NOV/DEC AD PICKS - CHRISTMAS EDITION

I'm getting my last Ad Picks in for the year before the break. I've picked out my favourite Christmas ads this year (they all seem to come out at the start of November now) and a gaming spot too.

Amazon Prime ads are always worth keeping an eye out for, they're always really engaging, hit insights brilliantly and most of all enjoyable. This is their 2021 Christmas ad 'An unlucky friendship' where a zoo night worker becomes friends with a laughing hyena. 

At first I thought it's a very intresting animal choice, but it's a brilliant decision. I bet it would have been a hard animal to sell into the client.

 

I wasn't a fan of the John Lewis spot this year. Instead I loved this Coca Cola one. It felt a lot more real and in the Christmas spirit. 

I really enjoy making things out of cardboard with my son, the other day using an empty wrapping paper tube to make part of a great race track for a Hot Wheels car. I'll give this a go when I get more boxes next year.

This last spot is the odd one out, but I was worth sharing.

When you play Call of Duty and get peckish, where do you eat with getting shot? Heinz identified hidden spots on the map to snack, if this takes off they won't be safe anymore. Eat with no defeat is a great line too.

Have a great Christmas and New Year. See you next year.

SEPT/OCT AD PICKS

Welcome to Ad Picks. I write these to share ads that have stood out to me and made me laugh, smile or even cry. I hope you enjoy reading it.

Lego are known for their people to have the same sized arms and classic legs forever. The Canadian Paralympic committee have created this expansion pack, 20 custom pieces that suit every set that you can 3D print. I'm surprised this hasn't been done and I'd love to see Lego add this to their sets in the future. It makes everyone feel a lot more equal.

Trying to kill your partner/farther for his life insurance, 100% illegal, but 100% funny and well done.

A simple and clever type print ad I spotted today, that I had to share as it points to one of my favourite sayings 'Keep it simple stupid'.

I remember as a kid doing an activity at Scouts, that you had blindfold yourself to experience what it's like to be blind. It was pretty scary and I remember it well, really struggling to find items. I can't imagine what it's like to go shopping blind. This ad raises awareness in a clever creative pop up store.

I catch you in a couple of months for the last one of this year. Then we'll be in 2022.

NEW WORK - HIF

Bringing to life HIF’s new strategic focus on greater customer ‘choice’, we recently launched a new brand campaign based on the creative theme of ‘What if? The campaign is designed to help establish the new positioning ‘Freedom to choose’ while at the same time creating strong brand linkage to the message, a challenge often faced in the alphabet soup of health insurance brand acronyms.

Credits:

Client: HIF
Agency: Gatecrasher, Perth
Creative Director/Writer: Adam Barker 
Creative Director: Lori Canalini
Senior Art Director: Henry Billington
Account Director: Magda Wood

Production: Stir Fry Content Kitchen
Animation: Cameron Aitkenhead

JULY/AUG AD PICKS

It's Ad Picks time.

Starting this month with a funny spot from Amazon, it's a modern take on Rapunzel and it made me laugh. Nice production values too.

I saw this ad during the Olympics multiple times and its stopped me putting multiple plastic bags in the red waste bin. It's not the most overly creative ad, but it shows advertising works when done well and with one key takeaway message. Save the environment people.

The Wiggles and Simon Cowell the perfect combination finally put together. Being a dad to a 2 and a half year old, listening and watching the Wiggles daily, adding Simon into the mix cracked me right up. The Grey Wiggle. The writing is brilliant, I love the calamari line aimed at Henry the Octopus the best.

I hope you enjoyed it, if there's anything you think I missed out, please send it over or comment below.

MAY/JUNE AD PICKS

My push-up challenge is done and next up is writing this edition of Ad Picks.

Guinness is a bit like Coke or McDonalds, they own those colours. This simple, but very clever ad showing things around with the world with the black and white colours.

I'm loving these ads that are making history and getting things added into computer games. A great example from last year or so was Burger King sponsoring Stevenage F.C. So their logo was within the FIFA game. People where winning the Champions League with a team in the fourth division. 

Now a player destined for glory, who got tragely lost his life in 2006 to knife crime has been added into FIFA for QPR. JD Sports are part behind this with his charity his family setup. 

Keep and eye out for him next time you play and spread this story.

5G build for gamers, this is a slightly longer ad, but I wanted to share it with all of the awesome visual tricks they've used. All of the lagging and disappearing backgrounds in games that we used to see in the past. 4G surely wasn't this bad though?

I hope you enjoyed reading this Ad Picks. Please let me know if there's anything that caught your eye this month.

PUSH-UP CHALLENGE 2021

This month I'm embarking on the push-up challenge, 3.318 push ups over 25 days for mental health.

I find mental health is getting talked a lot more than it used too, but still not enough. 

I've had to battles with my mind and mental health and seeked help. I found talking to someone really helped me, rather than fighting the same thoughts. I've shared some helpfully assets that have helped me a lot.

