Olympic Fitness & Monkey Business: 5 Ads You Should Watch Right Now
There were a ton of ads released this week – some great, some not so great. We’ve rounded up the best of the bunch for your viewing pleasure.
This week’s collection has a bit of everything. We’ve got the return of one of the greatest Olympians of all time, an amazing VR surfing display and a suspiciously-familiar Gorilla.
Enjoy!
5. Under Armour – Rule Yourself: Michael Phelps
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xh9jAD1ofm4
Under Armour has gone from strength-to-strength with its recent ‘Rule Yourself’ campaign. The latest in the series of ads shows off the gruelling training regime of Olympic record-holder Michael Phelps, which perfectly embodies the brand’s tagline, ‘It’s what you do in the dark, that brings into the light.’
4. HSBC Premier – Life Writes The Best Stories – Chung
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZavZK9oNhg
HSBC’s latest ad campaign centres on the difference between reality and the life you imagined you’d have as a child. Told as individual stories, the ‘Chung’ spot features a young boy who dreams of being the greatest Kung-Fu fighter, but as his life unfolds, he ends up fighting for people’s lives instead as a doctor. HSBC ties the epic story together by emphasising that the bank will be with you, wherever you end up.
3. Aldi – Easter Gorilla – Chocolate Bunny
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLZNUKo-jbE
It finally happened. After years of being entirely MIA, someone revived the Cadbury Gorilla for a parody. And, of course, it was Aldi. Swiftly gaining a reputation for its tongue-in-cheek ads, including this take on the recent John Lewis Xmas commercial, the supermarket chain is definitely not monkeying around with this one. The short ad features the gorilla playing drums, significantly worse than before, and comparing the prices of a Lindt and Aldi’s Chocolate Easter Bunny.
2. National MS Society – Off My Wave
It’s getting harder to ignore our impending VR future. It can be a little scary, but also potentially life-changing – as shown in The National MS Society’s latest awareness campaign. The ad features Californian surfer Steve Bettis, who was diagnosed with MS in 2006 and hasn’t been in the water since. Bettis gets to vicariously catch a wave, thanks to an experience filmed by professional surfer Robert “Wingnut” Weaver.
1. TBWA – Take The Lead 20/20
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4dKUmV856A
Lots of brands paid attention to #InternationalWomensDay this year, fully embracing the growing ‘femvertising’ movement. One of the most compelling spots we saw on Tuesday was this moving, unorthodox video by TBWA. The ad subverts expectations by having men read out quotes from women, such as ‘did I get this job just because of my good looks?’, highlighting the vastly different experience many women have in the workplace compared to men.
