Browsing the web I came across an unusual TV commercial done by the ad agency Team One United States for the 2018 Lexus LC that highlights the ‘Lane Valet,’ Lexus new innovation that every driver will appreciate. But all is not as it seems. Continue reading to find out more!
Thinking outside the box has always been in Lexus DNA. The luxury automaker never ceases to amaze me by the endless creativity, passion for innovation and advanced technology. Lexus knows that when you take technology and mix it with creativity, you can always come up with something new. This time Lexus introduces the latest incredible invention named ‘Lane Valet,’ that can take the driving experience to a whole new level by improving both traffic flow and safety on the road.
Lexus: The Lane Valet
In the ad Lexus voiceover encourages us to ‘Imagine a world with Lane Valet, a semi-autonomus technology that can connect left lane vehicles obstructing the flow of traffic and do the drivers a cortesy of moving their vehicle for them, making the highway safer for everyone.’
In fact, the ad shows a man in the left lane driving on the highway in his red Lexus LC, in front of him he sees a driver in a slow moving vehicle. Fortunately, with the simple press of a ‘Lane Valet’ button on the dashboard of his car, the annoying vehicle has been pushed out of his way. Do you expect it to be true, right?
But Lane Valet is not a real option. It was done as an April Fools’ joke! However, I couldn’t miss the ad because it’s simply genius! It lets us ‘experience visionary thinking at full speed’ and ‘Experience Amazing’! 🙂
You probably know, Instagram (a word combination of “instant camera” and “telegram”) is the mobile-first image based social network that gained its first 1 million users within 2 months of its launch and continue growing ever since.
It was founded by Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger in October 2010, both graduated from Stanford University, and was later acquired by Facebook in April, 2012. Instagram was designed primarily for snapping and sharing photos with friends from their mobile device on-the-go and continues to grow and evolve as a platform, using all new tools and features for scheduling posts, editing, content managing, adding e-commerce ads and so on that will help you promote your brand effectively and connect with your target audience.
According to Instagram, the social platform now has more than 500 million monthly active users and more than 300 of whom use Instagram every single day. It’s no wonder why more and more brands are jumping on Instagram board!
Among the numerous social media platforms, Instagram presents a huge opportunity for brands to engage with their audience and tell their story in a visual context. The platform is ideal for showcasing your products and services in action, posting a teaser or sneak peeks into your brand new products or services before the official launch, taking behind the scene photos and videos to show how your products are made, posting special offers on your products or services or running regular contests to drive engagement.
Moreover, you can even make IG users feel more connected with your brand by encouraging them to share their experience with your product or services using branded hashtags and regram these photos on your own profile. It helps you create an emotional bond with your users that convert visitors into loyal customers.
Here is an example of Instagram campaign to inspire you.
In order to draw attention to its upcoming movie fest, the Toronto Silent Film Festival partnering with the ad agency Red Lion Canada, created the first ever Instagram Jigsaw Puzzle game using Instagram’s new ‘Save’ feature.
This year the Toronto Silent Film Festival focuses on newly restored films, some of them are being played for the first time in nearly a century. So, to let fans experience the thrill of restoring a lost film for themselves, the Toronto Silent Film Festival and Red Lion has come up with the Instagram Jigsaw Puzzle, a game that encourages users to piece together images from old movies. It may seem simple but with 21 pieces and lots of possibilities the puzzle becomes more challenging.
To bring this idea to life the agency built an Instagram account (@TSFF2017_puzzle) filled with scrambled puzzle pieces. To solve the puzzle users have to search for and save each piece in the correct order using Instagram ‘Save’ feature. Once it is done, the puzzle will appear in their personal “saved” feed. The first seven people who send a screenshot of their completed puzzle will get a prize from the festival.
If you’re looking for an interesting example of medical tourism campaign, Tour n’ Cure’s #StopTheWait is definitely worth your attention. #StopTheWait is an initiative launched to eradicate Hepatitis C worldwide. In collaboration with Leo Messi, Barcelona star and #TourNCure’s Global Ambassador, the campaign is sure to get more resonance. To learn more, go on reading!
Medical tourism has gained popularity in recent years as people decide to get medical treatment abroad as an alternative option for high quality and affordable healthcare, and absence of waiting lists. They can also enjoy the opportunity to travel overseas.
