Put your face on

Sometimes innovation does not seem so original.  Take make-up commercials, for example.  They all seem to possess the same elements: celebrity, flash a smile, buy my product.  Not so original.  This really bothers me a lot.  For heaven's sake you are selling something that could change someone's life, so why do all your ideas have to be the same?   A make-up commercial has endless potential, just like creativity, so let's use it, shall we?

Number 2

How does it feel to always come in second place?  Not good, so the mighty Publicis must win again in competition with the other Parisian holding company.  Still, HAVAS is a valuable company that has some of the most technologically advanced agencies in its arsenal.

Arnold Worldwide

Lately I have been working on a creative brief for my Intro to Creativity Advertising class.  My product is Amtrak, so of course this campaign speaks to me.  I like how the campaign as a whole reflects Arnold Worldwide.  They are the relaxed company and this ad concentrates on relaxation.  This also shows the variety of work the Boston office can put out, from claymation bunny rabbits to relaxing on a train, Arnold Worldwide just makes you say "ahhhhhhh."

Euro RSCG

This company is wholly known for their digital work at their Chicago headquarters.  I particularly like this campaign.  The idea with this is a lot like W+K's "Go Forth" for Levi's jeans.  It takes the idea that a Volvo is a treasure and pairs it with the Pirates craze of 2007 into a treasure trove of a campaigns and marketing.  Here, people can participate in the overall strategy without merely just taking in an ad.  And, in the long run, this probably has a pretty low production cost in the grand scheme of things, digital and a free car, how awesome could you get?

McKinney

Raleigh, NC is not the particular location for an agency, but McKinney makes it work.  After taking Nationwide from TM in Dallas this company has shown that it is ready to compete.  After shaking up the travel industry with the Travelocity gnome this agency is creative and innovative, yet surprisingly simple.  Brillant, simply brillaint.

Random

I feel like while studying these ads that creativity is something random...it is something unexpected and different, and also difficult.  It seems like whenever I think of an idea someone has done it before, and now I want it to be my job: originality.  This poses a problem, but also a challenge to succeed.

PUBLICIS

This french agency has crossed the waters to become the currently-ranked #3 holding company in the world, but constantly switches places with Interpublic for the bronze in Advertising.  The companies in this holding company are known for being worldwide and unconventional.

Publicis

The central agency of the holding company, this business has become a worldwide phenomenon and is not afraid to cross any lines.  After running this campaign for pizza using the unconventional media approach of using smoking paper to print the ads, the Italy office of Publicis had to endure all kinds of storm from anti-smoking groups, yet this campaign did sell the product, though through questionable means.

Saatchi & Saatchi

This ad from the New York office shows the true talent of this agency.  This ad is a clear example of the idea that "it's not about what it's about."  This idea of destroying a playground for a crest toothpaste commercial?  Somebody had a weird train of thought, but hey...it sells the product.  No wonder this won a Clio and many other awards.

Leo Burnett

Leo Burnett not only has its claim to fame through apples on the reception desk and time and time again breaking the perception that this agency would just run itself into the ground.  Leo Burnett created some of the most timeless ad icons of the world, most famously are Tony the Tiger and the Jolly Green Giant.  From their Chicago office, this ad from 1970 demonstrates the early brilliance of this agency.

Fallon Worldwide

Fallon tends to pump out ads that are, well, different.  This company based in Minneapolis (and the source of the commercial) is famous for their interesting type of campaigns, from throwing bouncy balls down the streets of San Francisco to convincing you that a hotel is better via rodeo clowns (per the example above).  This ad campaign boosted the business of Holiday Inn not because of the superior quality of the hotels (though I concur that the showers are out of this world) but because they approached the ad in an unconventional manner.


 Kaplan Thaler Group

It seems that some products have that image that just sticks with you.  Just like the Geico Gecko, the Aflac Duck has become an icon in advertising.  Though annoying, it does share a message that sticks.  The motto of Kaplan is "we make unknown brands famous," and like the swiffer wetjet, they have made insurance, memorable. This ad is from the New York office and headquarters.

Three's a Crowd, the Main Countries of Advertising

"I always say that there are three kinds of advertising.  Then English make advertising that comes from the head but touches the heart: it's always rather intellectual.  The French make advertising that comes from the heart and touches the head: it often relies on imagery that is romantic, emotional and sensual.  The Americans make advertising that comes from the head and touches the wallet." (From Seguela, Adland pg 127)

This statement made me think, does advertising follow this format?  I have selected 3 ADs, all from DDB, to demonstrate this assumed phenomenon.  Granted, this is not always correct, but very interesting to observe all the same.

London

What does this look like?  An ad for food, right?  Seems to automatically appeal to the brain, doesn't it?  Yes, but what gives it away is not the image but the copy, "You'll love them or you'll hate them."  By telling the audience the emotion they will feel it automatically evokes thought, not feeling which shows an example of stereotyped advertising.

Paris

This ad screams relationship appeal.  And it really does touch the heart at first, and then goes to the brain.  What is really funny is even though this is an ad for a men's magazine, it seems to appeal more to women.  It appeals to the fantasy and then creates the mental picture that tugs at the heart, a classic example of French advertising.

