January Campaigns of the Month.

It only feels like yesterday we were dissecting the best that Christmas TV ads had to offer but here we are, bidding farewell to January. 2023 has a lot to live up to when it comes to brand campaigns so we’re looking forward to seeing what the year serves up. Our first campaigns of the month blog features a real mix of creative, captivating and downright clever work, from holy beer to electric sunshine. It also includes a brilliant TV ad from a Hollywood director, just in case you were missing 2022 already. Let’s get to it.

McDonald’s – ‘Raise Your Arches’

There aren’t many brands in the world that could produce a successful TV ad without featuring a single product. McDonald’s is one of them. This commercial from Leo Burnett and the incredibly talented Edgar Wright, of Shaun of the Dead fame, doesn’t even feature the McDonald’s logo until the very end. Instead, the fast food giant’s famous yellow arches are represented through the eyebrows of the office workers we see on screen. We also see flashes of the unmistakable red and yellow and other nods to the McDonald’s mark, but within 60 seconds, Wright has created a universal brand slogan that could rival the famous ‘ba da ba ba baaa’ jingle. And he’s done it in his trademark style. Brilliant.

Lucky Saint – ‘The Official Beer of Dry January’

It’s not easy creating an ad for a drinks brand that hasn’t been done before. But there’s something about the latest OOH campaign from Karmarama for the non-alcoholic beer brand Lucky Saint that already feels classic. Like it will be studied by advertising students in the future as a great example of an ad that ticks all the boxes. Feature the product front and centre? Check. Copy that perfectly captures the brand’s tone of voice? Check. Imagery that’s both simple and striking? Check. The photography from Rankin really takes this campaign to another level, but as a copywriter, I couldn’t help drooling over the lines on these posters. They’re just magic. There aren’t many campaigns that I’d go out of my way to visit in person, but this is definitely one of them.

Volkswagen – ‘Electric Sunshine’

If there’s one thing the Brits crave in January more than meat and alcohol, it’s sunshine. This was the big idea behind Volkswagen’s latest campaign by the bright sparks at BBH. On Blue Monday, the car brand launched a giant SAD lamp billboard to brighten up people’s day. The installation was part of a campaign to launch the new all-electric Volkswagen ID Buzz, which hit the market in December and is available as a five-seater people-carrier and cargo van. Located near London’s Waterloo station, the giant SAD lamp emitted light that mimics the sun to deliver positive, mood-lifting effects and illuminate a cold, overcast January day with some much-needed vitamin D. Ray to go.

Vimto – ‘Vimpto’

If you ask pretty much anyone north of Birmingham how they pronounce Vimto, they’re most likely going to say “Vimpto”. They’ll probably even argue with you that the brand’s name is spelt Vimpto. It’s a well-known fact and something the brand is fully aware of, using it as the jump-off point for previous campaigns. This time they opted for a giant OOH ad announcing that the brand was changing its name to Vimpto seeing as everybody pronounced it that way anyway. It’s dead simple but very effective, gaining a ton of engagement on social with people getting into heated debates about how they say it. A great way to get the brand’s name on everyone’s lips.

Booking.com – ‘The Half-and-Half House’

Hats off to Booking.com and its agency Big Partnership for this clever little PR stunt ahead of the Manchester derby. Tapping into ‘derby day fever’ in the run-up to one of the biggest highlights on the football calendar, the Manchester Half-and-Half House was a split half-red and half-blue stay located at the exact midpoint of the two stadiums of Manchester’s famous football teams. Unlike some PR stunts, the pop-up accommodation could actually be booked via Booking.com, priced at £18.81 per night in honour of the year of the first-ever Manchester derby. After the stunt is over, Booking.com is donating the house to a Manchester-based Scouts camp. Nice.

What a start to 2023. If this is a taster of the quality we’re going to see this year from brand campaigns, we’re definitely in for a real treat. Don’t forget, if you’re looking for a campaign that’s worthy of being mentioned among the likes of McDonald’s, Lucky Saint and Volkswagen then get in touch. We’re as talented as we are confident.