The top 5 creative campaigns you need to know about right now

This week: a surreal ode to travel, an adorable holiday animation and multiple answers from an airline. See all of Ad Age's 2023 Agency A-List winners here 5. Kroger: The Magical Cookbook Agency: DDB New York Kroger aims straight for the heartstrings with adorable animation this year in its holiday spot, a sweet tale of a grandfather reliving his life via his wife’s recipe book, set to the strains of the Goo Goo Dolls' "Iris" covered by Colbie Caillat. We're seeing more and more U.S. advertisers look to the European playbook (high-quality animation, in this case by Hornet, and a heartfelt new version of a well-known song) in their holiday fare; it's a trend we'll be keeping a close eye on. 4. Trainline.com: Better Days (I Came By Train) Agency: Mother London This beautifully crafted Craig David music video for the U.K. train booking app is also a rallying cry for people to choose train travel as a positive environmental option, so that they can brag: “I came by train.” Director Golden Wolf’s homage to Japanese anime, coupled with the British singer's smooth vocals, makes it engaging viewing. The wider campaign includes billboards with eye-catching lines such as "I came by train because: polar bears." 3. Vienna Tourism Board: Belly Agency: Jung von Matt/Donau We saw several great travel campaigns last week, including Visit Sweden’s audio horror story that you can only hear in the Swedish woods and Viator’s sweet comedic campaign about travel memories. But kudos should go to Vienna’s tourist board for daring to promote itself with this truly surreal film about a giant belly which leaves its owner to go and enjoy the city. According to Vienna Tourism, it's an ode to inclusivity and acceptance, with “a heroic figure that in the end arrives at a realization: only if you love yourself, you can truly indulge.” Strange, but hugely memorable. Ad Age Creativity Bookmark our section covering the best in brand creativity every day Read more here 2. Uber: Get Your Ride Right Agency: Johannes Leonardo Uber’s new campaign combines comedy with a clear message; order the Uber that suits your needs, not just the default UberX option. It's illustrated in scenarios of relatable insights, in ads slickly directed by Jim Jenkins of O Positive set to some pitch-perfect music choices. We particularly like the mom who struts out of the house confidently to Gwen Stefani’s “The Sweet Escape,” before remembering she has four kids. 1. British Airways: A British Original Agency: Uncommon Creative Studio The first work for British Airways from Uncommon has at its core a compelling creative idea: the landing forms airline passengers fill out when they travel asking them the purpose of their visit. The answer here is not business or leisure, but a third, more intangible option—and that feeds into over 500 different executions, including billboards, print and films. Some answers are playful, some daring, some emotional. Whether it’s enough to revive the fortunes of BA, which has been beset by negative headlines, cancelations and poor service, remains to be seen. But it's a brave move for the client and the strongest copywriting we've seen for some time. Subscribe to Ad Age Sign up now for the latest industry news and analysis Click here

The top 5 creative campaigns you need to know about right now

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