Developing a solid marketing strategy to increase brand awareness and consumer engagement is vital for any business, and medical tourism industry is no exception. Among noumerous marketing techniques that can be used, digital marketingis considered to be one of the best and effective tools for medical tourism. It allows you to better reach the right target audience with the right messaging and enables to measure the direct effectiveness of the ads. It raises the chances that the right person sees the right ad at the right time. It also expands your service to the regional, national and international market.
With digital marketing tools you can encourage your target audience to take action, visit your website to get more information about your products/services and provide feedback, and by using social media share buttons on your website or social media channels, visitors can share your content fairly quickly. It is important to create a powerful content that people can comment on and share online all the time.
Social media is also a great method that helps you successfully connect with your audience through e-mail, invite people to join your Facebook page or community.
Here is an example of digital marketing campaign that was created by BBDO Egypt for Prime Pharma’s Tour n’Cure #StopTheWait initiative in partnership with the Leo Messi Foundation aiming to lead the global effort to get rid of Hepatitis C.
In particular, the ad starts with the voiceover telling that a lot has happened in the past two years, showing Messi as an example. For this period of time he lost some finals and won some more, he scored 120 goals with the support of his team, he traveled the world in 64 days, got bunch of titles, he got injured, cured and healed, but in the meantime Melanie has been waiting just like 100 million like her who are forced to wait over two years to start their treatment for Hepatitis C.
Then Messi appears saying ‘Everything that I’ve achieved in the past two years wouldn’t make sense if we couldn’t work together to change Melanie’s life and others like her. No one should wait for the treatment. #StopTheWait.’ It’s essential that we should act like Messi!
The ad finishes with the text line ‘Come to Egypt for an affordable cure with zero waiting time. Start your treatment now www.tourncure.com’
If you’re curious you can also watch the campaign on Social Media Channels such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
As Tour n’ Cure website regards ‘For every 1,000 supporters to the #StopTheWait cause, Tour n’ Cure will provide free treatment to one patient.’
To my mind, it is a great campaign with a strong message. Let’s put an end to the waiting lists of people waiting for medication. #StopTheWait.” What do you think of it? 🙂
If you’re looking for some inspiration for Valentine’s day, why not check out the DualPour, the cute gadget by Grain Belt beer?
Love doesn’t make the world go ‘round. Love is what makes the ride worthwhile.
– Franklin P. Jones
Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and it’s a perfect occasion to express your love and give surprise to your sweetheart. So Grain Belt, an iconic American beer brand, has recently invented the Dual Pour, an easy and romantic way to share your love and beer with your special someone!🍻💝
Grain Belt: The Dual Pour (via)
In particular, Grain Belt in partnership with ad agency Colle+McVoy have created a product that is simple and intuitive – a special red beer cap that allows to pour one beer into two glasses at the same time. Nothing says ‘I love you’ like half your beer.
This beer accessory was made by a 3D printer in ‘pinkish red, richly colored nylon plastic with a smooth finish’ and you can get yours at DualPour’s website.
The Lexus ‘Man and Machine’ Super Bowl 2017 ad will definitely inspire you to test-drive this luxury sports coupe!
You might expect the ad which only dazzles you with the stylish and eye-catching latest Lexus model. Instead, the brand decided to do something unusual – by inviting Lil’ Buck, a professional dancer, to perform in its new ‘Man and Machine’ ad to showcase the special bond between a man and his car. To promote the all-new LC 500 and introduce its new global tagline ‘Experience Amazing,’ Lexus invites you to experience the vehicle like never before!👨🚘
The commercial opens with fast cut shots of Lil’ Buck, who jooks his way to Sia’s song “Move Your Body” from her latest album, and a machine, the new 2017 Lexus LC 500 coupe, depicted along with his dancing. As the ad goes on we see both, a man and machine, on a split screen, showing the parallels between the versatility of human body movements and the power and athleticism of the vehicle.
‘Machines don’t have emotions,’ says British actress Minnie Driver in the voice-over, ‘But the rare few can inspire them.’ There is nothing better than communicating your emotions through your dance!
