Best Ads of the Week: 805 Beer empowers women & Barnardo’s fights child poverty

This week, B&Q motivates DIY aficionados with iconic orange billboards, Manscaped shows ‘the boys’ some love and Dave and Busters enlists DJ Pauly D to lead the Spring Break revolution.

B&Q: You Can Do It by Uncommon

Home improvement retailer B&Q has released a set of out-of-home ads brandished with its iconic orange. Each billboard features close-ups of tools intended to look heavy or intimidating, with the accompanying copy giving DIY aficionados motivational messages.

Copy includes ‘You can’t do it’ with the ‘t’ being removed by a saw, ‘You can do it. (Someone has to)’ with an image of a toilet plunger and ‘Dig deep’ with a picture of a garden tool. B&Q’s bright orange color is the backdrop for each. The out-of-home campaign is the latest installment of B&Q’s ‘You Can Do It’ campaign developed by its creative agency Uncommon.

Manscaped: The Boys by Pereira O’Dell

Californian male grooming brand Manscaped has created a ballsy new ad that introduces us to ‘the boys,’ then takes them for a fun day out. Created by agency Pereira O’Dell, the campaign focuses on trimming those most sensitive areas on some of our bodies, ‘the boys.’ The Lawn Mower is the grooming brand’s fifth-generation pubic hair trimmer featuring an interchangeable, replaceable, precision-engineered dual-head system.

The tongue-in-cheek ad sees our male star enjoying several outdoor daily activities with his two ‘boys,’ but it soon becomes apparent that his ‘boys’ are significantly hairier than other men’s ‘boys.’ His boys soon become hot, sweaty and irritable, so he takes a leaf out of other men’s books and gives them a shave with his Lawn Mower 5.0 Ultra. The tagline: ‘Give your boys the love they deserve.’ His ‘boys’ look much happier as a result.

Dave & Buster’s: Spring Break for All by Mother

In a campaign to ensure everyone has time off to play, Dave & Buster’s has enlisted the help of none other than DJ Pauly D, the man who knows how to fist pump his way through a good time. The campaign, aptly named ‘Spring Break for All,’ follows the Jersey Shore star and DJ as he confidently strides to the podium like a seasoned politician to bring forth the political revolution we never knew we needed.

In his platform, Pauly D proposes people of all ages join the movement and enjoy some much-deserved PTO (which in this case, stands for “Play Time On”). He also urges the masses to sign a petition for the ultimate cause: making the week of Spring Break a national holiday. Consumers can sign the actual petition at www.daveandbusters.com/us/en/newsletter-subscription/sbmovement.

Dell Technologies: E-Waste QR Code by VML New York

As the global surge in electronic consumption continues, so, too, does the rise in electronic waste (e-waste). According to Dell Technologies, 53.6m tons of electronics become e-waste every year. That’s 16 pounds for every single person on the planet every single year, making it the fastest-growing domestic waste stream. Meanwhile, just 17.4% of e-waste around the world gets recycled. Consumer electronics giant Dell has taken a step to raise awareness about this crisis and promote recycling through an innovative outdoor campaign debuting at the 28th annual SXSW.

The first-of-its-kind installation, created with VML New York, sits just a few blocks away from Dell’s SXSW event venue at the Riley Building. It is designed to make recycling old tech more accessible and convenient for conference attendees. Various pieces of “e-waste,” including discarded keyboards and monitors, become a giant QR code from a few feet away. A scan of a smartphone takes individuals to Dell.com/Recycle, where they can access information on responsibly recycling old technology and download a pre-paid shipping label to facilitate the recycling process.

Apple: Shot on iPhone by Takashi Miike

Apple has enlisted Japanese film director Takashi Miike to lend his distinctive touch and acting capabilities to its latest brand film. Bringing to life Osamu Tezuka’s 1986 manga Midnight, the ad depicts a thrilling, suspenseful drama about a taxi driver who encounters strange passengers while making his night rounds. In the film, the driver is pulled out of his way to help a female truck driver, Kaede, who is running from a hit man.

