AD Blast

Graphic Design and Advertising Blog. Where Design and Advertising speak volumes.

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Misdirection: Apple "Misunderstoond" Holiday Commercial

On December 2013, Apple released the commercial "Misunderstood" for the coming holidays. In this commercial a teenager can be seen to be constantly on his phone instead of interacting with his family during the holidays. It showed scenes throughout the commercial of the teen being off to the side frequently on his phone, seeming to show no interest of what is going on.

Apple uses the case of misdirection in its ad to showcase an "awh" moment and also a pulling at the heartstrings when the teen showed the entire family the reason of him being on his phone -- he has created a holiday video using just his iPhone, capturing all the things that happened. Although the commercial is a sad depiction of what technology has done in our society, it has still done a wonderful job showcasing how people sometimes misconstrue a teens intentions and also shows how the new iPhone 5s has better video as well as video editing capabilities.

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Favorite Ad Campaign: Guinness; Made of More

In 2013, BBDO Proximity came out with the "Made of More" Campaign for Guinness that brings the drink and the drinker together. This print campaign utilizes characters like the "Rockstar," the "Entrepreneur," and the "Pool Player." These series of ads uses handcrafted illustrations to further emphasize the idea of handcraft and hard work.

The ad is simple with the black background and the text "Guinness; Made of More." However, the simplicity of the ad ends there, as to where the illustrations pick up the rest of the ad to create an interesting dynamic and focus on the characters. The illustrations create a story of each character and use the starting point at the bottom and the end success of each character at the top. Each ad illustrations also follow the shape of a Guinness glass and the dark coloring was made to match the dark color of the Guinness with the white/light foam on top.

Sources: theinspirationroom.com

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"Some New Stuff": Belize Tourist Board Logo Update

In 2013, Belize released its new tourism logo which translated a more modern look compared to its past identity, which translated a more 80's look. Olson, a design firm, took on the job to create a new identity for Belize.

Olson took a more modern way to update the logo; the identity was not only modern but also has a classical feel towards it. A toucan is used within the identity to play on the national bird of Belize; it was done with a local artist contribution. The entire work also contains brushstrokes that embody the idea of the hand craftsmanship that can be seen and found throughout Belize.

Sources: Adage.com, belizeadventure.ca

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Top 10 Icons: Ronald McDonald

Introduced in 1963 by Oscar Goldstein and a local ad agency, Ronald McDonald was made as a spokesperson for McDonalds. He was introduced as "Ronald McDonald, the happy hamburger-eating clown." Starting of looking slightly off with a blonde wig, a food tray hat, cup for a nose, and a magic food tray belt that produces three hamburgers in a row. By 1971, he changed his look and sported the more recognizable outfit that is known worldwide, with his red curly hair and yellow/red jumpsuit.

Ronald McDonald became a world known icon, selling in more than 25 languages and being recognized by nearly 96% of American children in 2011. He is also part of The Ronald McDonald Foundation, and starred in movies and even danced with the NYC Rockettes. Ronald McDonald acted as a fast food ambassador for children, but in 2004 was changed into a 'balanced, active lifestyle ambassador.'

Sources: Adage.com

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Renault: "Red is Dead" Campaign

In 2011 Renault (a car manufacturer in France) released a series of Ads with a friendly gibe towards Ferrari. This was done after the Red bull Racing team, equipped with a Renault engine won its second Constructors World Championship in Formula One, winning both awards for the engine and the driver. The Ad Agency, Publicis Conseil Paris created the "Red is Dead" campaign.

This simple ad utilizes the replacement of traditional red objects with the Renault Yellow. The ads use ketchup bottles, fire trucks, lipsticks, and phone booths to act as imagery for their "Red is Dead" campaign idea. A saying was also included in the Ads, stating "Red is Dead: Renault Beats Ferrari in Formula One." Other similar ads in the "Red is Dead" campaign states "Renault Slaughters Ferrari in Formula 1 yet again; Renault wins their 10th consecutive manufacturers title and 9th drivers title." These are definitely fighting words to reference a challenge to Ferrari from its dominance in Formula 1 since the early 1960s.

Sources: adsoftheworld.com

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Moulinex Kitchen Appliances

In 2008 Moulinex Kitchen Appliances released series of ads that juxtaposes food with their respectable appliances they provide. For example, they used a pineapple with a tap to show the ease of using their fruit processor/juicer, that it is as easy as putting a tap onto your favorite fruit. They also used "_____ has never been easier" as their tag line, this was continued throughout their ad series. "Making your own bread has never been easier," "Cooking has never been easier," "Making your own fruit juice has never been easier," these are just a few that they have used on their ads. 

Another one of their ad is where they use onions on a counter top to represent their food processor, this was done with the juxtaposition of zippers on the onions. This was to give the idea of just needing to unzip the onions to use its continents and how easy it is to use it. This ad has a warmer tone to it, through the use of analogous colors to compliment the onions.

