Category: advertising

lastminute.com ads from 1999/2000

Post author By Carl
Post date November 12, 2013
1 Comment on lastminute.com ads from 1999/2000

Digging through some old files I’ve found these four posters I commissioned for lastminute.com through M&C Saatchi/Immediate Sales. They’re not my favourites but they’re the only surviving ones I have. The Blair “don’t plan” ad was an opportunistic response to the news that the then Prime Minister’s wife was unexpectedly pregnant.

The best ad we ran, IMO, was “Surprise your girlfriend. Take her sister to Paris.”

The LMN brand was all about spontaneity, adventure and romance. I have to say I think they lost that sheen, though they appear to be wanting to get it back.

[ EDIT – I found more ads]

Tags ecommerce, lastminute.com, retro

advertising purpose

Purpose beats benefits

It’s good to know what benefits your product offers, but really powerful brands have a purpose – a point of view on how they believe the world should be. This reason to exist can create an authentic connection with people and a guiding narrative for the business.

Tags apple

advertising humour shareability viral

The difficult second advert

Post author By Carl
Post date June 5, 2013
No Comments on The difficult second advert

Tags dollar shave club

advertising humour

Plants vs. Zombies 2

I mean, what’s taking them so long?

advertising humour

Ship my pants

Funny and memorable, if puerile.

advertising humour

Ad creatives dress up their favourite worst feedback from clients for charity

Post author By Carl
Post date November 6, 2012
No Comments on Ad creatives dress up their favourite worst feedback from clients for charity

Read this site peeping through head in hands. God forgive me if I’d ever make this list, but I can certainly imagine every single one being said.

advertising humour

Waking up your street

The story behind Maybe It’s Because I’m a Londoner is one of the most popular posts I’ve written here, so I was pleased to discover this ‘making of’ trade video we made for the follow-up ad for Capital FM in 2005.

I’m pretty proud of it. Looking back, the effort, thinking and professionalism shines through. It’s also quite clear how expensive the ad was and I wonder if radio will ever see its like again – not that this execution or media approach would necessarily be right today. 2005 was before anyone had heard of YouTube, Facebook or Twitter.

Many thanks to the excellent Alex Boyesen of Digital Mixes who made this video

Tags capital radio, johnny vaughan

advertising get famous likeability low cost marketing Pricing viral

Virile and Viral – our blades are f’ing great

Post author By Carl
Post date April 23, 2012
No Comments on Virile and Viral – our blades are f’ing great

This splendid video for the Dollar Shave Club has lathered itself all over the chin of the internet and it’s offering a serious disruption to a high-margin sector. Note:

A nostalgic nod back to no-nonsense times (shaving as virility)
Humility: he’s rubbish at anything involving throwing or catching (this brand is reachable by you)
Clear repeated branding and the dead simple proposition (why wouldn’t you?)
“The party is on” – hints at peer approval and that it’s an OK gang to join
Acres of humour and likeability (use this and have more fun!)

advertising surprise

Girls going wild in red light district

Post author By Carl
Post date April 16, 2012
No Comments on Girls going wild in red light district

Brilliant.

Hat tip to Nupur Manchanda via Michelle Tilly Lonsdale

advertising experience invention live location surprise talkability

Push to add drama

What a great way to launch a TV channel

advertising ambient humour surprise

Eye-catching ambient marketing

Post author By Carl
Post date January 1, 2012
No Comments on Eye-catching ambient marketing

Some great examples of get-noticed thinking listed here

advertising authenticity branding clear thinking design disruption invention likeability mobile monetisation pr product productivity staying relevant strategy surprise talkability

Thank you Steve

Tags steve jobs

advertising disruption getting it wrong humour low cost marketing pr viral

Greenpeace and the double-edged light sabre

Post author By Carl
Post date June 28, 2011
1 Comment on Greenpeace and the double-edged light sabre

Fun and very well-made Greenpeace video attacking VW, but the comments are mixed at best, with many commenters suggesting they picked the wrong target.

[edit] looks like George Lucas didn’t appreciate the copyright infringement!

advertising branding design

Why do we need so many typefaces?

Post author By Carl
Post date June 11, 2011
No Comments on Why do we need so many typefaces?

Via

advertising get famous humour

Dickens on demand

Next day the posters appeared in due course, and the public were informed, in all the colours of the rainbow, and in letters afflicted with every possible variation of spinal deformity, how that Mr Johnson would have the honour of making his last appearance that evening, and how that an early application for places was requested, in consequence of the extraordinary overflow attendant on his performances,—it being a remarkable fact in theatrical history, but one long since established beyond dispute, that it is a hopeless endeavour to attract people to a theatre unless they can be first brought to believe that they will never get into it.

Nicholas Nickleby, p.378

Tags Scarcity

advertising likeability strategy

Motorhead at half speed

All great ads have a clear insight and planning idea behind them. This french ad for Kronenbourg 1664 is all about slowing down with a beer, and the Motorhead execution is lovely.

I bet Grolsch wish they’d thought of it.

via Dangerous Minds

Tags motorhead