16 creative campaigns to know about today

Among today’s creative highlights, Primanti Bros. essentially sues itself over its “shitty” chicken wings; Drumstick and the WWE deliver a “snackdown” on boring snacks; and Rachel Platten sings about mental health for Kenneth Cole. Amazon A new Mother’s Day spot, created in-house, doesn’t push Amazon products at all—but instead shows kids using Amazon boxes to package up homemade gifts for their moms. Busch Light Apple Ronald G. Wayne, the Apple Computer co-founder who famously cashed out of the business for a paltry $800 in 1977, isn’t missing his chance to invest in another “Apple-related opportunity”—the fan-demanded return of Busch Light Apple beer. Anheuser-Busch InBev launched the product in 2020 by engaging The Busch Guy to mimic a Steve Jobs on-stage Apple product reveal. It was last available in 2022. Corona A global “Corona 100” birthday campaign includes a curated list of the world’s top 100 beaches (created with Wink) and a film (via Wieden+Kennedy Amsterdam) celebrating the brewer’s century-long connection to beach culture. DirecTV Major League Baseball stars including Dustin May of the Dodgers, Dansby Swanson of the Cubs and Christian Yelich of the Brewers star in a humorous, music-infused spot about DirecTV’s satellite-free MLB streaming, in which the follically gifted players croon about having “nothing on your roof.” TBWA\Chiat\Day Los Angeles led the creative. Drumstick x WWE John Cena puts the “snackdown” on boring snacks, opposite mascot Dr. Umstick, in a new campaign for the ice cream brand. The spot, which debuted during the WrestleMania broadcast and in the stadium, was produced by WWE in collaboration with Drumstick and creative agency Opinionated. Also involved were Lippe Taylor Group, Spark Foundry and Publicis Sports. The Drumstick/WWE partnership will continue through the summer. Gran Centenario Tequila For Cinco de Mayo, a spot from Mexican tequila brand invites consumers to trade “gringo” behavior for the real Mexican traditions (and drinks). “Don’t Be a Gringo,” starring Mexican creators Shiadanni and Abelardo Campuzano, will launch across social, online and on TV. Heineken A fun, dystopian film from Le Pub starring Joe Jonas, Dude with Sign, Lil Cherry and Paul Olima imagines the end of social media—with influencers creating into a void, but discovering there’s something even better. Jeppson’s Malört The dive-bar-famous Chicago liqueur, known for embracing its reputation as an acquired taste, is releasing Malört-flavored hard candies known as “Malört Sucks.” The treats are based on an April Fools’ Day Instagram post in 2024, which inadvertently unleashed fan demand. The package touts the candies as having a “surprisingly long aftertaste,” matching its profile as a shot. Kenneth Cole For Mental Health Awareness Month in May, the fashion brand launched a campaign challenging stigmas around mental well-being with a new installment of its “Purposeful Voices” series starring recording artist Rachel Platten. In a campaign film, Platten sings an original song about her mental health with visuals representing the contrast between how she presents herself publicly and how she feels inside. From May 1-4, 100% of sales from Kenneth Cole’s website will be donated to the Mental Health Coalition. Merrell The hiking and trail running footwear brand is running ads in Europe themed “The Urban Hiking Guide”—telling consumers that “Hiking is everywhere,” not just on top of a mountain. Swedish agency The Bond created the work. OKA The Brazilian biotech company is raising awareness of how microplastics have invaded the human body by 3D printing plastic items using microplastics extracted from about 120 gallons of human blood. There is also a video about the project, created by agency DM9. One Condoms Stanza lovers are invited to submit original poems for a chance to win cash prizes, a year’s supply of condoms featuring their poem on the wrapper and a condom donation to their chosen organization, nonprofit or school in a campaign from the condom brand for National Poetry Month. Wordsmiths everywhere can become the next “Poe of Prophylactics” through the One Poetry Contest. The deadline is July 31. Pizza Pizza The Canadian pizza chain introduced an XXL pizza and promoted it by hanging a 20-by-20-foot, 5,000-pound pizza box from a crane in the middle of Toronto. Zulu Alpha Kilo devised the stunt—and also filmed it for the commercial below. Primanti Bros. The Pittsburgh-based restaurant, known for its sandwiches, is addressing its reputation for “shitty chicken wings” by essentially suing itself. Video and out-of-home ads from Primanti Bros. and real-life injury law firm Morgan & Morgan feature an 800 number for locals to air their wing grievances and collect damages in the bold stunt created by The Infinite Agency. Thumbtack New in-house spots from the services booking platform see homeowners rescued from overwhelming home repairs, cleanup or decluttering with the click of a button on Thumbtack. Unquiet Magazine An environmental campaign from the Brazilian travel magazine flips the idea of wonderful sounds heard on remarkable travel experiences on its head, posing the question: What if the sounds used for relaxation begin to reflect the growing impacts of the climate crisis? “Uncomfortable Nature Sounds,” created by Tech & Soul, features tracks that slowly replace soothing nature sounds such as running water or birdsong with the sounds of environmental disasters, including forest fires, intense storms or hurricanes. Contributing: Jon Springer

16 creative campaigns to know about today

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