Spice Girls & Bicep Curls: 5 Ads You Should Watch Right Now
The Summer of Sport is officially off to a great start, with the final of the European Championships fast approaching, Wimbledon in full swing, and the Rio Olympics just around the corner.
But if all that activity is a little bit much for you, why not take a load off, sit down, and enjoy the best five ads from the past week.
Like any great summer activity, this week’s batch of ads features the great outdoors, some new trainers and cider.
In an unexpected twist, this week also saw the triumphant return of the Spice Girls classic ‘Wannabe’, given a #femvertising remake worthy of 2016 that matches the song with a powerful message of female empowerment. The ad has already been viewed 50m times and is fast on its way to being the summer favourite.
So without further ado, enjoy!
5. Smith & Forge Hard Cider – Old Man Strength
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHpxa2HM1BM
So the trend of dressing sporting stars up as old men is going nowhere soon, we’ve seen Ronaldo playing footie in the streets and Chris Kamara prank people on the Tube, but this spot from Smith & Forge Cider takes the biscuit. The ad sees Crossfit Pro Kenneth Leverish subjected to 4 hours of prosthetic makeup, and then challenge a host of weight-lifters on LA’s famous muscle beach. It’s a funny spot, and the faces of the jilted bodybuilders are pretty priceless. It’s worth noting the video’s viral success too, as it was viewed 27 million times in the first 20 hours after being released.
4. Jonah Hill x Palace x Reebok
Sometimes an ad’s tone, brand, and celebrity align almost perfectly. This ad from Palace (a London-based skateboarding brand) and Reebok, starring Jonah Hill, is one of those ads. The awkward, stilted script is perfect for Hill’s style, and the amazingly-bad special effects set the tone brilliantly. The spot shows Hill walking around the Palace store, sort of, talking to skateboarders and delivering a truly terrible sales pitch.
3. Ad Council – We Are America ft. John Cena
Last year the Ad Council released the wildly successful spot ‘Love Has No Labels’, which was one of the most shared ads of 2015. This week they released a follow-up in time for July 4th celebrations, featuring WWE superstar John Cena discussing what we think of when we think of the ‘average American’. It’s a surprisingly moving spot thanks to Cena’s sincerity and its simple but effective format.
2. Virgin Media – Usain Bolt | #BeTheFastest
The Rio Olympics mark 8 years since Usain Bolt smashed the world record for both the 100m and 200m sprints. Since then he’s gone on to be one of the world’s most beloved athletes, and starred in his fair share of ads. This latest spot from Virgin Media, made by BBH London, highlights the mind-boggling speed he achieved by cleverly breaking the video into 9.8 second chunks. It’s a fast-moving ad that cuts between different locations, styles, and even animations.
1. Global Goals – #WhatIReallyReallyWant
If there’s just one ad you watch this week, it should probably be Global Goals‘ powerhouse of femvertising, #WhatIReallyReallyWant. The ad, which has been viewed 50 million times on Facebook and caused more than 800 posts on Instagram, is simultaneously a celebration of women and a call to action about the things that still need to be done throughout the world in the name of gender equality. Set to the Spice Girls classic ‘Wannabe’, it’s an energetic and colourful ad that’s guaranteed to bring a smile to your face, whist also reminding us all of the hard work that needs to be done.
