The top 5 creative campaigns to know about right now

In advertising, dance can sometimes feel like a substitute for a story. But not this week, when we had two dance-focused ads that visually carried the narrative in compelling ways for each brand. Beyond those two spots, we had three other notable campaigns that went beyond messaging to explore meaningful acts in the real world—from pet adoption to small-business support to tariff resistance. More: Ad Age 2025 Creativity Awards finalists revealed Check out the full top 5 below. Enter the free 2025 Young Creatives Contest here 5. Whiskas: The Cat Conversion SystemAgency: AMV BBDO AMV BBDO rolled out a novel Whiskas campaign that aims to turn cat haters into cat lovers. Focusing on cat haters—of which there are certainly many in the world—is an unexpected tack for a cat food brand. And the goal of boosting cat adoption is a worthy one. The word “conversion” in the title is a bit unfortunate—it’s a word with a troubled history. But the playfulness of the work, from the teaser ads to the videos of people’s first interactions with cats, is pretty irresistible. 4. Heineken: Pub SuccessionAgencies: LePub, Publicis Dublin Heineken does a lot of these types of campaigns where it tries to effect some sort of change for good in the world. Last year’s “Pub Museums,” which turned historic Irish pubs into virtual museums to safeguard them, was a classic. This sequel of sorts, “Pub Succession,” involves a global search for someone with the surname McLoughlin to take over Josie McLoughlin’s pub on Achill Island—so his family name can stay on the door. There’s a nice throughline to all this Heineken work, and this latest work only reinforces the sense that this is a brand that cares about history—and the people quietly making it every day. 3. Maple Leaf Foods: Look for the LeafAgency: No Fixed Address The U.S. trade war with Canada hasn’t engendered much good feeling anywhere—but it seems to at least be uniting Canadians under a common purpose. This sentiment has reached the corporate world, too, as evidenced by this Maple Leaf Foods campaign, which encourages shoppers to “Look for the Leaf” and buy Canadian—whether that’s Maple Leaf brands or not. The company partnered with more than 15 other Canadian companies and is putting products from its rivals in its advertising—a clear sign that under current conditions, there’s more bringing Canadian brands together than keeping them apart. Ad Age Creativity Bookmark our section covering the best in brand creativity every day Read more here 2. Apple: SomedayAgency: TBWA\Media Arts Lab It’s been seven years since Spike Jonze directed his first Apple spot—the lovely, artful “Welcome Home” film starring FKA twigs. He returned this week with a second effort, “Someday,” another dance-forward production—this time with Pedro Pascal finding refuge in music and movement (with Apple AirPods 4’s Active Noise Cancellation) from the pain of a breakup. As you’d expect, the film is visually appealing—and also subtly emotional in the way “Welcome Home” was, suggesting if technology can change your mood in the moment, over time perhaps it can change your life. 1. Pella: Make Life BrighterAgency: Singlethread As nice as the Apple film is, we’re saving the top spot this week for a less creatively lauded brand, the window and door maker Pella, which also made a dance film—and a remarkable one at that. “Make Life Brighter” stars young Zoey Zanai, clad in red overalls and yellow headphones, who’s stuck inside on a rainy day—and couldn’t be happier as she boogies around the house to the sound of Missy Elliott’s “The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly).” The ad has a fun vibe that’s only enhanced by the moments of magical realism, like the trees bending to Zoey’s movements. The insight driving the spot has a somewhat dark vision at the core—that people see their homes as a refuge from increasingly extreme weather—but the way it’s communicated couldn’t be lighter or more inviting. The most joyful watch of the week. Enter the free 2025 Young Creatives Contest here

The top 5 creative campaigns to know about right now

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