Little Things, Big Picture

This post is dedicated to a few ads that display the theme of little things coming together to make something bigger and more meaningful. Whether it be little ideas, little images, or little words, when they unite, they become infinitely more impacting.

1. BBDO (Germany). Mercedes-Benz. This is from a recent campaign for the new "danger-detecting" model. It takes a simple sentence that most everyone sees or hears and turns it into something more powerful - a warning of a danger that might be faced. I like this campaign because it reminds you that accidents can happen everyday and without warning, usually when you are doing simple driving tasks. It  gives you an example of why the danger-detecting software would be useful, almost invaluable. It took something simple (small) and turned it into something bigger.

2. Saatchi & Saatchi (Singapore). ESPN. I like this one a lot. Sometimes we never stop to think about all the little details and movements involved in a simple sports wave. The entire performance depends on the accuracy and awareness of each individual participant. If one is off, or refuses to leave the seat and enter into this right of passage, the whole thing is ruined. The ad makes the wave even more epic, inspiring even. Little details, big picture.

3. 

TBWA (NYC). Sony Bravia. Of course, I had to include this campaign in my post - it's a great example of the theme I am trying to describe. All the little bouncy balls are meant to represent all the little pixels of color that come together to create the brilliant display that is a Sony Bravia LCD TV screen. This ad is so beautiful and transfers the idea of beauty to the product. By focusing on the small parts that make up the TV screen, instead of the screen itself, Sony Bravia was able to separate itself from other TV ads and create an eloquent yet good-humored personality for its product - not to mention that it is a pleasure to watch.

Overall, breaking down something large can help you find the nugget of information that you are looking for in a campaign. Sometimes we tend to get caught up in the finished product and lose sight of the details that got us there. We forget that the small things are what are truly important. Where would the products be without them?

Modernista!

Names that include punctuation are almost as cool as those who refuse it.

Headquarters: Boston, Massachusetts. With other offices in Detroit and Amsterdam. Modernista was founded in 2000 by Gary Koepke.

Current clients: Hearts On Fire, General Motors' Hummer, and Cadillac, Product Red, and Stop Handgun Violence. They have done work for the likes of Converse, MTV, Napster, Gap, and Anheuser-Busch.

Modernista! (Boston). Napster is a file-sharing program that basically allows you to download music from their online database for cheap. Cheaper than iTunes, cheap. Everyone shares their music with each other like a musical commune. This ad totally captures the purpose of Napster and portrays its edgy, anti-establishment personality. The headline line is fabulously simple, and pounds the message into your head: don't buy music, share it. Of course, the original company shut down due to copyright issues (who didn't see that coming?). Now, the service still exists but you have to pay a small monthly fee for access to the music database. All in all, the original message reigns on. Do your own thing, forget the rules, get the music you want now.

R/GA

Founded in 1977, R/GA is a global ad agency that is headquartered in NYC, with other offices in San Francisco and London. It is a part of the Interpublic holding company.

It noted for its great digital and visual production capabilities.

Work: Nike+, Droid, Noke viNe, Zain Retail Experience, Ad Council's That's Not Cool.


R/GA (NYC). This is one of the many videos made for their work for Ad Council to support an initiative to make teens and parents more aware of cyper-bullying and cyper sexual-assault ("sexting"). I think this whole concept is cool because they collaborated with actually teens to create the material on the site. By providing information for kids, by kids, they made an environment that is safe, inviting, and informative. The site offers tons of info about how to know if you are being attacked, who to talk to, and how to stop it. Empowering kids through material thought up by kids. Awesome.

www.thatsnotcool.com

Secret Weapon Marketing

Where, you guessed it, they are the secret weapon.

Past Clients: Nissan, Infiniti, Jack in the Box, Carl's Jr., Taco Bell, Dyer's, Nike, Energizer, Coca-Cola, Alaska Airlines, American Express, Reebok, and ABC Networks.

They only have three clients at a time, so they can focus all of their energy on those clients only. I think that's pretty neat.


Secret Weapon Marketing (CA). This campaign goes right for the problem: people don't trust car-salesmen. It's a universal truth. So why not be honest about how awful they are and show why Honda sales-people are different? This series is cute, honest, and approachable. Making you truly feel like you can trust Hondas and the men and women who sell them. I'll have to admit, though, that I find them a bit too corny for my liking, but overall, cute concept and good message.

