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

Smuggling and death aren’t usually lighthearted topics, but advertisers managed to make them fun this week—in a pair of well-crafted campaigns that made our Top 5. Elsewhere, we had an outdoor camapign with a clever visual twist; the latest bit of cinematic brilliance from director Kim Gehrig; and a new airline catering to dogs (and their owners). See the full Top 5 below. Check out the latest Ad Age events and award programs 5. Philadelphia Cream Cheese: Cows Agency: Gut Miami Here’s a nicely crafted out-of-home campaign for Philadelphia Cream Cheese—a series of ads designed to look like cow patterns, but which are actually photos of the product spread on toast and bagels. It’s a fun visual way show the product while also celebrating the fresh milk and real cream that go into it. 4. Powerade: The Vault Agency: WPP Open X Winning is important, but it’s not everything. That’s the message behind Powerade’s latest “Pause Is Power” spot starring Simone Biles, the gymnast whose withdrawal from the team and all-around competitions in the 2021 Olympic Games to address her mental health was the inspiration behind the platform. The spot was directed by Kim Gehrig, who brings her usual high level of the craft to the work. 3. Bark: Bark Air Agency: Tombras Tombras didn’t just make new advertising for dog brand Bark—it created ... an airline? Yes, Bark Air is no joke. It’s a new carrier that began operating this week, offering pricey (but worth it?) trips for dogs and their owners between New York and Los Angeles as well as New York and London. Tombras helped design the logo and in-flight experience for Bark Air, along with the advertising for it. The launch spot below is amusingly lavish, as it dramatizes what dogs can expect (more or less) aboard a Bark Air flight. Ad Age Creativity Bookmark our section covering the best in brand creativity every day Read more here 2. Marmite: Smugglers Agencies: adam&eveDDB London and New York Adam&eveDDB has done great Marmite work in the U.K. for years. Now, the account jumps the pond with a campaign about Brits who smuggle the beloved (and/or abhorred) yeast spread to expats in the U.S. With aptly spy-like imagery, the campaign recruited new smugglers in Britain to get even more jars of Marmite to America. There are lots of fun extensions to the work, including a mini-doc directed by Henry-Alex Rubin of (this might be our favorite part) Smuggler. No doubt the lawyers had to get involved in vetting this one—always a good sign of work that’s pushing some boundaries. 1. Hinge: Afterlife Agency: Wieden+Kennedy Portland Hinge came up with the fun “Designed to Be Deleted” marketing platform a few years ago, based on the idea that a good dating service soon makes itself obsolete once the user finds someone. This latest work takes that concept further by showing the Hinge app making it to heaven, where it’s greeted by “The Oracle,” played by actress and comedian Patti Harrison. Biscuit Filmworks director Bine Bach brings her usual inspired absurdism to the proceedings, as Harrison has to deal with one icon after another arriving at the gates. The combination of rich visuals and silly comedy has become Bach’s trademark—this is a great fresh addition to her reel. Check out the latest Ad Age events and award programs

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

Featured Stories