While most of us think of January in terms of credit card bills and resolutions we won't fulfil, did you know the first month of the new year is also creativity month? We decided that our way of celebrating a fresh calendar was to recap our favourite marketing campaigns of 2017 and let you in on why we fell in love with them.
MailChimp: Droga5's – Did you mean MailChimp? Campaign
Droga 5’s, “Did you mean MailChimp?” campaign, was absolutely hilarious. They took the insight that many of their actual customers would often mispronounce MailChimp. Instead of running a campaign to correct this behaviour, they decided to make fun of the situation. They created short films that were fake ads for some peculiar movies (to say it gently). The campaign showcased 60-second films such as MailSchrimp, JailBlimp, and KaleLimp.
What we loved about it: Their wacky and almost weird looking ads were very memorable and I would even go as far to say they were thoughtful ads. They were very strategic in their creation of the ads, their obscure mannerisms brought you to this imaginative world that didn’t quite make sense. I mean, what are kale dogs? Check this campaign out and you will know exactly what I’m talking about.
Spotify: Data Driven Outdoor Ad Campaign
Spotify reimagined the whole idea of using data to create advertisements. They mixed hilarious and real talk on flashy bright coloured outdoor ads as they showcased the data collected from their customers. They used the theme ‘2018 goals’ on their ads and then with a light and cheeky tone found a way to look forward to the year ahead by almost making fun of some things consumers would do on their Spotify account.
What we loved about it: To say the least, their idea was refreshing. When was the last time you saw a company use their collected data in such a fascinating way? Customers want the real deal. To have our very own data exposed in a light hearted way was quite amusing. Go ahead, sit back and laugh as you scroll through some of their ingenious ads.
Bacardi’s: Break Free Campaign
Bacardi clearly did their research before embarking on this exciting 2017 marketing campaign. As boomerang became a huge Instagram trend, Bacardi’s creative team came together and implemented some upbeat videos. They also brought it back to their Caribbean roots and had their videos filmed in a bright coloured Caribbean town. These ads were very fresh and had you dancing in your seat.
What we loved about it: The Instagram boomerang feature is an endless loop, replaying the short video back and fourth, back and fourth, never ending. However, Bacardi seems to have a great social commentary that although technology can provide snippets, the real fun comes when you 'break free'. Take a look and dance along!
Heinz’s: Pass the Heinz Campaign
Heinz’s Pass the Heinz Campaign decided to jump back in time to one of Don Draper’s old marketing ideas that never made it to print. This genius idea was just waiting to be presented, and 2017 was the year to do it. They decided to not include Heinz in their ads at all. Instead they featured mouth watering fries, steak, and cheeseburgers, that clearly needed to be complimented by some Heinz.
What we loved about it: At NMI we absolutely fell in love with how clever these ads were. It was so obviously that you couldn’t eat those golden fries without that red tomato goodness. The simple ads screamed Heinz ketchup, yet no picture included Heinz in their ads at all. Sometimes it’s the thing missing that stands out the most.
Casper: Nap Tour Campaign
Casper’s nap tour campaign took the SXSW festival in Austin, Texas by storm. Their Nap Tour RV arrived on sight and offered the weary travelers an 8-minute nap in their own private pod with a Casper mattress, slippers and coffee. On top of that, they partnered with the One:Night app that offered guests at SXSW an alternative for the night, as most hotels and Airbnb’s are booked during that time. The guests would stay in these pods and have car service from Tesla and even a real-life mom (someone from the front desk) come in and read them a goodnight story. Casper ended up extending their SXSW visit, as their services were put to use when the snow storm hit, and traveler’s flights were delayed.
What we loved about it: Casper’s creative idea to include a place for travelers to nap was genius. Festivals can be overwhelming and sometimes that quick shut eye and coffee is all you need. Also, their attention to detail ties in with the whole experience they created. You can have a real life mom read you a bed time story, amazing! Casper was a hero at SXSW this past year, and we shall what they have in store as our team heads out to the festival this March!
Well I have to say that 2017 had some pretty awesome marketing campaigns that had us laughing, dancing and sleeping (not actually) as we walked out of the year. Now we can’t wait to see the creativity that 2018 will hold, it’s going to be fresh, exciting and thoughtful!