The Farmer’s Dog returned to narrative storytelling with the excellent “Referee.”
Chaos and spectacle are time-honored advertising themes, as marketers try to cut through the clutter by being louder than everyone else. But often, quieter is just as good.
We got some of both this week. A tourism marketer, a soda giant, a streaming service and a sports apparel maker all made noise with standout spots, but our No. 1 spot followed a chaotic opening with a mellower resolution—creating plenty of emotion along the way.
See the full Top 5 below.
People visit Las Vegas for all sorts of reasons, but they’re united by one thing: their no-holds-barred commitment to having a good time. This is captured nicely in a spot from R&R Partners under its new chief creative officer, Chuck Monn. Directed by Jess Kohl, the 60-second spot features great costuming, makeup and music. And it sets the tone for everything Vegas offers, from sports and gambling to business, food, music and more.
Pepsi knows a thing or two about blockbuster ads, and this one drafts off one of the soda giant’s classic spots—the famous gladiator film from 2004 with Beyoncé, Britney Spears and Pink. “Make Your Gameday Epic” stars NFL players Josh Allen, Derrick Henry, Justin Jefferson and Travis Kelce as gladiators forced to use their football skills to stave off a pack of tigers, while Megan Thee Stallion raps as a colosseum empress. Impressive all around, and broadly entertaining.
Undercutting hackneyed advertising tropes with humor, when done well, is always a recipe for success. These Tubi spots, directed by Tom Kuntz, are amusing because of their seemingly clichéd setups, which are knocked down with wicked left turns and strong writing. It’s also just refreshingly outside the norm to see villains celebrated in any way at all. Another winner from the team at Mischief.
Nike and directors Megaforce, who teamed up for the classic “Nothing Beats a Londoner” film in 2018, have reunited for some excellent spots about the craziness of being a runner. As of press time, ads called “Sunshine” and “Morning” have been released, with two more on the way, showing how runners persevere despite the weather or the ungodly hour of the day. The spots look fantastic, and the music choices are spot on. Our only gripe is with the theme line. “Winning Isn’t Comfortable” is an extension of Nike’s “Winning Isn’t for Everyone” campaign, launched for the Olympics. But these spots aren’t really about winning—they’re more personal and solitary than that, universally true for runners whether or not there’s a finish line.
In its best ad since its Emmy-winning 2023 Super Bowl commercial, The Farmer’s Dog tells the story of a football referee who’s blown a call—and is paying for it. The spot opens in absolute chaos, as the ref is pummeled with jeers, as well as food and drink, on his way off the field. Arriving home, he’s comforted by the one companion who would never judge him—his loyal, drooling lunk of a dog. The spot, directed by John Hillcoat, taps into the undercurrent of divisiveness in our culture today, but never in a heavy-handed way. And the end line, “Doing your best for them is good enough for today,” is refreshingly humble. This is a brand that truly understands our connection to dogs—and how storytelling can highlight their commitment to us, and ours to them.