David&Goliath

David&Goliath is a full-service indie agency. They have offices in Los Angeles, London, and Frankfurt. They started their own non-profit organization called the Brave Alliance. They also have their own in-house print production studio (Bullseye) and broadcast production studio (Spinach).

David&Goliath (LA). For Mammoth Ski Resort. This ad grabbed my attention because it has many of the same elements of the VW work by DDB. Small image, big white space. What's kind of ironic, is that instead of "Think Small", their tagline is "Play Big". Simplicity in my mind is always best. Also, I don't know if you have ever been to a ski resort, but they are always packed! So this simple image of a lone skier with all the room in the world to carve through is not only impressive but mouth-watering. I would love to have a whole mountain to myself. Of course, I understand that this sentiment is not the message, just wishful thinking on my part. Overall, this ad doesn't overwhelm you with detail and color and people and prices. Instead, it wraps you in a sense of beautiful isolation and makes you yearn for your turn to carve some powder.

Ground Zero

The agency was started in a 10'x14' room above a restaurant in Venice. One of their founders wrote the movie Old School and a children's book published by Random House. They are the first agency to get a TV commercial exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. And it is only 15 years old...

Clients: 2K Video Games, Bit-O-Luv Dog Treats, CA Department of Health, Ditech, ESPN, Mylife.com, Oberto Beef Jerky, Pinky Vodka, Parrot Technologies, and Mercury Insurance. Have done work in the past for the History Channel.

Ground Zero (Los Angeles). For ESPN. This is a direct mailer that was sent out the exact same day that Boston Red Sox traded a prominent players to LA. ESPN needed to capitalize on the trade and do it immediately. This is a great example of quick-thinking in an appropriate manner. The note presents a snarky jab at Boston, fitting the sentiments of the situation dead-on. It also is easily understood, the message is delivered almost instantly. Not to mention that it is move that would definitely get press and a whole bunch of word-of-mouth. Home run.

Rethink

HQ: Vancouver. With offices in British Columbia and Toronto. Yay, Canada!

They currently employ 60 people... which sounds kind of small to me, but hey, if it works.

T'was founded in 1999, by Chris Staples, Ian Grais (definitely French-Canadian), and Tom Shepansky who all used to work at DDB Vancouver.

Clients: A&W, the British Columbia Automobile Association, Sobey's, Mr. Lube, and Science World at TELUS World of Science.

They are most famous for their work for PLAYLAND.

Rethink (Vancouver?). For Children of the Street Society's launch of Predator Watch. Copy: Attention predators: undercover officers are online. I think it's kind of ironic because we usually see ads that focus on warning children and their families of the threat of online predators, but in this campaign, the cops are warning the predators. Also, it shows cops pretending to be kids instead of the predators pretending to be kids (which they often do to lure in unsuspecting children). Once again, it is an example of turning a topic on its head and approaching it from a different angle. Not too mention that it's way creepy.

StrawberryFrog

What's with the bizzare names? Now I think I'll name my agency BlueberryGrasshopper...

StrawberryFrog is a neat shop with offices in New York, Amsterdam, Mumbai, and Sao Paulo.

Clients: Stacy's, P&G Pampers, Truth North, Heineken, Scion, Asics, Liberty Mutual, Morgan Stanley, James Bond, IKEA, Sprint, GAS Jeans, Old Navy, Wal-Mart's Sam's Club, and more.



StrawberryFrog (New York?). I picked this one because I honestly have no clue why the iPad is useful. But this concept gave me a new perspective. Instead of thinking of the iPad as an extension of your home computer or your iPhone, it is its own technology, it just needs to be defined. With Pampers Hello Baby app, we see that your iPad can be a means of connecting with your family. It encourages family-bonding as well as knowledge about the person growing inside of you. It reinforces Pampers brand image of being family-oriented and innovative. It makes me really trust Pampers and feel like they truly know a lot about what they do. It also makes me realize the amazing opportunities for the iPad to explode, if only we tap into it properly.

72 and Sunny

I don't know why, but things with weather forecasts in their names always make me smile. I think if I ever make my own agency I'll name it 34 and Nippy....

Clients: Nike, Carl's Jr./Hardee's, Discovery Channel, 2K Sports, and HP.