They also complimented the other "appliances" like they did with the onions through the environments they placed them in, creating a sense of real life situations that you might find them into.

Sources: Advertolog.com

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Problem Solving: BGH- Dads in Briefs

What's worse than the summer heat? Well as expressed by BGH Air Conditioning, it's how you deal with the heat. As shown in their Dads in Briefs Commercials it is definitely something you don't want to encounter. They express this problem-solution idea into their commercial that lists Dads in Briefs as the problem and BGH Air Conditioning as their Solution. 

Paired with some dramatic music it creates a commercial that is just of some pure family summer nightmare- Dads doing everyday tasks in their briefs, for the whole world to see. The ad closes with the saying 'Get them dressed with a BGH Air Conditioner' which just solidifies their solution to the Dads in Briefs nightmare problem. 

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Slice of Life: Oreo Cookie Commercials

Oreo Cookies are a well known snack across the world, with each country having its own commercials. But with Mother's Day coming up a revisit into the past Oreo cookie commercials will just bring a smile onto our face. With this slice of life commercial, each person revisits their childhood memory of finding the best Mother's Day present; in this case Oreo Cookies.

The use of nostalgia and slice of life in the commercial all adds up to a nice heart warming Ad, and not to mention adorable. But lets not forget all the Father's out there, in the same year Oreo came out with a commercial for Father's Day that is just as heartwarming and adorable.

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Iconic TV Ad: Coca-Cola

With the match up of the Seattle Seahawks and the Denver Broncos the Super Bowl 48 proved to be one interesting game. With the halftime show of Bruno Mars and the Red Hot Chili Peppers bringing the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey rocking. The game ending score was the one that was the most interesting, with prediction win in favor of the Broncos over the Seahawks. The Seahawks proved everyone wrong winning the game 43-8 making it NFL Super Bowl history of the first win as such, and also the first fastest scoring in history- with a safety within 12 seconds of the game.

The game, however, was not the only thing people were looking out for; the commercials were some of the highlights of that game. Especially Coca-Colas "It's Beautiful" commercial which sparked outrage and praise along the internet world, but it can't be helped to look back on past Coca-Cola Super Bowl commercials. Coca-Cola's Super Bowl 14 commercial featured the classic Coke and smile idea, but also a heartwarming and nostalgic dream of meeting you first NFL player. Mean Joe Greene portrayed this very well and not only was this iconic but that this essence is still true today; this can be seen with the revival of this commercial idea through the 2008 Mean Troy Commercial.

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AD Campaign of the 1950s: Clairol

1956 was a big year for Clairol and its campaign for hair coloring. Shirley Polykoff the brains behind the "Does she...or doesn't she?" ad campaign has brought the sales to Clairol skyrocketing. Polykoff, a junior copywriter at Foote, Cone & Belding Advertising agency was given the Clairol account in 1956. In her hands Clairol’s sales rose from $25 million to $186 million, and by the time Shirley Polykoff left the Clairol account the number of women coloring their hairs rose from 7% to 40%. Clairol “made it possible for women to lighten, tint, condition, and shampoo at home, in a single step.” 

When the Clairol campaign ran in 1956 most of the advertising that were aimed towards women tended to be of high glamour. Polykoff insisted that the models for the Clairol campaign be “like the girl next door-‘Shirtwaist types instead of glamour gowns” and the “Cashmere-sweater-over the shoulder types, the larger than life portraits of the proverbial girl on the block.”

Although the cosmetic product preyed on the vanity of women, there was still the stigma of coloring ones hair. And Polykoff believed that a woman has a right to be blonde and any color, and done with discretion. 

Sources: AdAge.com

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Super Bowl XLVIII

With NFL Super Bowl 48 coming up sooner than ever, the match up between the best offensive team and the best defensive team is starting to make an interesting game. However, the Broncos and the Seahawks shouldn't be the only thing to look out for. The upcoming Super Bowl Ad commercials are looking more and more interesting as sneak peek after sneak peek are being put out.

A blast from the past, well Super Bowl 2013, where Budweiser put out its emotional-pulling at the heart strings commercial with its Clydesdale horses is creating a much anticipated Super Bowl 2014 commercial wait. But as of now the Bud Light 2014 commercial has created a curious but interesting fun selection with Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Another interesting Ad is the combination of Sir Ben Kingsley, Tom Hiddleston, and Mark Strong to create the Jaguars "British Villains" commercial. The combination of these well-known movie villains create a commercial where they talk of the power of a Jaguar, the speed of riding in it or as Tom Hiddleston hinted, at the trunk.

Although these sneak peeks only give a short glimpse of the commercial, it creates anticipation to what the whole is going to be. 

For more Super Bowl Ad sneak peek visit www.superbowl-commercials.org