When The Little Guy Gets It Right

You've surely seen those annoying Pepsi Max ads, the one that implies pretending there is an impending Apocalypse is an acceptable excuse for sex crimes, and the slightly better one about tricking your boss into not staying late.

Funny thing is though, WKD have gone and shown on a fraction of the budget and creative spend that they can do this type of ad better.

The ad isn't exactly stepping into new ground, but it's actually funny instead of just cringeworthy; and it actually comes at you with a sense of warmth and fun rather than corporate sponsored mischief.

Yes, I know I was criticising the 'three guys in a bar' setup, but at least this ad gives the idea the space and time to work instead of filling it up with taste and pouring shots. We are actually allowed to see the idea develop and get a proper gag or two in there.

It just feels like WKD know their audience, know their brand and its' tone of voice, and have used it properly; whereas the Pepsi work just feels like it's trying too hard to be mischievous, too hard to be attractive and cool, and it just falls down.

The strength of Pepsi was always that they didn't care about looking cool, which is why they always seemed cooler than Coke. Recently though Pepsi ads tend to just feel like Coke ads with a little more edge (if you can call it that).

So Pepsi marketing team, try watching this and remember what used to make your communications good.

Choose Love, or Choose Hate

Whatever you may think of the product, it has been clear for a long time now that DDB's long term thinking for Marmite has been absolutely brilliant. They took an unfashionable 'growing up' spread and turned it into a credible brand of popular culture.

The new Marmite Election work is the latest piece of great work for the brand. Staging a Love it Party vs Hate it Party election alongside the general election. It's a smart idea, seemingly well produced and perhaps best of all, totally right for the brand.

The understanding of the brand is for me what makes this stuff so good; they took an insight that most brands would run screaming from and turned into a USP. That they stay true to this so many years later shows not only good agency leadership, but good client leadership. This is a brand that knows its tone of voice, knows its attitude and damn as near nails them every time.

I love it, I might add.

Via Campaign (inc image)

Flour Power

The office word of mouse chain yesterday sent forth a brilliant ad.
Well written, bold, funny, and (as we were discussing this subject in the pub yesterday) a spot on tone of voice.