Astronaut Doug Hurley (l) and Oscar the Grouch in campaigns for Busch Light and United Airlines, respectively.
On a monthly basis, Ad Age explores the best and worst purpose marketing ads with Thomas Kolster, founder and creative director at Copenhagen-based Goodvertising Agency, which advises companies and organizations on how to turn environmental, societal and health risks into market opportunities.
Below are the campaigns explored in this month’s episode. Watch this video to see the ads and to get Kolster’s take on why they are a hit or miss.
Heinz: The brand created a red-colored tattoo ink that it says avoids harmful ingredients. The campaign, from the Brazillian agency Soko, comes as some governments around the world have banned certain ingredients in tattoo ink for health concerns such as rashes and itchiness. Apparently, the color red is a culprit.
Kolster likes the fun, provocative approach for a normally serious issue.
Read more about this campaign in Ad Age’s Creativity blog
Busch Light: A campaign from The Martin Agency features retired astronaut Doug Hurley, who actually advocates against being an astronaut. The reason has to do with beer—and how zero gravity makes space beer drinking impossible. “The case against space” campaign includes a tree-planting initiative “to help save our earth.”
While Kolster says he is not usually a big fan of tree-planting campaigns, Busch gets away with it with a tongue-in-cheek approach that connects to the product.
Also read: AB InBev responds to Bud Light's influencer controversy
Bolt: European mobility app Bolt, which markets everything from scooters to car sharing, features people who “broke up” with their cars in a campaign pushing its alternative transportation methods.
Kolster likes the play on breakups but says the ad lacks a significant takeaway—like providing a good reason to break up with your car.
Nescafe: The brand shows how the jars can be used much more than storing coffee in a colorful spot.
Kolster likes the sentimental tone of the spot but suggested the brand could have talked more about its sustainable packaging.
Vanish: The U.K. brand, which sells fabric cleaning products, attempts to raise awareness about autism with an ad that shows a girl who is attached to her hoodie. The message is that the brand’s products can help clothes last longer. According to the brand, “For many autistic people familiar clothes can be a lifeline. Helping with sensory regulation and providing a source of comfort. So making them last longer really matters.”
It’s a worthy effort— but for Kolster, it’s too big of a stretch connecting the brand to the cause.
United Airlines: The airline features Oscar the Grouch, whom the airline touts as its “chief trash officer” in an ad from 72andSunny that plugs United’s sustainability efforts such as using waste to create sustainable jet fuel.
Kolster says the ad talks down to people.
Dove: A campaign from David Miami and Ogilvy Toronto features a billboard made almost entirely of syringes. It is meant to discourage injectables for cosmetic purposes—and is part of Dove’s long-running push to expose harmful beauty ideals.
For Kolster, this one does not live up to the high bar that Dove has previously set in its purpose marketing efforts.
