I've learned so much in this class about what makes good advertising. It can truly be an art form and I know in the long run I will appreciate this class for familiarizing me with everything in the industry, from agencies to campaigns and leading players. I think that to create good advertising and to be able to criticize it and distinguish what makes it good you have to have a wealth of knowledge of the history of the industry and who its leaders were, as well as being constantly aware of what is going on now.

Modernista

Modernista
Client: Cadillac
I really noticed when these new Cadillac ads started playing because it is such a repositioning of the brand. I drove my grandfather's Cadillac in high school and it was seriously embarrassing because it was such an old people car. I think Kate Walsh is a great spokesperson for the brand because I think people associate her with her role as a doctor on television and consider her an empowered, intelligent, and successful woman who is still feminine and sexy. It definitely makes Cadillac seem like more of a luxury car to strive to attain as a young person rather than a retirement car. This ad is also different from other car ads out there so I think it really sticks in people's minds.


Client: Hearts On Fire
I just wanted to include this print ad because I have always really liked it and its message. It goes along with the brand name "Hearts On Fire" by trying to show that passion doesn't die after marriage.

72 and Sunny

72 and Sunny
Client: The Discovery Channel
I seriously get chills whenever I watch this! I love it. The first time I saw it I had no idea it was for the Discovery Channel and that's one of the things I really like about it. I always think of the Discovery Channel as having really boring shows about nature and animals but this ad positions it as a channel for interesting people to learn interesting things and to share their passion for the world and its beauty. I just love the song and how the whole thing was put together.

Droga5

Droga5
Client: www.thegreatschlep.com
This was definitely for online because it has too much profanity to be on television. Sarah Silverman is really funny but I don't understand the point of it. Was it really trying to get young Jewish people to make the "schlep" to Florida to get their grandparents to vote for Barack Obama? If so, that is a very specific goal. I think it was more a pro-Obama ad trying to target the young Jewish audience but I don't know who funded it.

Rethink

Rethink
Client: dose.ca
I like the idea of this ad and it is suitable for its client which is a celebrity gossip web site in Canada. However, I think it is really sad, especially the tag line "chew them up and spit them out." However, I guess it is appropriate for what it is.

Socially Irresponsible

This ad is DISGUSTING!!!!! I couldn't believe it when I came across it on YouTube because some of my favorite ads are for Guinness and I love most of the work that comes from AMV/BBDO. I did some research and luckily, this ad is FAKE. Guinness made sure that the makers publicly announced that it is in no way associated with them.

Mother

Mother, London
Client: Stella Artois
Cannes Lions 2009 Gold
www.smoothoriginals.com
I love this campaign! I know it has won a lot of awards this past year. I really like a lot of the work that Mother does and I think this campaign is funny and sophisticated and I love that they are utilizing the French noir style because it's so attractive and suits perfectly to the brand. The videos were viral videos and are quite long but really funny. The image below was used as outdoor advertising and there were also print ads and bus ads.

AMV/BBDO

AMV/BBDO
Client: Guinness
These are some of my favorites! I love their work for Guinness. I also like the print ads because they are simple and mostly black. The first spot must have taken a lot of work to produce and I love how it turned out. I think they are very sophisticated for beer ads. I also love their work for The Economist.

Cramer-Kasselt

Cramer-Kasselt
Client: Corona

Cramer-Kasselt's campaign for Corona has been wildly successful and is extremely recognizable now. Their work for Corona's interactive web site is also really impressive and has gotten a lot of traffic. I really like their simplicity and the chill/vacation vibe that has become the brand's image.

www.thecoronabeach.com

Doner

Doner
Client: Minute Maid

This ad is really funny but I think it could have been done better. I guess they are saying that the antioxidants and vitamins in the juice keep you on top of your game and give you a "boost." Also, he is holding the entire huge bottle on an escalator in the mall. Would that happen? No. Also, that girl does not look like a nun.

Richards Group

The Richards Group, Dallas
Client: Patron

I really like this campaign for Patron but then I saw this print ad and I don't like it anymore! They have produced so many of these so you never really come across the same one twice. However, this is just so blatant that they are producing different ads to target men and women separately. I couldn't find an example but I have seen so many of these where the perfection is choosing between different shoes or other things that are obviously marketed towards women. Then this one says that perfection is choosing between x-ray glasses, a pms patch, a shopping harness, a silent clone, and an anti-cuddling device. Not only is this offensive in my opinion, but it is cutting at one of their target markets? Not smart...

Bartle Bogle Hegarty

BBH, London
Client: British Airways

I love the direction they chose to go with this campaign. So many airline advertisements focus on the little things about flying while this one focuses on the joys of travel and the idea of "opportunity." I think this campaign encourages people to book a flight to go on a trip just because and take advantage of the opportunity to see the world.