If you'd like to donate to support Lifeline WA and mental health, I'd really appreciate it. Click here to donate.

Apps

Headspace app - I used this as one of the first apps when I originally started mediations. It's got a great interface, Andy who trained as a monk has a fantastic voice and they these engaging simple animations. It's now even got a Netflix mini series. Paid subscription (keep an eye out for discounts though), a few of the first tracks are free to try it out.

Calm app - Again a very popular one, a whole mix of mediations. I love the walking ones and sleep time stories. Paid subscription, but with some free content.

Insight Timer app - Loads of amazing content and longer mediations. Mostly free, there is an option of mini courses that is a paid subscription.

Pause app - A very simple graphic app with a great ground technique.

What's up app - A text based app with simple easy to follow tips to control your busy mind.

Centr app - I use this app every day for recipes, mediation and workouts (not working out every day). Paid subscription. I found it when gyms shut last year and it's really my focus. It has a great popular Facebook community group who support each other too.

There are lots of other great workout apps out there, I've just found this interface and content invaluable.

Workshops

Introduction to mindfulness and mediation course - I've done a couple of their courses in Perth (Australia wide too) and I loved learning about the different mindfulness techniques. Click here to check out there upcoming courses.

Eric Harrison - Now retired, I was lucky enough to do one of his workshops. He has some fantastic books and some great mediations, I use his walking mediations regularly. He has some of his assets and more information on his site. Link here.

Mediation Hub Perth - I haven't been here or used it. But it's got a lot going on in this space, if you're keen to find out more. Link here.

Books

The Happiness Trap - I'm reading this book right now and it has some great grounding techniques, an easy read.

Hope some of these links help you, like it's helped me. Of course there are great charities like Lifeline and Headspace if you ever need them they are there to help you get through this.

Please comment below, if there's any apps or books that have helped you.

MAR/APR AD PICKS

Welcome to March/April's Ad Picks.

I don't know about you, but I've smiled at many people under my mask, then you realise you're wearing a mask and wonder what you actually look like. I love this image from Colgate toothpaste, it captures all the the smiling emotion through the eyes like you're there with them.

Newspapers are known to go up in flames quickly and some fires have even been sparked by them. This brand created the 'fireproof newspaper', a simple but effective product demostration helped share the message.

What a fantastic packaging idea 'The dissolving bottle' for this shampoo, no plastic, the soap is the bottle. Why hasn't anyone thought of this before?

Dove describe this inspiring campaign better than I ever would, making stock more inclusive.

Dove is partnering with women & non-binary individuals everywhere to create Project #ShowUs, a collection of 10,000+ images that offer a more inclusive vision of beauty for all media & advertisers to use. 

Check it out here.

You forget how lucky we are being in Australia. When COVID has locked us down a few times, there's always masks available. In Colombia they don't have this option, so this plastic bottle brand has showed people in these simple steps how to transform their bottles into their own masks. 

It's simple, clever and will save lives.

CAMPAIGN BRIEF AWARDS 2021

Last week we picked up Best of Year, TV single at the Campaign Brief Awards 2021 for our work for Road Safety Commission 'Yeah, Nah'. A big win and a massive team effort by everyone at Gatecrasher and the fantastic team at RSC.

Read about it on Campaign Brief WA.

JAN/FEB AD PICKS

Welcome to 2021.

I always find Christmas ads are over shared, so I skipped December Ad Picks. The good ones went viral and you would have seen them. The bad ones can stay in their Christmas crackers.

It's a strong start to the year, with the first few from the Super Bowl.

I'm a dad of a nearly 2 year old and this ad has really hit home for me from Huggies touching upon a lot of those perfectly timed moments. From what I've seen online, it's got their target market hooked like me.

The Jason Alexander Hoodie for Tide is very simple and effective. The printed face on he hoodie changes throughout the ad as the teen keeps wearing it as he keeps getting it dirtier and dirtier.

'Imagine if Alexa had a human body' they'd say getting the client excited on the concept. 

It's a very well cast and directed spot for the Alexa Amazon device. I've watched it a few times and it makes me laugh, the jealous husband adds a nice touch.

Sport has gone crazy with sponsorship selling every placement under the sun. With so many logos it's hard to stand out.

Rexona deodorant have knocked out the competition with their tick logo under the cricket umpire's armpit for the recent Big Bash T20 tournment. When the umpire gave a wicket (finger up) or a six (2 arms up in the arm) you see this perfectly placed logo. 

I actually saw it whilst watching the Big Bash before this case study video showed up. It's a 'six' from me.

Flybuys is an Australian loyalty scheme for grocery shopping, airlines and other items too. People love getting points and discounts.

This new spot takes a sometimes boring space and makes it cool. It reminds me of Mike Skinner from the Streets song.

Do you 'give a flybuys?'

See you for March/April Ad Picks soon.