Brilliant concept and very good execution! An exciting part of the ad that I like most is where Lil Buck slithering into the Lexus by challenging gravity and when he dances on the walls around the vehicle. Incredible. Isn’t it? 😉
Burger King, famous American global chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, has come up with a smart solution of using the subway luggage shelves to create an optical illusion as if burgers are grilled directly in the subway car. You can experience it in South Korea.
Subway rides can be long, monotonous and boring. Commuters are often glued to their handheld devices to kill time without noticing anything around. It’s time to look up and shut down all these displays. Burger King takes you into the world of its juicy flame-grilled burgers!🍔🍔🍔
Just looking at these new tantalizing posters placed on the subway shelves makes your mouth water and you can hardly keep yourself from taking the patty. It can also arouse a desire to get off the train and rush to the nearest Burger King restaurant.
This juicy patty is an optical illusion to tease your stomach. In particular, an entire train has been packed with a series of Burger King posters and riders watch as if patties being grilled on the subway luggage shelves right in front of their eyes. Who can resist this yummy and appetizing burger? Not me, that’s for sure! 😉
This idea crossed Dongeon Lee’s mind, a student from the Hongik University in Seoul and was brought to life by the ad agency Cheil, South Korea for Burger King. What do you think of it? 🙂
Eugen Merher, a student at the Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg in Germany has recently released ‘Break Free,’ a touching spec spot for a famous sport brand Adidas that will not leave you indifferent. A special thank to Carola, a blogger who called my attention to this spot. Watch the video and share your views!
We are used to watching Adidas ads that demonstrate the latest and trendiest shoe models. But the ‘Break Free’ focuses on a story of an old man who has an extraordinary willpower and the burning desire to surpass his own limits!
In this touching ad we see a former marathon runner living in a retirement home who one day finds his old pair of Adidas sneakers which motivates him to ‘break free’ from his boring routine and inspires him to keep running in spite of all obstacles.
I think, this spec spot perfectly highlights the Adidas as a brand that is well-known for the love to challenge the impossible because as its slogan shows “Impossible is nothing.”🏆🏅🏆🏅
Impossible is just a big word thrown on around by small men
who find it easier to live in the world they have been given
than to explore the power they have to change it.
Impossible is not a fact.
It’s an opinion.
Impossible is not a declaration.
It’s a dare.
Impossible is potential.
Impossible is temporary.
Impossible is nothing.
― Muhammad Ali,
the legendary boxer
Believe in yourself even when no one else does and always keep moving towards your dream! 🙂
Another brilliant example of festive campaign 2016, that I am looking forward to telling you about, is the ‘Bonding Buffet’ hosted by KLM Royal Dutch Airlines to bring people together at Christmas. Many thanks to my friend Sabrina, who is also an amazing blogger, for letting me know about this campaign.
The holiday season is the time for joy, celebration and spending time with those we love, but what if you’re alone at the airport?
Airports at Christmas can be very chaotic and crowded as people long to get home for the holidays, but many people spend their transfer time alone – often reading a book, checking their phones, or surfing the web on the airport wi-fito kill time.
So, the airline company KLM decided to do something extraordinary to get people in the Christmas mood and bring them together while waiting for boarding at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. Thus, the idea of hosting the ‘Bonding Buffet’ was born.
In particular, KLM, together with Advertising agency DDB & Tribal Amsterdam installed a large table with a Christmas dinner served on top of a 4.5 metre high at the airport. Passengers soon realized what they needed to do to get it down. When all the stools, equipped with a pressure sensor were occupied, the table was fully lowered, so people could start the dinner.
The result is that lots of people of different nationalities bonded with each other over the table had fun and made selfies.
It’s that time of year again when brands come back with their festive-themed ad campaigns. Here’s my selection of some Christmas ads that I like most! Enjoy and share your views!☃️
Oh, the weather outside is frightful
But the fire is so delightful
And since we’ve no place to go
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow
Michael Bublé
a Canadian singer
Top 5 Christmas ads 2016
Can you believe that it is only a few days left until Christmas day and less than 2 weeks until New Year’s Day, the holidays full of joy, gifts, meetings with family and friends that we are looking forward to! How fast time flies!