Wieden + Kennedy

Wieden + Kennedy, Portland, Oregon
Client: Nike

I love this ad! And pretty much everything Wieden + Kennedy does. I had the opportunity to hear creative director and SMU grad Hal Curtis speak my freshman year and it is what inspired me to start taking advertising classes! This Nike spot kind of scares me but to me it makes athletes seem like a combination of warrior and artist which I think is a great idea that Wieden achieves with a lot of their work for Nike.

Dentsu

Dentsu, Canada
Client: P&G Scope
This is an interesting way to use interactive advertising to reposition a brand to a new target market. This is kind of a little informational video that explains how Dentsu Canada wanted to target Scope more to guys and they used a funny/mildly scary online/interactive tactic.

Kirshenbaum Bond

Kirshenbaum Bond & Partners
Client: Tab Energy

Ok, I hate these. They had such a great opportunity to speak to women and use their tag lines "It takes a lot of energy to be a woman," "Fuel to be fabulous," and "Because women need a different kind of energy." Apparently, women need energy to be SLUTS, wear heels, wear fishnet stockings, hire gardeners and pool boys, push up their boobs, and eat sushi. Do women really respond to this kind of advertising? They also used the trashiest looking women I have ever seen in the commercial. Couldn't Kirshenbaum Bond have thought a little bit harder? To me, this pink energy drink would be perfect for college students or successful working women - people who actually drink energy drinks. Apparently the only women who drink them are cheating stay at home wives and prostitutes. Interesting. Oh, and now they don't ask men to change the water coolers for them at the office. Wow.

Cliff Freeman & Partners

Cliff Freeman & Partner's
Client: Mike's Hard Lemonade

We watched these in class but I think they are funny and an interesting way to reposition the brand from being girly to being targeted toward manly men.

VitroRobertson

VitroRobertson
Client: Taylor Guitars

I really like VitroRoberton's campaign for Taylor Guitars because they emphasize their quality and definitely position them as the authority on guitars. Purchasing a guitar is very personal and has a high level of involvement on the buyer's part because people become very attached to their guitars and tend to become very brand loyal once they make their first purchase. A lot of the other ads in this campaign make this point by emphasizing that a guitar becomes what you make of it and is just a hollow piece of wood but it's up to the musician to create something out of it.

Crispin Porter + Bogusky

Crispin Porter + Bogusky
Client: Hulu

Crispin is always doing something different and these Hulu ads are hilarious and different from other advertising. The first time I saw this spot on TV I was confused and intrigued. I think it's great for the target audience because most people watch comedy shows on hulu like Saturday Night Live and 30 Rock and would be receptive to an advertisement that utilizes comedy and stars from the shows they will be watching.

McKinney

McKinney
Client: Nike Gamechangers

I really like this campaign for Nike Gamechangers because it is trying to be environmentally friendly by promoting physical activity to get around rather than using fuel. In that sense, it is promoting two great causes at the same time.

Euro RSCG

Euro RSCG 4D
Client: Dos Equis

Euro RSCG has done a great job with this character. I even know a few people who were the most interesting man in the world for Halloween! These ads are funny and sophisticated, although I like this longer version better than the spots that run on TV. I also think the tag line is interesting - "I don't always drink beer, but when I do, I prefer Dos Equis." You would think that the brand might want this character to drink nothing but Dos Equis, but I think the line makes it more believable and is still effective.

Arnold Worldwide

Arnold, Boston
Client: Volkswagen

I love this old Volkswagen ad for exactly the reasons we discussed in class. It is simple, elegant, and displays the product beautifully. I can definitely relate to the feeling of when you have been enjoying a drive so much and when you reach your destination you don't even want to get out of the car. I like that the ad reminds you to enjoy the simple things in life, and I think people who drive convertibles know how to do that.

Team One Advertising

Team One Advertising
Boost Mobile

This is an older commercial but a lot of people my age still remember it because it was really funny. I think it's pretty intuitive because it taps into the humor of older people and technology while targeting a younger audience. Everyone has experienced a funny moment with a grandparent or an older person trying to use a cell phone - my grandmother becomes very angry whenever I "text mess," for example. So I think this ad was effective and relatable.

Kaplan Thaler Group

Kaplan Thaler Group, New York
Client: Trojan

This was a viral video produced by Kaplan Thaler for Trojan condoms. It's pretty funny and is promoting safe sex, but I found that what it was really promoting was casual sex, which I think is irresponsible. Obviously this video has a distinct target market which was probably well-reached using a viral tactic, but I still think the message was a little off.

Fallon Worldwide

Fallon, New York
Client: Brawny

This definitely isn't some of Fallon's best work but I thought it was funny and I'm sure was well-recieved by it's target audience.

