14 creative campaigns to know about today

Among today’s creative highlights, Chupa Chups unveiled print and OOH work with lollipops made to look like dopamine, serotonin and endorphin molecules; KFC Canada gets ultra-close to its product in zoomed-in ads; and Joel McHale steps up for Seattle’s Best Coffee. Arby’s The restaurant chain signed Happy Gilmore—a collegiate golfer at Ball State University who shares a name with Adam Sandler’s movie character—to an NIL deal to become the face of Arby’s new golf collection, named the Birdies & Beef Collection. Gilmore (born Landon James Gilmore) appears in press photos showing off the Arby’s Clubs & Curlies Comfort Polo, Arby’s Classics Golf Comfort Polo, Beef Rope Hat and Beef ‘N Cheddar Golf Balls. The NIL deal arrives as Sandler’s “Happy Gilmore 2” is set to premiere this summer on Netflix. Cheetos The Frito-Lay brand is looking to the fashion world to answer the age-old question of where to rub your cheesy fingers. It created Cheetos Pants, orange trousers with pockets big enough to hold a bag of Cheetos and towel-like fabric on the thighs to wipe away the chip dust. The campaign was created by Impact BBDO and BBDO New York. Chupa Chups The lollipop brand unveiled some delightful print and OOH ads from BBH London in which the candy is configured into 3D molecule models—representing “happy chemicals” such dopamine, serotonin and endorphin, released when you enjoy a lollipop. “These molecules are the building blocks of fun. And what is a Chupa Chups lollipop, if not a little hit of fun?” said Stu Royall, creative director and partner at BBH London. The campaign is running in the U.K. Hartbeat x AXA The Kevin Hart entertainment company and global health insurance company AXA joined forces to produce a feature-length documentary titled “Group Therapy” that brings together comedians to have therapy conversations that are both hilarious and deeply human. The documentary, created in collaboration with WPP, has just been released on Prime Video and is hosted by Neil Patrick Harris. It features top comedians such as Nicole Byer, Tig Notaro, Mike Birbiglia and London Hughes. The Honest Kitchen Candid spots from the pet food company acknowledge the less-than-glamorous sides of pet ownership that drive any pet parent crazy. Despite pets sometimes being absolute terrors and destroying furniture, tracking mud in the house and being otherwise messy, the charming spots—created by agency Good Conduct—admit the universal truth that we love them anyway. KFC Canada A new OOH campaign from Courage, themed “Every Little Bit,” artfully shows closeups of small pieces of KFC chicken resting on people’s fingers. “Every bit is finger lickin’ good,” says the headline on each ad. Nikki Omerond from Undivided handled the so-called “microphotography.” Kit Kat The Hershey brand introduces the Break Brothers, four chocolate-suited ad characters who protect your break when it’s threatened, in a new campaign from Orchard. Kraft Dinner A campaign from Rethink depicts ripped and mangled boxes of KD with a tongue-in-cheek reference to the push tab and how consumers should actually open the box. The work appears in print, digital and OOH in Toronto. Maker’s Mark The distillery unveiled Star Hill Farm Whisky, its first new mashbill and first wheat whisky, celebrating the role that regenerative agriculture plays in creating healthier soil, better flavor and a more sustainable future. The branding was done by Turner Duckworth. “We drew inspiration from wine, luxury beauty and sustainable fashion to create a design that feels contemporary, rooted in nature and rich with a sense of place,” said Jared Britton, creative director at Turner Duckworth. “Our hope is that this brand sparks a deeper appreciation for the farm and land as a destination with its own unique personality.” Malibu Brian Cox is very un-Logan Roy in a new campaign for Malibu from Wieden+Kennedy London urging people to clock off at 5 p.m. and have a better work-life balance. Tim Heidecker of Prettybird directed the spot. Miller High Life As part of a yearlong campaign to partner with major music brands and sponsor artist Teddy Swims’ tour, Miller High Life created an original vinyl record infused with the beer. “Dive Bar Sounds” is a 25-minute record created with the beer that replicates music heard in a classic dive bar. A limited number of records will be available for purchase beginning April 10. Seattle’s Best Coffee Seattle native and coffee aficionado Joel McHale stars in the brand’s new campaign from Haymaker. The work is timed to fresh packaging and a new flavor addition, Campfire S’mores. The comic campaign shows how Seattle’s Best Coffee helps make life’s toughest everyday moments feel a little bit easier. Neal Brennan of Caviar was the director. The campaign is running across national television, digital and social platforms this spring. Toyota A forest comes to life like something out of “Where the Wild Things Are” in a surreal campaign for the automaker’s all-new 4-Runner truck. The spot was created by Saatchi & Saatchi. Unquiet South America’s Panatal is one of the world’s largest continuous wetland areas, spanning parts of Brazil, Paraguay and Bolivia. In 2024, wildfires devastated more than 6 million acres. To raise awareness of this issue, Unquiet magazine—in partnership with Onçafari, a nonprofit dedicated to the preservation of jaguars—burned pages of its own magazine to represent the pain felt by animals forced to leave their homes. The pages were sent to journalists and content creators to encourage them to advocate for biodiversity preservation initiatives. The campaign was created by Tech & Soul.

14 creative campaigns to know about today

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