While making the final preparations for the holidays – last minute shopping, wrapping gifts and so on, I suggest you take a look at these ads that will help you feel more Christmassy:
1. Mercedes-Benz#Sprinter wish us a Merry Christmas in its ‘Amazing Xmas lights’ ad commercial that aimed to bring the holiday season feeling into our home. You can see how one of the family homes was turned into a huge Christmas light show! This idea is worth taking into account! 😉
This amazing ad was done by the ad agency Fischer Appelt Germany and released by the light artist Richard Holdman.
2. Have you ever met Mrs Claus, Santas’ wife? She is a star of the Marks and Spencer’s ‘Christmas with Love’ ad campaign done by the RKCR/ Y&R London in which Mrs Claus receives a letter from a young boy called Jake. He asks her to help him do something special to his sister! We see her flying from Lapland to London in her helicopter to deliver a gift!
3. Meet #BusterTheBoxer in the new 2-minute John Lewis Christmas TV commercial created by London agency adam&eveDDB which shows us ‘gifts that everyone will love.’ The ad tells a story of a boxer named Buster who isn’t the only one with a passion for bouncing. This ad is sure to put a smile on your face! 🙂
4. Duracell comes back to the Star Wars universe with a new heart-warming ad titled ‘How the Rebels Saved Christmas,’ tied to the release of ‘Rogue One: A Star Wars Story’ featuring a group of young brave rebels who do their best to deliver one powerful Christmas gift to their friend’s galaxy.
The ad was done by Anomaly to drive donations to Children’s Miracle Network hospitals.
5. Don’t worry about Christmas gifts delivery, Santa, you deserves a break – #SantasBigBreak! Takealot.com will take good care of it! Enjoy this amazing commercial done by M&C Saatchi Abel, Cape Town, South Africa.
If you are a huge fan of Star Wars, it’s not surprising that you are counting down the days until #RogueOne blasts into cinemas. While waiting, I suggest you watch this touching commercial from the Globe Telecom, Philippines’ leading telecommunications company. May the heartwarming feeling be with you!
You might have heard that the upcoming ‘Rogue One’ is not a sequel to the last year’s ‘The Force Awakens.’ ‘Rogue One’ isthe first standalone filmin the new Star Wars Anthology series that promises to take you on an all-new epic outer space adventure. In fact, it is set ‘a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away’ between the events of ‘Revenge of the Sith’ and ‘A New Hope’ and the plot centers around a team of rebels that are on a mission to steal the plans to the Death Star, the Empire’s ultimate weapon, capable to destroy an entire planet. This event, vital in the Star Wars timeline, challenges ordinary people to come together to be courageous and to do extraordinary things, becoming a part of something greater.
Globe Telecom: #CreateCourage – Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (via)
Inspired by the movie, Globe Telecom in partnership with Disney Southeast Asia and Publicis JimenezBasic have launched a new ad that inspires people to #CreateCourage for something greater in a daily life.
The ad focuses on a daily routine of two siblings, an elder brother and his sister, who are both big Star Wars fans. We see a boy in a Star Wars hoodie while a girl in her Stormtrooper helmet which she wears whatever she does, wherever she goes: at school, at home or riding her bike, dancing and even watching a Rogue One. As the story progresses, we find out that she wears it for a reason.
Globe Telecom: #CreateCourage – Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (via)
In the final seconds of the ad we watch her enter the classroom at school. Her classmates in Stormtrooper helmets are rising from their seats, she takes off her helmet and everybody realizes what she hides behind a Stormtrooper helmet. The ad ends with a tagline ‘Create. Courage. Create. Wonderful’ which means that small gestures of kindness and concern can mean so much to people, give them a feeling of support. Actions speak louder than words!
Globe Telecom: #CreateCourage – Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (via)
The key message of the campaign is to encourage people to donate to the Philippine General Hospital’s pediatric clinic rehabilitation and to lift spirits and give courage to their young patients.
In addition, Star Wars fans can partecipate in a special contest with a chance to win a trip to the Star Wars Celebration 2017 in Florida, USA! To enter they need to post photos of themselves in a Stormtrooper helmet on Facebook or Twitter profiles using the #CreateCourage and #RogueOnePH hashtags and complete this sentence in the caption: “#CreateCourage to __________.” (for more details see Globe’s website) Awesome, isn’t it?
I find this campaign stunning and I think it is so great that brands support a good cause! What do you think of it? 😉