Leo Burnett

Leo Burnett, Sydney
Client: Subaru

I think this is a great commercial and I wonder if they were actually crowd surfing or how they made it look so smooth. I think the message is great that Subaru has great service and a lot of people invested in the making of the car, but I thought it was interesting that they don't really show the car. I don't know how effective that is or whether or not people who see this ad would even remember that it was for Subaru.

Saatchi & Saatchi

Del Campo Nazca Saatchi & Saatchi, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Client: Topline Kiss Gum

I love this! I think it is romantic and passionate without being vulgar and is funny at the same time. I would definitely expect something like this coming from Argentina and I think it was well-done.

Publicis

Publicis, Paris
Client: Miss Dior
http://beauty.dior.com/int/en/woman/woman-fragrance/layout-fullscreen/miss-dior-cherie.html?event=7.24

This is one of my favorite ads ever! I didn't know that it was done by Publicis in Paris. It was directed by Sofia Coppola, who directed the movie Marie Antoinette which has a look and feel very similar to this ad. Publicis also created an interactive web site for the perfume which is kind of fun to flip through.

T.A.G. SF

T.A.G., San Francisco
Client: Xbox 360

This is a great ad for Xbox 360. I love the tag line "Join In," which implies that through Xbox360 and gaming technology the whole world is a big game that everyone can play. I think the imagery is kind of sad though because you can just imagine it being a real war, but I think that is part of the statement that the ad is making. However, I really disagree with violent video games because I don't understand how people can take pleasure in simulating something that is going on right now where real people are dying. I guess this ad is saying that a game is just all in good fun but when you picture the water balloons as real weapons it becomes a very different story.

Campbell Mithun

Campbell Mithun, Minneapolis
Client: H&R Block

This ad is funny and I remember seeing it on TV. I like the message that taxes don't have to be scary and I think they do it in a cute way, however I think that the "humorous office setting" has gotten to be a little bit cliche in advertising and this ad really didn't even need to be set in an office.

Mullen

Mullen, Boston

Client: The Four Seasons

I really like Mullen's campaign for The Four Seasons because they focus on both the tangible and intangible benefits of traveling and staying at their hotels. I like the copy on this particular print ad, they say an elephant never forgets, neither will you. It captures a beautiful moment and makes the statement that these memories will last a lifetime so it is worth it to make the trip and make it the best it can be.

Deutsch

Deutsch, New York

Client: Tylenol

I really like Deutsch's work for Tylenol with the tag line "Feel Better," because it makes them seem like they really care how you feel and are not just trying to sell you a drug. Most of the ads have nothing to do with Tylenol and just offer tips on how to feel better in everyday life. It also positions them as almost a doctor-like authority on health. Like a friendly neighborhood doctor with a wealth of information who really cares how you feel. I think that's a great positioning for them because Tylenol and other ibuprofen drugs get a bad rap sometimes for being over used for minor ailments.

Hill Holliday

Hill Holiday, Boston

Client: City of Boston

I think this work is really cool for Boston tourism but I don't know what medium was used. It would be awesome if these were actual installations around the city but looking at the locations where the pins are placed I doubt that could actually happen. I think it's cute because it's using the "pin" that everyone is familiar with and making the statement that these places are landmarks that should be on your list of places you must see.

Carmichael Lynch

Carmichael Lynch, Minneapolis

Client: Harley Davidson

Carmichael Lynch has done a lot of great work for Harley Davidson but this one is my favorite. I love how this one image simultaneously sends the message that a Harley is put together and crafted with care and with the finest parts, and that it is personal and special and unique to each driver and fits their personality. I think that is important because motorcyclists become very attached to their bikes and want them to be of the highest quality and to be almost like a companion.

Lowe

Lowe
Client: Axe

I love these! I had never seen the first one before and I think it's really powerful and romantic even though it's an Axe ad. Although I really think all of the Axe commercials I've seen are hilarious, this one does not have the womanizing quality that some of the others do. I also love the chocolate temptation spot. Lowe has won Cannes lions for both of these.

DraftFCB

DraftFCB, New York
Client: The National Youth Anti-Drug Campaign



DraftFCB, New York
Client: Double Stuf Oreo

TM Advertising

TM Advertising, Dallas
Client: American Airlines

The Martin Agency

The Martin Agency, Richmond, VA
Client: The American Cancer Society

I love that the American Cancer Society has staked the claim on the official sponsor of birthdays. These are really powerful ads without being too scary or depressing. I like how it focuses on the positive by saying that a world without cancer is a world with more birthdays, rather than just being a barrage of death statistics. The Martin Agency also developed this iPhone birthday app for the American Cancer Society. I'm not sure if the proceeds of the app go towards cancer research or something like that but it definitely promotes awareness for the cause.

