Selena Gomez and her cosmetics brand Rare Beauty have been the talk of the town on social media lately, especially TikTok. With Selena recently becoming the most followed woman on Instagram, her brand has been reaping the benefits.
On top of Rare Beauty being an up-and-coming brand, their PR team has been working over time. In December of last year, Rare Beauty held an event in New York City with popular influencers from all across the country. One of those influencers being none other than Alix Earle, the fastest-growing influencer on TikTok right now. During this event, not only were influencers posting videos throughout the trip, but Selena herself made an appearance in a video with every influencer in attendance and spoke about her favorite Rare Beauty products.
This was an extremely successful PR event, as the TikTok videos gained extreme popularity. Lots of brands today host significant events like this one, and they even invite influencers. However, putting in the extra effort to make a personalized video with each influencer can increase brand awareness and consumer purchase intention at a speedy rate.
UGA AdClub
Written by Rachel Dowd
Listen to your regulatory mother
Regulators recently pressured John Lewis to remove its insurance ad after the company spurred some unfounded controversy due to its featuring of a young boy sporting his mother's make-up and jewelry, waltzing through the halls of his house. Ultimately, the ad was not pulled due to backward views of gender but because the underlying product message was deemed misleading. In the end, the U.K.'s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) ruled that the ad would cause consumer "confusion" about the insurance offering. Now, the insurance company is required to contact purchasers of the plan to ensure that they understand the coverage and are satisfied purchasers. Above all, the lesson here is that financial marketing is held to a higher standard due to the associated consequences, and this example illustrates this undeniable truth. Consumer well-being is paramount, and although regulators may restrict creativity, they also exist to protect consumers. Click here to read more.
Is this the beginning of the end for human creators?
During the pandemic, many small agencies have struggled to make ends meet. In response, rather than expanding its core competencies, an agency called Interesting Development reinvented the wheel to start Supernatural, the "world's first human-machine hybrid creative agency." Their new business model is based on AI and machine learning and promises to leverage technology to improve advertising. By harnessing data and connecting it to key campaign objectives, the "machine" can come up with innovative ideas beyond human imagination. So, where does that leave us? Click here to find out more.
Disney, make our advertising dreams come true
Disney recently created a "clean room" data-driven answer to the phase-out of third-party cookies. This new development is essentially a data warehouse with strict data security, and it is ultimately powered by Disney Select, which includes innovative modeling and audience targeting capabilities. The first-party data collected by Disney Select gives marketers an arsenal of tools to formulate strategy and achieve campaign objectives. Thus, as addressable advertising ramps up and third-party cookies cease to exist, Disney's offering stands to be the light at the end of the tunnel. Click here to read more.
Insurance turns a new leaf in a darkly humorous twist
The downright boring insurance ads of this day-and-age drone on with legal disclaimers and dread. Yet, this 60-second ad, created by agency Fred & Farid Los Angeles, turns this stereotype on its head with a hilarious spin. The ad depicts family members trying to kill their father to cash in on his policy, accompanied by a humorous copy: “Life insurance so good, they’re gonna want you dead.” In the world of competitive clutter that characterizes the advertising world, these types of ads slice through the noise, offering fresh ingenuity and gusto. The unexpected nature of the ad, especially juxtaposed against the lackluster ones in this category, makes it memorable and appeals to a generation that often neglects to consider life insurance. To read more, click here.
The NBA celebrates its 75th anniversary in a powerfully emotional way
Nothing grabs attention more than a Hollywood A-lister. Star-studded commercials litter the ad space, adding credibility and memorability. Rather than haphazardly packing all these icons into a commercial with no creative edge, the new “NBA Lane” commercial (in celebration of the 75th year of the NBA) masterfully weaves snippets of nuance and nostalgia as it walks viewers through memorable moments in NBA history. One of the particularly emotionally poignant parts of the commercial is a scene remembering the legacy of Kobe Bryant. Coordinating this endeavor was no simple task and choosing the spokesman was no easy decision. Michael B. Jordan was ultimately chosen based on his love for the game, as this commercial wants to celebrate the players as much as the fans. Every fan can garner something special from the ad, finding prize “Easter eggs” that conjure up pleasant memories and feelings. That is what you call personalized advertising. To read more, click here.
The ultimate rivalry: PC v. Mac
Apple and traditional PC manufacturers have been in a long, heated, and cumbersome battle to capture consumers’ interest. To gain a competitive advantage, Apple has continually belittled the “profoundly uncool” PCs. However, Intel, a former supplier, gave Apple a taste of its own medicine in a new “social experiment” commercial. The ad depicts Apple users “learning” about novel features. Ironically, these features are already provided by conventional PCs, and the reactions by Apple customers are entertaining, to say the least. To read more, click here.
When a smartphone falls, pick it right back up
In current news, the creative agency BETC launched an inventive commercial depicting storylines of individuals dropping their smartphones in hilarious, relatable situations. While comedic and dramatic, the campaign is intended to promote consumer awareness of recycling technology to reduce their carbon footprint. Currently airing on French television networks, the advertisement portrays smartphones being catapulted from a car window, dog’s mouth, balcony, and much more! Overall, their mission to reduce waste and change consumer behavior is noteworthy, while their creative take on a mobile’s “life” breeds a sense of nostalgia and appreciation for one’s smartphone. Their tagline, “Our phones will keep on fallin’ – we will keep on repairing them,” also resonates with humor and purpose! Click here for more information.
