A close friend of mine has always said that nothing spells the beginning of the holiday season more than the moment when Christmas spots start hitting the screen. They are an inevitable force of nature, capable of turning us into the most nostalgic and sentimental of creatures.

Just like last year, I was interested in sharing those ads I considered to deliver the Christmas spirit with joyful humour and emotional significance, but especially those who reflect our beloved traditions. After all, isn’t that what advertising is all about?

Here are More than Branding’s Favorite Ads of 2011:

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John Lewis

Title: ”For gifts you can’t wait to give”

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eBay

Title: “12 days of Christmas”

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Sky Movies

Title: “Christmas”

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Coca-Cola

Title: “Shake up Christmas/Snow Globes”

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Target

Title: ”2-day sale- She’s baack!”

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Marks & Spencer

Title: “Christmas Advert”

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Coca-Cola

Title:“El Camión de la Felicidad” (The Happiness Truck)

Have you enjoyed any particular Christmas ad? Send it over, we’d love to check it out!

Happy Holidays everyone!

By Maria Elena Moré

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Connect with More Than Branding on Facebook and Twitter (@MTBranding).

 

When it comes to dreams, nothing beats the affairs of the heart. What moves us, inspires us and changes us is all there… one beat away from the next. It makes us take a giant leap into the realms of aspirations and nurtures the very spirit that guides us through its pitfalls.

Under this notion comes TBWA\Dominicana’s most recent campaign for Hyundai.

“El motor que me mueve” – loosely translated as “The engine that drives me”- is based on the notion that we all have something that drives us to a higher purpose. Hyundai’s positioning in Dominican Republic stems from it’s slogan “Hyundai- Es ir más lejos” (“Hyundai- To go beyond”), making it a brand that sells the idea and means through which you can gain more out of life.

“The campaign intends to be an analogy between man and machine. Vehicles have engines that take us further, whereas humans have the will that feeds from the heart and feelings.” Fernando Muñoz*, Senior Copywriter for the account, says his inspiration came from his daughter Mia, the force behind his dreams.

The creative and production team quickly came up with three distinct but perfect examples of individuals that have succeeded in different areas of life- Mahatma Gandhi, Adriana Macías and Osvaldo Virgil.

Days before the launch, a website with the hashtag #elmotorquememueve and a timer anounced the countdown towards the big day. Expectation and speculation mounted over who or what would be announced, drawing people into the site www.elmotorquememueve.com, instigating curiosity and interest.

Finally, on August 1st, people were able to see the spot, which instantaneously inspired people to write on Twitter and Facebook with the hashtag, sharing their personal “engine that drives them” in life. Check out the thread of comments here and the ad, below: (in Spanish)

We go beyond our dreams when our heart steers us towards them. Just as Hyundai does for everyone that drives what’s imprinted with its spirit.

 

By Maria Elena Moré
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* Fernando (Che) Muñoz on Twitter (@CheMunoz)

Connect with More Than Branding on Facebook and Twitter (@MTBranding).

 

 

Morning, ladies and gents! Sink your teeth into the bold, the ruthless and the (sometimes) genius… here is today’s “Ad Watch”:

Toyota Aygo

Title: “Cut the cord”

Apparently life would be rough if you still had your umbilical cord. At least that’s what Toyota makes us think when these daily activities are interrupted abruptly because of it. The new ad for Aygo, their compact city car, makes an interesting statement: grow up, buy an Aygo and “cut the cord”… Question is, how unsettling is it to watch? All I can say is: “Ouch!”

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Axe

Title: “Jumpman”

Great visuals and sound come together in an ad that pays tribute to basketball and sports advertising iconography. Total female seduction, a concept that accompanies Axe like the pom-poms on a cheerleader.  An attempt to create an ad with a ‘fresh’ approach based on an idea that stems from a long-term positioning and a universal phenomena-  Axe’s irresistibility.

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Evian

Title: “Evian Baby Inside”

Evian continues to foster the concept of  ‘living young’, hence associating the brand with babies just as they have done in the past. With music by Uffie, the spot makes an interesting use of editing while adding a touch of diversity, not to mention a creative way of having the babies present in a different manner… But other than that, how much more can we relate both elements with one another?

 

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Sony Cybershot

Title: “Marilyn”

The use of old photography and icons such as Marilyn Monroe and Albert Einsten come together for a series of ads that say, “Stories are better panoramic”, as is the new claim for Sony’s Cybershot camera. Receiving generally good reviews from audiences, the campaign leverages on pictures of historical importance that spark attention and interest amoung its viewers- a clever idea that beats the concept of the unfamiliar and a photo perhaps few would identify or recall.

Title: “Einstein”

By Maria Elena Moré
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Follow More Than Branding on Facebook and Twitter (@MTBranding).

 

Pave the way for the bold, the ruthless and the new…

Switzerland Tourism

Title: “More than just Mountains”

Agency: Spillmann/Felser/ Leo Burnett

Switzerland’s love affair and eternal association with mountains is put to the test by the folks of Spillmann/Felser/Leo Burnett in an ad for Switzerland Tourism that aims to tell us that they are “more than just mountains”… Two (actual) farmers from the Swiss mountain-tops travel and explore the cities and soak up fine dining, shopping, museums, nightclubs in a cosmopolitan environment that defines a face of Switzerland we can’t help but love. Contemporary and modern. A clear message. Now that’s something to yodel about.

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McDonald’s

Title: “Lester”

Agency: DDB, London

A cute and lovable way of connecting the brand with history. DDB brings us the story of Lester and his “sweetheart”, whom he met while working at McDonald’s back in 1955. An excellent way of adding the element of realism to an ad, especially because more than anything, it narrates the experience people have with the brand and its impact in their lives. And no one can better tell a brand’s story than someone else…

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Bar Aurora & Boteco Ferraz

Title: “Drunk Valet”

Agency: Ogilvy Brasil

Concept meets execution in this excellent experiment-turned-spot by by Ogilvy Brasil. A clever way of encouraging people not to drink and drive through a message that hits the target: “Never let a drunk driver take your car. Even if that driver is you.” Giving people a taste of this medicine will probably make it much more precise in achieving its goal.

By Maria Elena Moré
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Connect with More Than Branding on Facebook and Twitter (@MTBranding).

 

Audi

Title: “Robot”

DDB Barcelona’s latest spot for the Audi A4 hits the bullseye with an approach that carries a fantastic message and a character that generates an emotional bond. The execution triggers immediate admiration, respect and aspiration for the brand. It allows the car to shine on its own instead of resorting to face-to-face comparisons as we’ve been seeing.

Subtle seduction resulting in utter brilliance.

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Hallmark

Title: “Mornings”

The new Hallmark spot is the living embodiment of the company’s new positioning focusing on life and its special occasions. Not only is the brand embracing new formats and expanding its product line,  it’s also shifting towards a strategy that embraces those “little moments”, instead of just big milestones. The new campaign gives Hallmark an excellent chance to be present in countless moments during a year, providing new selling opportunities and more presence in the life of someone.

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Sony PS3

Title: “Kids”

Few words are needed to grasp the message and understand the power, emotion and realism of the PS3. Simple, yet very effective. 

Sometimes less is definitely more.

By Maria Elena Moré
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Connect with More Than Branding on Facebook and Twitter (@MTBranding).