Christmas Trains & Growing Pains: 5 Ads You Should Watch Right Now
As winter closes in, Unruly is here to keep you warm with our weekly selection of the best ads on the internet.
This week’s batch of stocking stuffers includes Wes Anderson’s surprise Xmas ad for H&M, the return of Napoleon Dynamite and another impressive stunt from Volvo Trucks.
We’ve also got a bizarre but undeniably charming PSA from climate change organisation Cool Effect, which tells us the tragic story about how snowmen are losing their habitats. The ad manages to be funny, cute and somehow rather creepy all at once.
Rounding off the list is an effective and accomplished ad from Ikea, which continues its ‘Where Life Happens’ campaign – shining a light on issues that many parents will definitely relate to.
So without further ado, enjoy!
5. Burger King – Cheesy Tots Lunch
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNSZIEG7gRg
It’s been 12 years since Napoleon Dynamite was released, and its star John Heder has remained largely quiet ever since. This all changed with Burger King’s latest spot though, which sees the actor semi-reprise his role as he and co-star Efren Remirez pay homage to the movie’s beloved ‘can I have your tater tots?’ moment. The ad is short and sweet, and will certainly give plenty of millennials a little shot of nostalgia.
4. Cool Effect – Save Our Snowmen
Every now and again an ad comes along that tackles a serious issue in a truly unique, unexpected way – and that’s the case here. This mockumentary-style PSA from Cool Effect, a climate change action group, follows the imaginary migration of snowmen clearly being affected by man-made climate change. The ad is funny and sweet, and utilises its central premise well – even if it does stretch the joke a little thin. It also avoids being preachy, something that PSAs often struggle with, which helps enamour you to both the cause and the ad itself.
3. Ikea Sweden – A Good Listener
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWUkqoO8pnU
Ikea made headlines in September with its ‘Every Other Week‘ ad, a quiet spot which touched on life after a divorce without being overly soppy, and which kicked off Ikea’s ‘Where Life Happens’ campaign. The campaign is a shift in tone for Ikea, and homeware ads in general, as it shows sides of real life that rarely get handled correctly in advertising. This is definitely true in its latest spot, which relays the complex relationship between a father and his teenage daughter. The ad is shot wonderfully, but is really elevated by the fact that at no point do you need to know what’s being said – a fact that makes it a truly global video.
2. H&M – Come Together
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDinoNRC49c
It’s not uncommon for Hollywood directors to get their start in advertising, just ask Alejandro Inarritu, but we rarely see the reverse – which is why this Wes Anderson ad for H&M is so intriguing. The spot oozes the director’s signature style, including his love of pastel colours and off-kilter costumes, and does a great job of creating a ‘Christmas movie’ feel without becoming overblown.
1. Volvo Trucks – The Flying Passenger
Volvo has a reputation for showing off the power of its trucks in some truly imaginative ways, and their latest ad is no exception. It shows a paraglider being hoisted and pulled along by one of the trucks, and is genuinely impressive and nerve-wracking all at the same time. The scale of the stunt and the bravery of its participants definitely make this one to watch.
