Best Ads of the Week: Apple’s Parisian iPad plug and Spike Lee’s slice of New York

This week, OnePlus got Finnish rockers Lordi to rock a metal phone, Apple brought Parisian caricatures to life and Greenpeace raced against bribes to get a plastic treaty signed.

Quaker: Champions Are Not Made on Croissants by Uncommon Creative Studio

In response to the lack of nutritious options in Parisian boulangeries, Quaker, in collaboration with Uncommon, has launched a new campaign highlighting the importance of oats for athletes. The print and digital out-of-home (DOOH) campaign features a straightforward yet impactful design: a bowl of half-eaten Quaker Oats with the tagline, “Champions are not made on croissants.” The ads will appear in major UK print publications such as The Metro and Daily Mirror, as well as on DOOH screens near fanzones across the UK. The campaign cleverly addresses British athletes’ need for a nutritious diet during the Olympics.

Greenpeace: Plastic Treaty Now by We Are Social

Greenpeace’s latest campaign, created by We Are Social, uses an Olympics-inspired narrative to highlight the urgent need for countries to sign a UN plastics treaty during the upcoming negotiations in Busan, South Korea, this November. Directed by Jon E Price, the film depicts countries as suit-clad runners racing to end single-use plastics, but along the way, they are tempted by bribes from lobbyists and fossil fuel companies. The ambiguous ending raises questions about which nations will commit to the treaty. The campaign, aimed at driving awareness and action, will be featured across all Greenpeace social channels.

Apple: Designed on the iPad by TBWA\Media Arts Lab London

Apple’s latest outdoor campaign, created by TBWA\Media Arts Lab London, features French illustrator Simon Landrein’s vibrant caricatures, showcasing people in dynamic, everyday scenarios. Landrein crafted all the illustrations using Apple’s latest iPad Pro, following a showcasing style similar to Apple’s ‘Shot on iPhone’ campaign. The bright, bold visuals have resonated with the public, sparking significant social media engagement and appreciation. The campaign is currently making waves on the streets of Paris and Marseille, highlighting the iPad Pro’s creative capabilities through its cartoonish and imaginative scenes.

OnePlus: Made of Metal by The Romans

Finnish Eurovision winners Lordi are back in a new campaign by The Romans (part of Mother) for Chinese electronics brand OnePlus, promoting the “world’s first” all-metal unibody 5G phone. The campaign features the band in comedic, everyday scenarios reminiscent of What We Do in the Shadows, highlighting their pursuit of an all-metal lifestyle. Accompanied by the single Made of Metal, the campaign combines humor and metal aesthetics with the catchy chorus, “Never settle, I made of metal.” The rollout includes teaser posters, the single, a film, and additional content, making for a memorable and campy campaign.

Lotto: Welcome to Winever by Havas New York

Havas New York has delivered a playful campaign that eschews lavish lottery-winner lifestyle tropes to instead show that Lottery winners can be found in the unluckiest of scenarios. ‘Welcome to Winever’ promotes Lotto’s Digital Scratch product, which allows players to experience the action of a scratch card but on the move and in a more secure way. A high-production feel helps to give each scenario a sense of absurd incongruity and drives home the message that you can win anywhere. The state lottery Lotto campaign has been created by Havas New York, alongside other Havas Village agencies, including Republica Havas, Havas Formula and Havas CX.

Kraft: The Kraft Mac & Cheese Feeling by Johannes Leonardo

Kraft Heinz has launched a new campaign, ‘The Kraft Mac & Cheese Feeling,’ developed by Johannes Leonardo, which taps into the nostalgic comfort of Kraft Mac & Cheese while introducing two new flavors: Jalapeño and Ranch. The campaign, aimed at Zillennials navigating adulthood, features imaginative ads like ‘Bear Hug’ and ‘Fireworks,’ where characters find warmth and reassurance in their mac and cheese, depicted through dreamy, surreal visuals. Directed by Sam Brown, the ads emphasize the product’s role as a comforting escape, with the creative running across TV, streaming, social media and digital platforms.

JD Jelly by Quality Meats

Quality Meats, a Chicago-based creative agency, has launched a humorous campaign featuring a spoof product called ‘JD Jelly Couch Lube,’ a water-based lubricant designed for “couch love-making.” The campaign playfully responds to a baseless internet meme that falsely claims JD Vance admitted to intimate relations with couch cushions in his memoir Hillbilly Elegy. Priced at $20.24 per bottle, the product is available for pre-order, with all proceeds benefiting Kamala Harris’s presidential campaign. The campaign also includes a tongue-in-cheek ad referencing Vance’s controversial comments about Kamala Harris as a “childless cat lady” and has garnered support from progressive groups like Call To Activism and The Lincoln Project.

Nestlé Stouffer’s: When the Clock Strikes Dinner by VML New York

Nestlé Stouffer’s has launched a major integrated campaign, ‘When the Clock Strikes Dinner,’ created by VML New York, to address the common dilemma of “What’s for dinner?” The campaign playfully captures the anxiety of “dinner dread” through humorous TV spots, ‘Homeward’ and ‘Wednesday Walk,’ where characters are hilariously bombarded with the question from all angles as soon as the clock hits 4pm. In a creative twist, Stouffer’s has also placed fake ads for perfume, razors and jewelry in magazines, all subtly featuring the dinner question. The campaign, supported by a media takeover across cities like Atlanta, Dallas, and LA, includes digital out-of-home ads during peak dinner hours and a unique Spotify experience, aiming to remind consumers to stock up on Stouffer’s frozen meals.

Vitaminwater: Vitaminwater from New York by Open X

Coca-Cola’s latest campaign, ‘Vitaminwater from New York,’ directed by Spike Lee, celebrates the beverage’s New York roots by capturing the city’s iconic everyday moments. Collaborating with Open X, Lee infused the campaign with his signature style, depicting scenes like corner bodegas, yellow cabs and the Brooklyn Bridge, where Vitaminwater feels right at home. The campaign also features short films by three NYU students handpicked by Lee, each showcasing New York’s energy, color and taste through the lens of Vitaminwater. The ads, which emphasize the brand’s connection to the city, launched with a 30-second TV spot and will include an out-of-home campaign across New York in August.

Heineken: Forgotten Beers by LePub

Heineken’s latest ad, released for International Beer Day on August 2, takes a humorous yet poignant approach by paying tribute to all the forgotten beers left behind in social settings. Whether it’s a beer abandoned during a chat with friends, left on the side of a pool table or covered in confetti at a party, the ad highlights that the true essence of enjoying a beer lies in the social moments rather than the drink itself. Soundtracked by Debussy’s Clair de Lune, the ad, created by LePub, emphasizes the brand’s core message of celebrating togetherness over the product. Heineken hopes the ad’s emotive and engaging nature will resonate with viewers and enhance the brand’s appeal.

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