McCann Erickson

McCann Erickson, New York
Client: Coca Cola
This is the classic hilltop ad done for Coca Cola by McCann Erickson and I think has set the tone for most of the Coke advertising that has followed, especially by Wieden + Kennedy. Coca Cola is obviously a tremendous brand but they have achieved that status by doing advertising like this that constantly reinforces a positive feeling with the brand.

Grey

Grey, New York

Client: NFL

This is another one of my favorites! I love how it looks like they were choreographed. Grey has done some great work for the NFL and I think that this segment in slow motion makes you appreciate the skill and athleticism a lot more than just watching the game in real time. It makes a great statement and, in my opinion, makes what they do seem a lot more impressive and almost makes me want to actually watch football.

JWT

JWT, London

Client: MTV Foundation Anti-Slavery Project

This is a really interesting campaign that I came across. JWT London partnered with the MTV Foundation to raise awareness and help combat modern-day slavery. This is definitely an issue that is often ignored and I didn't realize how much of an issue it was. The campaign was a long process but I think their guerilla tactics were the most effective to raise awareness because they got people's emotions involved, rather than just showing them an informational video or sending them a pamphlet.

Y&R

Y&R New York

Client: Bacardi

I think these two spots for Bacardi are really well done. The Mojito commercial takes the viewer back in time and emphasizes how long Bacardi has been around, which I think is something the brand should play up a lot more. When you see the island spot on TV, it's a lot shorter and you don't see that they build their own island which I think is the coolest part. The Bacardi web site also has a video showing the making of the island commercial which is really interesting.

Y&R Auckland

Breast Cancer Research Trust "More women should die of old age"

Ogilvy & Mather

Ogilvy & Mather, Paris

Client: Louis Vuitton

I love the Journeys campaign for Louis Vuitton and didn't realize that it was done by Ogilvy. I like it because Louis Vuitton is usually thought of as just a status-promoting logo accessory brand, but the brand is a lot more than that and they do focus a lot on luxury luggage. I think this campaign is directed more towards those consumers who have a lot of expendable time and money to go on these long journeys, but I think the ads are really beautiful and well done.

contests

This commercial for the Amazon Kindle is one of my favorites right now. I tried to research who did it, and finally found that it was the winner of a contest that Amazon had. I've noticed more and more that clients are having contests for their advertising because it is free for them and they end up with a lot to choose from.

Martin I Williams

Martin Williams, Minneapolis

Client: Pfizer Animal Health

www.thepigsite.com

This is some really interesting work done by Martin Williams for Pfizer Animal Health. When I looked at the web site, www.thepigsite.com, it is promoting the humane treatment of livestock, especially pigs. I think this work by Martin Williams emphasizes the importance of each animal and that each pig deserves humane treatment.

Pfizer Animal Health

www.thepigsite.com

LatinWorks

LatinWorks

Active Life Movement

This ad was done for LatinWorks for the Active Life Movement with the tag line "Keep Obesity Away From Your Child." I think this ad is a wake up call for parents to realize that it is their responsibility to feed their children healthy food and to teach them good habits in order to maintain a healthy weight. This ad is obviously anti- technology and anti-fast food (McDonalds).

Dieste Harmel & Partners

Dieste Harmel & Partners, Dallas

Client: Gatorade

I like this ad for Gatorade and I like the message about bringing "life" to the game, but I think it's gross when Gatorade oozes out of them.

GSD&M Idea City

GSD&M Idea City, Austin Texas

Client: BMW

According to YouTube, this spot uses unprecedented technology to film the BMW M3 V8 engine's combustion process without any computer generated effects. I think the result is really cool and communicates a lot about the product while still being a work of art. I think it could have been made a little bit more interesting, though. I drive by GSD&M's office a lot in downtown Austin and have always wanted to go inside because it looks really cool on the outside. And it is across the street from the Whole Foods flagship! And Amy's ice cream and Waterloo records. Definitely some prime real estate in Austin.

180

180, Amsterdam

Adidas
This is a really beautiful ad for Adidas done by 180 Amsterdam. I love the music and the flowing but machine-like movements of the "modular man."

Goodby Silverstein

Goodby Silverstein

eBay

I'm not a huge fan of these ads but I think Jim Gaffigan is really funny and I'm glad someone is using him. I also like the new tag line for eBay -"come to think of it." They are repositioning it as something for everyday items instead of just certain rarities that collectors look for and sell online.

TBWA

TBWA Toronto

Whiskas

"Who's the most handsome prince?"

This ad isn't as good when compared with some of TBWA' s other work, but I think it is really funny and speaks perfectly to their target. This is definitely how all of the people I know with cats act and I think they would think these are hilarious and that the brand understands them and how much they love their cats, but are still normal people.