This month: A celeb-filled street, a relaxing pasta organization tutorial and Jon Hamm’s ad rejection.
The top 5 celebrity brand collabs you need to know about right now
5. Kelly Clarkson, Lisa Ann Walter, Lisa Vanderpump, Tituss Burgess, Shawn Johnson, Stephanie Beatriz, Thoren Bradley x Wayfair
Agency: Havas
Followers of celebrity ads rejoice when a brand converges numerous personalities into one spot. Wayfair’s Oscars pre-show ad constructed a new world, the “Wayborhood,” in which celebrities happily gush about their furniture purchases.
Kelly Clarkson seems to be queen bee of the Wisteria Lane-esque block, while “Abbott Elementary” star Lisa Ann Walter waters shrubs and “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” actor Tituss Burgess dramatically shouts about bathroom tile. And “Vanderpump Rules” matriarch Lisa Vanderpump commands workers in her home to wear bejeweled garb. We’ll be watching local real estate for a spot among them.
4. Jason Momoa x Guinness
Agency: On the Roam
The thrill of a celebrity brand spokesperson is learning something new about them. For example, fans know Jason Momoa as an action star. They know he’s capable of hurdling cars, running dramatically through crowds, emitting manly bellows and looking extremely handsome.
However, in a recent Guinness ad, which Momoa co-directed and starred in, they may have learned the star is 2% Irish.
3. Jon Hamm x Minute Maid
Agency: Studio X
Minute Maid concocted a fascinatingly anti-celebrity celebrity campaign for its zero-sugar beverages. The Coca-Cola-owned juice maker hired Jon Hamm for its marketing just to tell the actor it didn’t need him; one spot in the campaign shows Jon Hamm rehearsing nonstop only to walk into an empty set. Someone check on Jon Hamm. Hope he’s ok.
2. Marie Kondo x Barilla
Agency: Le Pub
The crossover of Marie Kondo and pasta is like “The Avengers” for people who enjoy organization and stress relief. In a truly delightful spot for Barilla, Kondo walks viewers through the steps of recycling pasta boxes as storage containers. Some may not understand the thrill of witnessing socks, pants and long-sleeved shirts being folded perfectly to fit into a cardboard box. While unexpected, the pairing of Kondo and Barilla’s signature elements is perfect in hindsight.
1. Molly Shannon, Tim Meadows x Samsung
Agency: Quality Meats
Tapping into current trends in nostalgia and binge-viewing classic sitcoms, Samsung took a unique approach to showing off new technology to make old, grainy content look hi-def. While one might expect the TV manufacturer to display that with real episodes of “Full House” or “The Nanny,” it instead used the star power of Molly Shannon and Tim Meadows to create a fictional series.
The “Saturday Night Live” alumni over-act in “Best in the House” as obnoxious teens getting into silly squabbles across a series of sketches. While film lovers may let out shrieks of despair over the idea of glossing up classics, the campaign dreamed up a sitcom that makes one wish they could actually watch it.