Home improvement equals life improvement
British Retailer B&Q recently released a stop-motion film, produced by Uncommon and aptly named “Later Means Never,” to underscore the rejuvenating effect of home renovation on one’s spirit. The simple storyline follows the life of a fictious character, Nigel, who metaphorically rots away in his family’s house, stuck in a banal and bleak environment. However, his daughter’s call eventually wakes him up from his reverie, motivating him to paint, repair, and decorate their living room, turning it from a house to a home. Directed by Sam Gainsborough, the animated film underlines the importance of surrounding oneself with a space “that’s uniquely yours.” During this time of chaos, disorder, and uncertainty, it’s important to focus on the things that one can change, boosting self-esteem and mental health in the process! Click here for more information.
“Anonymous” fast food mascots turn to veganism and litigation
Alpha Foods’ new campaign to promote their vegan products is clever, satirical, and effective! In their hilarious campaign, a fake attorney informs viewers of the brand’s line of delicious, plant-based products, inviting consumers to “sue” the products for their unrealistically meat-like flavor. Blurred-out testimonials take place, alluding to famous fast-food figures such as Ronald McDonald, Colonel Sanders, and Wendy. Such meat-endorsing icons curse the brand for their new vegan appetite with witty dialogue. Overall, the advertisement works as a form of reverse psychology, luring consumers with its humor (e.g. 1-833-NO-PLANTS hotline) and guarantee of great taste! Click here for more information.
Nike celebrates Ronaldo's success, paying tribute to his roots
Star athlete, Cristiano Ronaldo, recently became the top scorer of international men’s football by achieving his 110th and 111th goals for Portugal. To show appreciation for this monumental success, Nike decided to update and reconstruct a soccer pitch in Funchal, Ronaldo’s hometown, at the Quinta Falcão community center. Through the construction of an inspirational goalpost reading “Greatness Starts With a Goal,” aspiring athletes will internalize Ronaldo’s essence of persistence and passion. The goal depicts paintings of Ronaldo’s developmental stages as a football player, showcasing images from childhood to adolescence to adulthood in bold colors. Lastly, Nike designed a commemorative CR110 shoe in honor of Ronaldo’s stellar accomplishment, as well as filmed a compelling documentary of his rise to stardom. Click here for more information.
Serena Williams saves the day as Wonder Woman
In a new campaign for DirectTV, Serena Williams assumes the persona of Wonder Woman. In the mall-centered spot, Williams wields her racket to destroy robots spewing destructive tennis balls, protecting innocent shoppers in the process. This one-minute ad, fittingly named “Get Your TV Together,” ironically embodies Direct TV’s campaign to promote a simplistic entertainment medium with its chaotic randomness. The campaign aims to undermine “the fragmented consumer experience,” while depicting a festive retro-themed atmosphere to emphasize its absurdity. Moreover, it will eventually be portrayed on a multitude of entertainment mediums – from connected TV to radio. Click here to learn more.
Elon & Jeff, pay it forward
In a revolutionary campaign by the nonprofit, Concern Worldwide, fake headlines and news clips are showcased to underscore a hypothetical world where billionaires embrace philanthropy. The creative agency Fred & Farid Angeles utilized faux broadcast news segments to accomplish this. The main objective of the campaign is to encourage billionaires such as Amazon’s founder Jeff Bezos and Tesla’s CEO Elon Musk to aid the rampant income inequality that affects the world. Keeping in mind that more than 800 million people globally live on less than $1.90 a day, the nonprofit’s fight against poverty is of extreme importance. Additionally, the reimagined headlines also address corporations like Covid-19’s vaccine producer Pfizer. Ultimately, activism is encouraged via comedy and satire. Learn more here.
The programmatic landscape is changing
Click here to learn more about how Google's plan to end third-party cookies may not be the nightmare digital advertisers imagine.
Lil Nas X and Elton John order anything and everything with Uber Eats
Uber Eats recently launched its "Tonight I'll Be Eating" campaign to showcase their diversity of offerings - from the delivery of nail polish to specialized restaurant orders - readily available through their convenient app. The company recruited two legendary musicians, Lil Nas X and Elton John, who also happen to be collaborating on a new song, for their promotional messaging. The 15-30 second commercials created by Special Group U.S., a well-known agency, aim to capture this dynamic duo's growing friendship and shared love for Uber Eats. The ads are flooded with extravagant imagery of the pair's bold styles and exude extraversion. Uber Eats seems to be capitalizing on the hype surrounding Lil Nas X's media blitz, which is reflected in his oddly captivating publicity stunts, the most recent one being his maternity photo in People Magazine. Click here to read more.
Frontline workers bear a psychological burden from the pandemic
According to recent reports, 2/5 frontline workers experience PTSD as a direct byproduct of the pandemic. This is a harrowing figure, considering the ratio is nearly double that of PTSD statistics for military veterans. To call attention to this growing issue, Frontline19, a U.K.-based charity, has created a series of ads avidly encouraging people to leave supportive messages for frontline workers through their free phone service, Hopeline19. The ad also has an informational element, helping people understand PTSD and its grim impact. The ad conjures up powerful emotions by exploring distressing and dispiriting snippets of frontline workers losing patients to the deadly virus. Accompanying these TV ads created by Adam&Eve/DDB, OOH, print, and radio ads will circulate to bring light to such dark times. To find out more about their noble ad campaign, click here.
Netflix, save us from the spoilers
There is a universal truth that many social media users fail to acknowledge: no one likes a spoiler. Yet, almost 12.5% of online conversations surrounding the release of a new show are spoilers. To protect our sanity, Netflix prevented fans from spoiling the new, highly-anticipated second season of "Money Heist." Netflix concocted an ingenious plan to lure the internet blabber-mouths to a special lunch...and then kidnapped them. Click here to read more about how Netflix orchestrated an elaborate plan to rescue us from the spoilers.
This week's newest commercials
It's every creative's favorite time of the week! Click here to learn about the top creative campaigns that you should know about!