Easter Eggs & Champagne Dregs: 5 Ads You Should Watch Right Now
We spent the week watching the best, and worst, of what the web has to offer- and we’ve picked out five essential ads from the last seven days you should definitely see.
In this week’s batch of advertising goodies we go on an idyllic journey from 18th Century France to the misty mountains of Peru. Unfortunately, this once-in-a-lifetime trip is interrupted by the unflappable nonsense of Lil’ Wayne.
Enjoy!
5. Stella Artois – The History of Sebastian Artois
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSKkYUCqIho
This ad from Stella Artois, under the tagline ‘Be Legacy’, celebrates the brand’s ‘heritage’ in a definitively tongue-in-cheek way. It follows the company’s founder, Sébastien Artois, in 18th-century France as he stumbles across a brewery auction. The advert maintains a frenetic pace as Sébastien sells his piano, his dog, even his 200-years-too-early Van Gogh painting, all so he can brew his own plucky brand of lager. The ad succeeds thanks to its refusal to take itself seriously, cemented by Sébastien’s charismatic performance.
4. LAN Airlines – ‘Lan and McCann Lima make Mariela’s dream come true’
It’s not often that advertisers and brands can make dreams come true – literally. But that’s the case in the latest spot from LAN Airline and creative agency McCann Lima. The ad tells the story of Mariela, a young girl from one of Peru’s poorest rural areas, and her wish to ‘sing in the clouds’. LAN flew Mariela to Lima, her first time on a plane, and once they reached the perfect altitude, announced to the cabin that she’d be putting on a performance. Mariela is joined on the plane by her friends, and their collective happiness and amazement at flying is more than enough to melt even the coldest heart.
3. M&S Food – Adventures in What Came First
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hz-fXXwceWY
It’s that time of year again. Creme eggs have been on shelves for a few months, and a startling amount of chickens, eggs and bunnies have begun to appear on our screens. As is tradition, all the big UK supermarkets have begun to roll out their Easter ads- and M&S is already leading the pack. The ‘Adventures In What Came First’ TV spot is a sparkling showreel of all the delicious, extravagant chocolate eggs they have on offer. Between the coffee bean-filled egg and the ornate fruit & nut combo, it might be worth booking a dentist’s appointment ahead of time.
2. Audi USA – The Audi A4: “Rock and Roll” Extended Cut
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7h-lMC_Ldkg
Audi’s latest ad, produced by Venables Bell & Partners, features the tagline ‘Intelligence is the new Rock and Roll’ and, boy, do they mean it. The ad, for Audi’s 2017 A4, fast-cuts its way through a variety of impressive-looking people and businesses, including the manufacturers of a 3d-printed arm and a couple designing their dream house using a VR headset. Essentially embodying the millennial mantra of ‘smart is the new sexy’, the ad clearly knows its audience and plays to their interests with a heavy focus on in-car technologies. What’s slightly more unexpected is the soundtrack, Iggy Pop’s 1979 hit “Search and Destroy” (famously used by Nike), which sets the video’s energetic pace.
1. Galaxy S7: Champagne Calls
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5aF23XpBwU
It wouldn’t be a week in Adland without a heavy dose of weird. Supplying said weird this week is Samsung, with yet another short spot for its S7 line. The 30-second ad shows rapper/ entertainer/ all-round-goon Lil’ Wayne testing his new waterproof phone by dousing it in champagne and dropping it in a fish tank. And that’s it. The ad is pretty silly, but that’s why it works. It’s another example of advertisers understanding the meme-hungry nature of social media, and serving up the perfect dish in response. The ad’s finest moment though, apart from the chorus of ‘whaaat’, is when Weezy’s cohort tries recreating the stunt – only without a waterproof handset.
