Best Ads of the Week: Pinterest’s wonderland discoveries & Sports Direct’s fever pitch

This week, Jameela Jamil observed the “peculiar behavior” of Elf Beauty buffs and Wall Street Journal launched a multi-million-dollar brand platform.

Sports Direct: Football Fever Starts Here by Mox

Sports Direct’s latest ad unfolds in a local town, telling what happens when football fever sweeps through different areas. Driven by the concept of passion, the campaign brilliantly captures the Euros’ unique ability to unify people and encourage them to put aside their differences.

The ad is shot with a nostalgic 90s tone. This retro style gives it a broader audience appeal and evokes fond memories for viewers. The combination of contemporary football stars and a retro visual style creates a compelling and relatable narrative that resonates with fans of all ages.

Pinterest: Find Your Aesthetic

This cinematic spot from Pinterest features a metaphorical Alice descending into a fantastical Wonderland, discovering unexpected treasures and being inspired by things she would have never searched for. The journey begins with ‘Alice’ tumbling down the rabbit hole – a metaphor for the endless possibilities that Pinterest offers. As she navigates through the enchanting world, viewers are treated to a visual feast of vibrant scenes and imaginative settings.

This ad decided to use real props instead of solely relying on CGI. The in-house team meticulously crafted sets and props, adding an authentic, tactile quality to the ad that enhances its visual appeal. The real props bring a sense of depth and realism to the fantastical scenes, making the protagonist’s journey feel more genuine and relatable. It also pays homage to the handcrafted, personalized nature of the content that the platform celebrates.

Wall Street Journal: It’s Your Business by Mother

Business permeates every aspect of our lives, whether we realize it or not. Recognizing this, the venerable business newspaper The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) has launched a bold new brand platform in the heart of New York City: ‘It’s Your Business.’ This ambitious endeavor marks WSJ’s most significant marketing push in years.

‘It’s Your Business’ spotlights a range of compelling business topics covered by WSJ, from the politics surrounding electric vehicles to the emerging role of psilocybin in corporate boardrooms. By bringing these stories to the forefront, the publication aims to illuminate WSJ’s renowned business journalism and its profound impact on both global leaders and everyday individuals seeking empowerment through knowledge.

Heinz: Paninari Foodball Club by Dude

Heinz and Kappa are celebrating sandwich makers, called paninari in Italy, as real football heroes as the season ends and the Euros approach. What makes this ad from agency Dude so special is the combination of food, fashion and football. The specially designed apron featured in the film includes a white collar, reminiscent of football jerseys and the number 57, a nod to Heinz’s heritage.

The Kappa bands on the sides recall the design of their most iconic jerseys and the apron is embroidered with the logo of the ‘Paninari Foodball Club.’ Going beyond typical sponsorship with a human touch, it is a celebration the community and culture that surrounds football.

Elf Beauty: Peculiar Behavior by Madwell

Elf Beauty has enlisted British actor Jameela Jamil for its latest creative venture, ‘Peculiar Behavior.’ Directed by Madwell’s founder, Chris Sojka, the commercial features Jamil as an anthropologist on an action-packed expedition to study the lengths modern-day “homo sapiens” will go for a summer glow.

Dressed as a classic British explorer, her character observes a young girl in a suburban home stealing her sister’s Bronzing Drops, a radiant traveler at an airport using the same product and a remote worker transforming from pale to bronzed for a virtual meeting. The ad culminates with Jamil’s character revealing her own bottle of Bronzing Drops on a bustling city street, causing a frenzy as people clamor for the product. The spot closes with the playful line, “Elf Skin Bronzing Drops. Just $12. Go Wild.”

Propel: Propel Your City Project by Invisible North

An exciting campaign between Propel Fitness Water and Michael B Jordan aims to motivate people to exercise together. Entering its second year, the ‘Propel Your City Project’ is broadening its reach this summer to enhance fitness access in local communities. The campaign kicks off in Jordan’s hometown of Newark, New Jersey, before moving on to Atlanta, Houston and Los Angeles.

A new television commercial accompanies this announcement, featuring Jordan in Newark. The commercial captures him inspiring people of various fitness levels as they work out together, refreshing themselves with Propel during their sweat-drenched breaks.

Brooklyn Org: Show Brooklyn Some Love by Mother New York

Brooklyn Org, the borough’s largest philanthropic arm dedicated to equity, justice and change, has unveiled a new out-of-home initiative crafted by Brooklynites for Brooklynites. Dubbed ‘Show Brooklyn Some Love,’ the new campaign aims to illuminate and support grassroots nonprofits that are making strides towards a more fair and equitable Brooklyn. It also seeks to galvanize a new generation of Brooklyn residents and potential donors to support such organizations.

Despite Brooklyn housing 30% of New York City’s population and nonprofits, it currently receives just 7.6% of charitable funding, reports the organization. ‘Show Brooklyn Some Love’ strives to rectify this disparity by spotlighting five standout nonprofits recently honored with the Brooklyn Org Spark Prize for their exceptional contributions to the community.

Bed Head: Lab of Life by Lucky Generals

Bed Head has launched a new campaign titled ‘Lab of Life,’ returning to its rebellious roots with a conversational and modern approach. Created by agency-of-record Lucky Generals, the campaign moves away from traditional tutorial-style ads to focus on real-life hair solutions inspired by real-life mishaps. Each film features protagonists breaking the fourth wall and directly engaging the audience in an informal tone. In the first spot, ‘Resurrection,’ a girl compares her fried hair to fried food, while in the second spot, ‘After Party,’ a girl escapes a dull conversation to fix her hair.

Kate Buttery, chief marketing officer at Elida Beauty, emphasized the brand’s desire to think outside the box and embrace its 90s rebellious and creative origins. The campaign includes two video-on-demand (VOD) films, five tutorial films, outdoor ads and digital assets. Lewis Mooney, creative director at Lucky Generals, noted that the goal was to break the rules of traditional hair product demos to resonate with and entertain the audience while also conveying Bed Head’s distinctive personality.

Marodi: A Soup to Remember by Bruketa&Žinić&Grey

Marodi, a renowned pasta producer from Međimurje, Croatia, has launched a heartwarming campaign designed to preserve a cherished piece of Croatian heritage. It’s called ’Međimurska popevka,’ a traditional folk song from the Međimurje region, which was inscribed on Unesco’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2018.

The campaign features a limited-edition collection of five folk songbooks, each accompanied by a special packet of Marodi alphabet pasta. Each packet contains the exact number of letters needed to spell out the lyrics of the respective folksong. The campaign’s hero spot, ‘A Soup to Remember,’ showcases a Croatian woman in traditional dress singing one of these historic songs.

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