72 and Sunny. If I am your target, make it a musical and you always win. Point 1 for Discovery Channel. But what's awesome is that they made it serious, when others try to make their musical attempts funny. Point 2. And yet, through their seriousness they make it funny. My high school theater teacher always told us when practicing improv games that if you try to force the funny, you'll fail, but if you try to play them correctly, you'll always win, because it's funny when your correctness works. Point 3. Also, they embraced the different personalities of their shows, each one sang the song how they would actually sing it. Hushed. Tongue-in-check. With drums. Each to his own tune. Point 4. And through it all, we saw the message: Discovery Channel is the place to go to find people and shows who truly love our planet. Point 5. Game, set, and match.

Mother

London, England.

Once again, we have come across a rather secretive agency. I can't seem to find any relevant info about them.... however:

Clients: Stella Artois, COI 'Frank', Coca-Cola, Oasis, PG Tips (tea), Dell, Powerade, Orange, truTV, and more.



Mother (London). I love audience participation. And the audience loves it even more. That's why shows like "Who's Line is it Anyway" work out so well (aside from their hilarity). People like it when they get the chance to be a part of something. And when it comes to advertising, they are more likely to seek it out if they can interact with it and add their own personal flair to the campaign. This one for Dell kind of reminds me of the poster for ban deodorant, where the consumers were encouraged to send in what they want to "ban" and the top ones were compiled into a poster campaign. People like getting their voices out there. This one for Dell shows us just that. Not to mention that it is perfectly appropriate for the event it was coinciding with. That's the most important: audience participation that works with the campaign, not just for the sake of audience participation.

TAXI

Founded in 1992 and headquartered in Montreal, Canada, there are now 5 locations in Canada, 1 in the US, and 1 in Europe. Apparently, TAXI has an approach that structured its employees into teams that each work on a different client. Strawberry Frog and SMART have adopted this process as well. Go Canada. It's always nice to hear of agencies reinventing the way things work. I guess it's kind of like each client gets their own Taxi cab that will take them where they need to go (okay, cheesy, but it will help me remember for the test).

Clients: Mini, Aviva, Blue Shield, Plan B, WestJet, Carling...

Famous for its work for VIAGRA.

TAXI (Toronto). Covenant House. This ad is cool because it catches you off guard. We are all used to the images on toy boxes, it is normal to see children enjoying a toy, but this ad puts it in a different context. It shows that altoughh we may think it's normal, homeless children consider it an unreachable ideal and would much prefer a safe place to sleep rather than a frivolous toy. The ad is great too because it catches you around Christmas time when you are already thinking about what a kid would want to see wrapped beneath the tree. Now you just feel guilty. In a good way, I guess.

Cramer-Krasselt

2nd largest indie agency in the U.S.

Founded in Milwaukee in 1898 by Fred "Cody" Cramer and William Krasselt. They relocated to Chicago in the 80s.

Famous for their Corona Beer work. And apparently for creating "stealth disco"...

Clients: AirTran Airways, Porsce Cars North America, Benjamin Moore, Heinz, Bombardier Recreational Products, Sealy, and Johnsonville Sausage.



C-K (Chicago). I don't know if I have said this yet, but I love anything done for Ad Council. They are all so brilliantly made, and spur me to action even if it doesn't apply to me. This one grabbed my attention because it dropped me right in the middle of a household during a disaster. I was forced to watch as they flew through the air, scrambling to find their emergency kit. And I stopped to think, what would I be trying to grab? Do I even have an emergency kit? I guess, living in Tornado Alley, I'm part of the target market and so the ad is more geared to me. But I truly think the the cinematography is a unifying force, capturing anyones attention throughout the whole commercial, target or not. And that's what's cool about this ad. It makes me feel like I'm there.

Doner Company

The Doner Company. Sounds like the Donner Party, thankfully no cannibalism is involved.

Founded in 1937 by Wilfred Broderick Doner (If I ever have a son I'm seriously considering naming him Borderick, now), the Doner Company holds the glorious title of being the largest independent advertising agency in the world. Wow, it beat out Dentsu and W+K? Kudos.

HQ: Detroit, MI.

