Ads That Don’t Suck – October 2019

There’s no need to hide it. We like weird Ads.

So we use words like “weird” or “intimate” or “surprising” all too often when describing creative projects to our clients. Sometimes those words just don’t translate easily. But nothing translates better than a few great examples.

Which brings us to today, and our first installment of “Ads That Don’t Suck.” We might do it every month (highly doubt it), more likely every few months. Either way, we’re going to call out some stuff that stands out to us, and hope you are entertained. Maybe we’ll get lucky and all learn a little something.

So here’s 3 Ads we liked. We’re even putting it in a listicle (buzzword), because we know you have the attention span of a 4-month old golden retriever puppy.

Bungalo Paranormal Inspections

This is undoubtedly our favorite Ad of the fall. But we are biased, we have worked on a number of projects with the Bungalo team since they launched last year. Love fam. Watch the video. Revel in the creativity. This one speaks for itself pretty well.

My absolute favorite part (because I’m a sick human) is that YouTube commenters can’t figure out if the Ad is real or fake. And that’s the beauty, it’s both. It’s an episode of Nathan for You brought to life.  Bungalo went all-in on the idea, and actually hired paranormal experts to inspect their homes in October. Ghosts beware.

Thanks to the timely launch, the campaign got picked up all over the place, Forbes, Ad Age, Fast Company, etc. All the while pointing back to one of the companies primary differentiators, thorough 160-point home inspections. Bravo.

Campaign created by the Bungalo Homes team.

Halo Top Wins the Summer

Hopefully you’ve already seen something from the Halo Top “Ice Cream for Adults” campaign, it’s been running all summer. But this is our first installment remember, so cut me some slack.

I mean, wow. These spots are so well-written it’s unfair. I LOL (do kids still say that?) every time. Simple human visuals, incredible scripts, and a well-captured intimacy through the dry personality and slowed-down pacing.

But it’s not the creative alone that bangs. The strategy is subtly genius. How do we make “diet ice cream” exciting. Well, instead of doing what every other low-cal brand does and saying, “it’s diet, but it tastes like the real thing.” Halo Top went deeper into the human motivation. Life is stressful. Ice cream is a moment of bliss to escape from that stress. Eat our ice cream without feeling guilty. And they say all that without actually saying it directly. Now if only that ice cream was alcoholic …

TV Campaign created by 72andSunny New York.

WWE Makes Us Feel Like A Kid Again

Is it just me, or is wrestling making a serious comeback? With new network deals in place, pro wrestling is back in our living rooms. And this spot from the WWE makes us all feel like little kids again.

The campaign captures emotion perfectly. Instead of just showing highlights, like every NBA/NFL/Sporting event promo you’ve ever seen, the creators brought those memorable moments into everyday life. Some moments feeling all too real (see: kid doing the Kofi Kingston Boom Drop off the diving board), some for over-the-top comedic value.

Campaign created by Wieden+Kennedy New York.

All three of these campaigns have one common thread. You can elicit strong human reactions through many different emotions, and lighthearted comedy still works. Not every campaign has to be “doom and gloom” in an attempt to make the audience cry. Positive emotions can be quite memorable as well.

Cheers,
Chris