August Campaigns of the Month.

As the craze of Barbenheimer finally cools down, we’re back to reality in August with a more standard (but still fantastic) campaigns of the month. From impactful environmental campaigns to Roy Keane making deals with the Devil and KFC apologising to utensils, sit back and enjoy. 

We kick things off with a highly emotive ad by the Turkey Environment Ministry. The cinematic ad tells the story of how plastic is polluting every part of our world, starting from the sea and finishing on our dinner plates. The ad cleverly replaces fish with plastic bottles and mimics the journey of fish processing.

As the process unfolds, the ad seemingly becomes more uncomfortable to watch as bottles are cut up, packaged and delivered to consumers. This culminates as the viewer watches on through the eyes of an innocent young boy as his unphased parents eat pieces of plastic at the dinner table.

The boy’s awareness is a clear commentary on how the minority are conscious of the concerning situation our planet is now in, while the majority still have a complete disregard for plastic pollution. That’s why the ad is so powerful.

Sticking with the plastic theme, KFC’s latest ad delivers an open apology to utensils and cutlery everywhere as their chicken is just so ‘finger lickin’ good’ – the famous strapline that is synonymous with the fast-food brand.

Maybe this is just me, but when I first saw the ad I was expecting a message that KFC was banning plastic cutlery from its restaurants. Unfortunately, that never came and maybe I was hoping for too much after watching Turkey’s plastic awareness ad. However, it’s still a very strong ad that doubles down on the brand’s famous strapline.

Okay, before we start this one I’m not getting involved in milk politics! Oat, almond, dairy – all good options, let’s move on…

The California Milk Processor Board takes a stand against the new milk options now available by taking a rather exaggerated approach to what can be considered milk today. From bee milk to energy milk, octopus milk to hot dog milk, the ad covers lots of weird and hilarious versions and concludes that there can only be one real milk. While the milk topic can be quite contentious, there’s no denying that this ad does a good job of mocking their new competitors.

While this ad is quick, it crams a lot of information and stunning 3D animation into a short space of time. It shows how the new Watch6 can understand the various sleep stages your body goes through and visually represents your internal reactions. The subconscious reactions are brought to life through funny animations, giving organs and muscles faces and personalities as heart rates slow and muscles seize up. Clever and engaging. Well done Samsung.

The Premier League season kicked off this month, which meant lots of teams going all out on their marketing efforts to advertise the release of their new kits for the 2023/24 season. However, no teams did it better than Arsenal and Man Utd. While both ads hit the mark, they’re executed in two totally different fashions.

Talking of fashion, the Arsenal ad celebrates the styles and sounds of North London streets with players and strangers going about their business eccentrically dressed in wavy garms to match the new third shirt. Cool and sleek, job well done.

Manchester Utd, on the other hand, employed the services of notorious club legend turned Sky Sports pundit, Roy Keane. He initiates a rousing call to arms speech about what it means to be a devil (United fan) and the pact you make to support them. The motivational narration wouldn’t look out of place in the Gladiator movie and sends shudders down your spine. With ominous scenes of Old Trafford and players posing in the shadows donning the new kit, the ad builds hype for Manchester Utd’s season and attempts to strike fear into other supporters. Not me though, I’m not scared… come on Liverpool!

So there it is, another campaigns of the month done and dusted. Do you reckon September can top these brilliant ads? We’ll have to wait and see, but in the meantime, if you’re in need of a creative campaign that can rub shoulders with the best, get in touch today.