi and Publicis Media.

Vote for the ad here

Dunelm: Dun Your Way

Created by ad agency Creature, Dunelm’s new spot shows a dystopian vision of colorless suburbia, where families live drab, gray lives. The introduction of a carrier bag bursting with colorful Dunelm furnishings begins a domino effect, leading to a riotous embrace of maximalism, set to Do Your Thing by Basement Jaxx.

The spot features the use of British Sign Language, shown in one conversation between two women as they redecorate.

The ad was directed by Stephen Pipe with the 60-second spot launching on ITV over the weekend during key slots on The Case, ITV News, Paul O’Grady’s Saturday Night Line Up and Sunday murder serial Grantchester. Media strategy for the campaign is being handled by Goodstuff.

Vote for the ad here

AllRise: The Planet vs Bolsonaro

Non-governmental organization AllRise has filed a complaint against Brazil‘s president Jair Bolsonaro at the International Criminal Court to hold him accountable for crimes against the environment – specifically the Amazon rainforest.

With the help of creative agency 180 Amsterdam, ‘The Planet vs Bolsonaro’ highlights the devastation that the president‘s actions have had on the planet and aims to establish a groundbreaking legal precedent when it comes to protecting it.

Between 2019 and 2020, the number of fires in the Amazon became catastrophic and devastating images were shared around the globe of the burning rainforest. Brazil‘s role in the deforestation of the Amazon has been a significant issue since the 1930s as 60% of the Amazon is contained within the country.

Crimes against the Earth are crimes against humanity, and this campaign is holding one of the key culprits – Bolsonaro – accountable. The movement is designed to amplify the complaint’s purpose, bring attention to it and galvanize the public to act.

Vote for the ad here

Police Scotland: Don't Be That Guy

Police Scotland has unveiled a straight-talking campaign that aims to reduce sexual violence toward women by encouraging men to have honest discussions about male sexual entitlement.

‘Don’t Be That Guy’ was released on social media earlier in the week and asks all men to take a good look in the mirror and address their attitudes and behavior toward women, at home, work and while socializing.

The premise of the PSA is that sexual violence starts long before you think it does, with misogyny and sexism being a gateway. Views of the video – which features young men asking questions such as ‘You ever give a girl a compliment ... and wondered why you didn’t get a thank you?’ and ‘Ever slid into a girl’s DMs and went ahead and just showed her it?’ – have reached over 430,000 so far.

Vote for the ad here

Stand Up To Cancer: The Moment You Stand

Stand Up To Cancer marked the return of its fundraising campaign last week with the release of a powerful short film that features a star-studded cast, all of whom have been affected by cancer.

Produced by Nonsense, the film follows cancer patients, their loved ones and medical staff and reflects on how standing up “builds community, changes history and shapes the future”, while encouraging people to donate to the campaign.

Vote for the ad here

Which?: See Sales in a Different Light

The holiday shopping season will soon be upon us and Which?, the UK’s consumer champion, has unveiled a clever outdoor campaign to highlight the impact impulsive purchases can have on our planet and our wallets.

The eye-catching neon billboards, executed by indie creative agency St Lukes, reveal the hidden dangers of the ‘buy now, pay later’ mentality.

Upon first viewing, the billboards communicate typical sales messages that consumers are familiar with on the run-up to Black Friday, but once illuminated an unexpected additional sentence gives the campaign a new angle – to shop smarter.

In a stark twist, ‘Buy now pay later’ becomes ‘Buy now but our planet doesn’t have to pay later’; ‘Bargain bin’ turns into ‘Find a bargain that doesn’t end up in your bin’; and ‘Super savings’ becomes ‘Superficial savings.’

Vote for the ad here

Camden Town Brewery: Marmite Kiss

Camden Town Brewery has released an ad set to divide audiences by relaunching an old Marmite spot from 2001.

Off the back of a collaboration beer with the controversial spread, the beermaker has re-released the ’Marmite Kiss’ ad with a new twist.

In the original spot, a romantic pair move in for a kiss, before one breaks off, repelled by the taste of Marmite on their lover’s lips. In the new campaign, the yeast paste itself is replaced with a tin of Camden Love Hate Marmite Ale, albeit with similar results for the would-be couple.

The ad was directed by Eros Vlahos and produced by Draftline – AB InBev’s in-house creative agency. Media buying was handled by Bountiful Cow and PR has been managed by W Communications.

Vote for the ad here

eBay: When You Buy a Thing, Sell a Thing

eBay is inspiring change with ‘When you buy a thing, sell a thing’ to extend the shelf life of serviceable items beyond a single owner.

Tapping into growing environmental awareness among consumers, the McCann London campaign highlights the material and emotional value unwanted goods can bring in the right hands.

Repositioning eBay as a staple of the circular economy, the campaign differentiates the brand from other e-commerce sites by reminding members that selling can be just as rewarding as buying.

Created in partnership with Craft and production house Riff Raff, the campaign centers on a bespoke musical number, contrasting the waste associated with chucking out an old TV by passing it on to someone else so that ‘like a boomerang, love comes back to you’.

Vote for the ad here

Wendy’s: What Would You Like With Your Fries?

Fast-food giant Wendy’s this week debuted its ’reinvented’ French fries with fanfare. It launched a new TV ad campaign slamming McDonald’s version of the snack and has promised that Wendy’s fries will always be hot and crispy – or replaced for free.

Vote for the ad here

Philips: All In One For All You Need

Philips is taking a stand for body hair positivity in its latest ad that shows patchy beards, hairy backs and nose hair trimming in all its glory with the new ‘All In One For All You Need’ campaign by Dutch digital agency Dept.

Promoting its most versatile multi-groomer yet, the spot introduces a fresh take on male grooming and steps away from ads that primarily feature traditional clean-shaven men in a bid to be more inclusive and cater to a wider audience.

The social-first ad has been created by creative agency Dept in close collaboration with production partner Wenneker.

Vote for the ad here

That’s just for starters. Scroll down to see the best work from our Creative Works section. And don’t forget to vote.

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