Clients: Mazda, Expedia, May Department Stores, Blockbuster, Timex, Arby's, Six Flags, ADT Security Services, Cox Communications - Digital Max, Slyvan Learning Center, Great Wolf Lodge, AAA, The UPS Store, HGTV, Detroit Zoo, Serta, Hotels.com, GE, Bush Brothers and Company, DuPont, and Sherwin-Williams.


The Doner Company (Detroit?) Minute Maid fruit juice. What a great way to introduce a new spin on an old product. I don't know about you but when I think Minute Maid, I think of same-old same-old breakfast juice that has been around forever. But this ad totally changed my perspective of it and took on some of its competition as well. Most people choose caffeine over fruit in the morning, but why drink coffee or caffeine-ladened beverages when you can have all-natural energy fruit juice? The story line in the ad gives a funny and hyperbolic example of how just a little boost of energy in the morning can help you be more active - without the crash of caffeine. And it's funny, too.

The Richards Group

Stan, Stan, he's our man! No, really, he is.

Stan Richards founded The Richards Group in Dallas, Tx, in 1975 (there was a former business before then, but it got incorporated in '75). The company has annual billings of $1.25 billion. They are most famous for the Chick-Fil-A cows, the Motel 6 campaign with Tom Bodett, and the inconic Corona Ceer TV commercials set on tropical beaches.

Major clients include: Chick-Fil-A, Motel 6, Fruit of the Loom, Home Depot, Sub Zero/Wolf, Zales, and PODS.

The Richards Group (Dallas, Tx). It made me laugh. The headline is a clever way of explaining one of GameStop's services - they can help you when you get stuck. Actually, I didn't know that they offered gaming guidance until I saw this ad, and actually the concept is really cool. I like that they didn't blatantly say, "we offer help when you can't beat the Boss on level 5", according to my profs, they "wrapped it in a cheese ball".

BBH

"When the world zigs, zag."

Headquartered in London, England, it was founded in 1982 as Bartle Bogle Hegarty (say that ten times fast). BBH has 7 offices worldwide. In 1997 Leo Burnett purchased a 49% stake in BBH and now that share is owned by Publicis.

Famous for? Levi's "Launderette", "Keep Walking" for Johnnie Walker, and "The Axe (Lynx) Effect" for Unilever.

Clients: Audi, Whitbread, Levi’s, Van den Bergh Foods, Swinton, Electrolux, BBC, The Mail on Sunday, Polaroid, Dockers, Time, Johnnie Walker, Nationwide (Europe)...


BBH (NYC). LEGO! Legos were basically part of my curriculum when I was home-schooled (yes, it's true, I was...). Sometimes commercials that go for the warm-fuzzies miss terrbily and it comes off corny. But this one doesn't, it is believable and adorable. What a great way to encourage family playtime! This ad also captures the versatility of Lego building blocks. You can follow the instructions or you can make whatever you can imagine. You can play with them as a kid or as an a adult. With Legos there are no rules, only opportunities.

Wieden + Kennedy

Ah, the great W+K. Just hearing their name makes me feel creative. Maybe it's because I'm a creative student, but I have an agency crush on this place. They are amazing.

HQ: Portland, Oregon.
Founded in 1982 by Dan Wieden and David Kennedy.
It is now one of the largest indie agencies in the world.
They have done several infamous campaigns such as the Coke Happy Factory and the Miller High Life.
What made them famous? Nike of course.

Clients: Nike, Coke, ESPN, Honda, Old Spice, Miller Brewing, P&G, and many more.


W+K (Portland). This campaign is cool because it sells you stuff without you feeling like you're being sold to. The narrator/host walks you through a worst-case scenario that gets you thinking "I've totally been there before" and then explains that although Target can't fix all your problems, they can help make them just a little better. The colors and rotating stage keep you focusing on the ad. The filming style reminds me of W+K's recent Old Spice "I'm on a horse" campaign. Very smooth transitions that are filmed in an uninterrupted sequence. Eye catching and entertaining. Brava.

Dentsu

The Isle of the Red Sun. Founded in 1901, Dentsu is headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. It's nearest competitor is Hakuhodo (or ADK) in the Japanese market. They have a digital shop called Dentsu Digital that is based in Brussels.

Dentsu was originally the Japan Advertising Ltd. and Telegraphic Service Co., started by Hoshiro Mitsunaga. After much evolution and several names changes, Dentsu has become on of the largest advertising agencies in the world.