New York

This campaign is what made Bill Bernbach famous.  And although the quote critique is harsh, it is correct.  Take a look at the copy, although this ad was revolutionary in sharing the idea of anti-advertising, it is all facts and figures, which also goes with the assumption in Adland.

Interpublic=Incest

Interpublic is one of those companies, the one where the holding company is actually based in an agency so they can get more people in their bed, figuratively speaking, of course.  This holding company, which constantly switches with Publicis in the rankings is based in McCann Erickson who wanted more clients...so they made a holding company.  Okay...well here are some examples of their work.

McCann Erickson

I freaking love this ad!  It is so interesting and intriguing, and like most of the work form McCann Erickson, it is something that breaks the language barrier.  This ad is from the Columbia office, yet it speaks to everyone, "to have a good day fix the inside first." Bravo McCann, you deserve to be the big player in this holding group.

The Martin Agency



After a lot of drama around Walmart I really like the work that the Martin Agency is presenting out of Richmond, VA.  The ads are really creative and don't actually talk about the store or have than annoying bouncing smiley face.  This agency is currently one of my favorites because what it generates is totally original, and endearing, without having that annowing commercial aspect...except those creepy GEICO eyes on the money...I could do without those.

TM Advertising

Now I gotta give "Uncle Temerlin" some props.  Without this company I may not be an advertising major at SMU.  Aside from that, their ads are really creative and interesting, as well as not so traditional. This campaign for Nationwide Insurance, which they recently lost to McKinney, is brilliant.  It not only works for the insurance agency, it also advertises for Coops paint, so in a way it is killing two birds with one stone.  Not only that, it is advertising both companies in a non-traditional way.
Draftfcb

This company is known for their "out there" ads, and no wonder, they are creative!  Who else would make a hoax of tagging Air Force 1?  This ad from Hong Kong keeps with the idea that the people at Draftfcb are well...different, but in a good and creative way.

Lowe

This company is one of the many creative outlets for axe body spray.  Between BBH and the other companies that work with unilever, this is personally one of my favorite ads.  I like how it is tasteful and it makes you think, like most of Lowe's work.  However, there still exist the obvious axe undertones, still as a whole it is simple, creative, and to the point.

Carmichael Lynch

According to Richard Florida, Minneapolis is a creativity brain drain, however these print ads for Harley-Davidson are simply beautiful.  I do find this ironic, though, because it is only warm enough to even ride a harley in Minneapolis about 4 months out of the year.  Still, they hit the nail on the head on this one.  And now, these ads for a motorcycle company seem even a bit...endearing?  I do wish that this campaign had more of a market for women, though, that would be interesting to see...

Hill Holliday

This ad makes me wish that they didn't close the Dunkin Donuts in Snider Plaza so I could go snag this caramel drink.  From Boston, this ad carries a very universal and interesting message about the contents of the coffee drinks at Dunkin Donuts...it looks like candy!  And candy is soooo much better than coffee...I just gotta have some!!

Deutsch


This ad is from the LA office.  I like it because, finding it today, it is timely for the preview of the holiday season.  I think it is incredibly creative, though not necessarily that original.  Deutsch does, however, know how to make a diet drink seem interesting, put in Santa...the creation of Coca-cola...brilliant?

Mullen

This ad from the Boston office is just hilarious...the company is advertising for themselves, a bit cocky, but hey, it is brilliantly entertaining.  Part of me wishes that there was really a giant turkey threatening impending doom on Boston, it look so menacing after all!  Though incredibly literal, this ad is still highly entertaining.

Campbell Mithun

People seem to always be ragging on Campbell Mithun.  Here they are, in Minneapolis, with a lot of power companies around and they can't seem to get any amount of local business and recognition.  Still, I really like the "partnership" series that they have put out; both the TV commercials and print ads are really entertaining and interesting.  Still,  I don't really know how effective they are.  It seems that like with anti-smoking commercials people are going to keep doing what they like to do, no matter how good the advertising is.

TAG SF



Any company that gets to advertise for Halo is lucky.  After living in the dorms last year on a male-dominated floor, I can safely say that people OBSESS over the game, so they will buy it.  Still, for theSan Francisco headquarters of TAG they managed to make the ad great and interesting, not to mention transcending of age barriers.  Kids that play with army men grow up to play Halo...a slippery slope but still the makings of a great ad campaign.

 R/GA

After a recent merger with Interpublic it is interesting to see how this effects the creative experience of R/GA in the transfer from self-ownership.  Their work with Nikeid is really interesting.  I love shoes, so any website that allows me to design my own is going to be great to me.

apples

"An apple a day keeps the doctor away."  This philosophy may be true, but we do know that apples can keep you in business.  Adman Leo Burnett founded one of the most famous advertising companies for his namesake in some of the most peculiar settings.  He started this during the Great Depression and in Chicago.  People called him crazy, they said he should be out there selling apples on the street and that would make more money.  Something about this must have stirred Leo Burnett because now, sitting on the reception desk of the company is an Apple, free for the taking for all the patrons of the company that brought the world the Jolly Green Giant, Tony the Tiger and the Marlboro Man.