Eagle-eyed viewers will notice that Miike also stars as Kaede’s father, while narration comes from Akio Otsuka, who portrayed the character of Black Jack in the animated series based on Tezuka’s renowned work. The spot was primarily filmed on the streets of Tokyo on the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max and made its premiere on the brand’s own YouTube channel.

Ford: Dear Car Girl by Wieden+Kennedy

Ford aims to reshape public perceptions of the brand by emphasizing its commitment to being a brand for women in its latest campaign, ‘Dear Car Girl.’

Created in partnership with Wieden+Kennedy New York, the campaign comprises a heartfelt film directed by Jihye Ku, which showcases inspiring figures such as stunt driver Dee Bryant, Ford engineer Fernanda Medina, racer Gabby Downing, and drag racer Lauren Stoney. Accompanying Q&A videos delve deeper into their stories, as well as a printed letter in Auto News and physical letters sent to female ambassadors, Friends of Ford, dealers, and employees. The brand is also supporting women in the automotive industry through partnerships with car enthusiasts like Sydney Sweeney.

Barnardo’s: Mollusc by Don’t Panic

According to the children’s charity Barnardo’s, more than one in four kids in the UK are now living in poverty – a situation worsened by the cost of living crisis that is gripping the nation. This can have a deep and profound impact on young people’s lives, often causing them to experience feelings of shame, dissociation, anxiety and disconnection.

Bringing this shocking statistic to the viewers, ad agency Don’t Panic worked alongside the team at Barnardo’s to create a thought-provoking film that sees a young girl struggle to fit in with her peers. To stress the difficulties she is facing, the schoolchild wears a giant mollusk costume that makes integrating with her class even more difficult.

Guinness: Lovely Day for a Guinness by On the Roam

Diageo-owned Guinness has announced its years-in-the-making partnership with superstar actor Jason Momoa. At the core of this collaboration is a captivating television commercial titled ‘Lovely Day for a Guinness.’ Starring the charismatic Aquaman and Baywatch star Jason Momoa, the commercial unfolds in a sushi restaurant where he is handed a mysterious piece of paper.

A cursory glance reveals a surprising revelation – Momoa is 2% Irish. Energized by this newfound connection, he jubilantly dashes into a nearby pub, inviting his cherished loved ones to join him in celebrating this unexpected and delightful discovery over pints of Guinness.

Peachaus: Naked Talks by Dude London

Ethical fashion brand Peachaus has unveiled a new brand campaign that focuses on building women’s confidence when it comes to public speaking in a light-hearted way. ‘Naked Talks’ features a group of women who experience nerves around public speaking to an underwear-clad audience. The film hopes to encourage women to feel comfortable in their skin and have the courage to be themselves every day.

Research shows that three out of four women are trepidatious about public speaking. Created with an all-female production crew by independent creative shop Dude London, the ad boldly encourages women to embrace their fears to bare all to an audience – who are doing the same.

805 Beer: Properly Chill

Paso Robles-based Firestone Walker Brewing Company has unveiled its latest campaign for 805 Beer, a female-led ad spot released on International Women’s Day. The ad features a diverse cast of accomplished athletes and creators known as “Authenticos,” including X-Games gold medalist Vicki Golden, MMA fighter Tabatha Ricci, Babes Ride Out founders Anya Violet and Ashmore Ellis, singer-songwriter Jade Jackson and explorer Gillian Larson.

The campaign, which emphasizes the celebration of inspiring individuals every day, is part of the company’s largest holistic brand effort to date. The release also includes a short film titled ‘Reaching The Unknown,’ featuring Gillian Larson’s adventures on the Pacific Coast Trail. Additional programming involves collaborations with Babes Ride Out, a female-inspired apparel line, and initiatives with Vicki Golden’s women’s moto camp.

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