95% of Dentsu's profit comes from within Japan. I would list their clients, if I could find them...

Dentsu (Tokyo). This is a interactive print ad to encourage people to support Cambodian schools, an area full of violence and poor education opportunities. The top picture is what the ad initially looks like. The reader is encouraged to scratch off the "silver bullets" to reveal crayons with the campaign message written on them. I like this because it engages the reader and makes them active participants in the campaign. Banking on innate human curiosity, the ad is worthless unless the reader takes the time to reveal the message. But, once revealed, the reader feels compelled to read it. It's basic psychology. This is a great example of how scientific knowledge can be applied to advertising. General research can help a lot. They most likely discovered that their target audience was very inquisitive and hands-on. If so, this ad hit the target.

A Response to Responsibility

These days many companies try to take the high road and show that they are capable of being more than money-hungry CEOs. They try to show that they care about social issues and the environment and the well-being of their consumers. Some succeed and some fail miserably. Others decide to forego the goodwill and carve a different path towards profit with crudeness and shock-value, tossing social responsibility to the side. I have dedicated this blog post to the good and and bad.

3 Socially Irresponsible Ads:

BBH (New York) for AXE. Do I really need to explain myself here? I feel like this is completely unnecessary. I hope that this was just released virally and not broadcast on public television. Alas... I am out of luck. This is the kind of crudeness I'm talking about, it is unnecessary and the product could survive without it, maybe even benefit from its absence. Shock value without substance is meaningless.

Benetton (In-House). Benetton is known for its controversial ads. This is one example of taking it too far. Highlighting the topic of the Death Penalty is a noble goal, but they haven't linked it to any sort of product message, they merely slapped their name on this poor man's life. There is no hope, no option for change. It merely shows the helplessness of the situation.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h0ManxJFR8c&feature=channel

Go Daddy (In-House). I find it interesting that no advertising agency is willing to work with the Go Daddy people. That's proof they're doing somethign wrong, no matter how much the CEO says that the ads work. I can understand trying to push through clutter... but when it is during the SuperBowl, a family-viewing event, you ahve gone too far.

3 Socially Responsible Ads:

Benetton (In-House). Funny that it made both my lists. I chose this one because I think it is one of Benetton's classier attempts. It's not overly shocking, and it kind of connects to the product - we're all the same, inside and out... so everyone can where their clothing? It missed the bulls eye, but at least it landed on the target.

Hill Holiday (Boston) for Liberty Mutual. Pure and simple, this makes you feel good. It also makes you feel good about the company. This campaign was able to support a "Pay It Forward" movement while also selling their product. Social responsibility was well integrated into the campaign, making it trustworthy and believable. Good job, Liberty Mutual.



TBWA (NYC?) for PUR Water Filters. Doesn't that make you feel good? Not only are you helping out by drinking from your tap, but you are supporting a company that helps others in need. Socially responsible? Yes. Product appropriate? Yes. A feel good moment? Yes.

Large Independents

They're large and in charge. And pretty snazzy, too.

Kirshenbaum Bond Senecal + Partners

kbs+p. I feel like I'm back in AP Calculus.

HQ in NYC.

Clients: Target, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, Duck Unlimited, BMW, The $100,000 Pyramid (Donny Osmond, anyone?), Wendy's, Panasonic, the NY Post, and Oxygen.


I thought this was interesting... they do the "How to Make a TV Ad" for Google TV Ads' interface. Although I question the whole "it only takes 5 steps" advice...

Now for some real stuff.

kps+p (NYC). I know it's a bit grainy, but I had to use my mac's Grab tool to get this one. This campaign was meant to empower young women and get them more involved in the deodorant-buying process. This ad was created, as the copy states, by 4,649 ban users. Through this campaign they encourage consumers to write in what they wanted to "ban", ultimately producing this ad. I think it's cool because it allows the target audience to be active in the portrayal of the product. If I were to see something that I sent in on one of the ads I would truly feel as though the people at ban actually payed attention to me, they honestly took what I said and thought about it, mulled it around their heads, and liked it enough to put it on a poster. What's great is that the things printed are pretty generic, so hundreds and thousands of women can see their message in the ad, whether or not they wrote it. It's as if ban is saying, "We can't help you to change the world, but we can keep you from sweating while you do it."