Deutsch - Dr. Pepper "Mop Dog"

Title: Mop Dog

Client: Dr. Pepper

Agency: Deutsch - L.A.

The Brief Explanation

This is a similar story as the ugly duckling fairy tale, but twisted for a modern day 'dogmance'. After a grueling year of low shares in the market place, the Texas based Dr. Pepper soft drink giant is battling to keep its head above water in the beverages category. 

After a back woods 1976 throwback summer campaign that fell flat to audiences  the brand has been seeking a new direction that strikes to the core of the brand while relating to a wider audience. Being seen traditionally as the light hearted, comical, and alternative soft drink company, Dr. Pepper is lacking that appeal in its uniqueness it has always believed itself to be. Their unique story is uncommon in soft drink brands because of its heritage and should be celebrated since it is close to its true nature. Their task, I believe, was to instill that feeling that the underdog (literally) is still the best way to find true happiness.

The Insight: Happiness is Being Unique Together 

Dr. Pepper sees itself as the common good for people to come together on. The truck driver and dog both find themselves in places of discomfort and conformity in which they don't fit into the mold of what is going around them. Dr. Pepper is that a place in many of us where we feel the need to be unique, but also to have others that are unique around us as well. Coming together over something that is independent and embracing our belief that we should do is not always what will be the best choice for us for true happiness.

Reference

http://www.forbes.com/sites/greatspeculations/2014/07/22/dr-pepper-pre-earnings-snapple-to-boost-non-sparkling-volumes-mexico-sales-could-grow/

What samsung should be doing...

The Work Inc. - City of Detroit "X Games Detroit Bid Trailer"

Title: X Games Detroit Bid Trailer
Client: City of Detroit
Agency: The Work Inc

The Brief
If you are unfamiliar with the x games, then just imagine it as the Olympics for people who can do the most daring and most exhilarating tricks on skateboards, rollerblades, and bikes. Not only is this an event that is sure to raise some hairs on your neck, but also it is a huge economic revenue stream that claims to have over 35.4 million attendees turning up for the event yearly1. The city of Detroit has been in desperate need of new ways to show its livelihood since its slump into poverty has skyrocketed the city's crime rate. Detroit wants the X games bid for two major reasons. One is because the X games brings a large population and enough attention that could attract new business boosting the economy, and the second is because the town wants a better reputation than being a place empty of excitement.

The Insight: A misunderstood athlete creates his/her own dream   

Explanation
I was once told that if you can't compete with what others have, then find something that the competitors can't do (ie Verizon vs Tmobile). This is exactly what Detroit has to offer. Detroit is a city that is made almost entirely out of abandoned warehouses and concrete jungles that resemble something of an apocalyptic landscape, which almost all x games sports crave when looking for creative ways to preform. In street sports,  athletes dream about what you can do with the given terrain and how you can use it to achieve daring results. By portraying this endless creative possibility, the audience is captivated by seeing themselves as the creators, in which making the event strongly tied to the idea of X games brand. The Work Inc uses Detroit's run down industrial city as a point of creativity to the X game sports making it almost seem like a city that was built by these people. The X games may be only 17 years running so far, but the impact of the sport still inspires people to believe in the unbelievable.

Kinda makes me want to take up skateboarding again!


ENJOY

Reference
1: http://sports.yahoo.com/top/news?slug=ycn-8591851

Fallon Worldwide - H&R Block "Second Look"

Title: Bring it on Turbotax
Client: H&R Block
Agency: Fallon Worldwide

The Brief
Tax season is never a pretty thing, in fact, it is downright ugly! While most people are slaving away filling in countless signature boxes and claiming dependents, there has been little movement in actually making the long drawn out process better. So what does that leave us with? Customer service. H&R block is a national tax preparation service focused on providing easy, accessible service that takes the pain out of tax preparation. With the promotion of "Second Look" service, H&R wants to show is that they are on your side and that they want provide you the best customer service to get the money that you deserve.

The Insight: Taxes are as personal as your service should be

Explanation
Tax preparation brands have a lot in common, which makes it hard to tell the difference between them. As a company that focuses on customer service, the driving marketing tool is to understand who the customer is and what better way than to emphasis on personal experience. By starting the conversation with accounts of employees, H&R invites personality into their doors as well as a communal area to share stories and service. Personal sharing is what builds rapport and rapport builds sales.

The Richards Group - RAM "Farmer"

Title: "Farmer"
Client: RAM
Agency: The Richards Group

The Brief
Paul Harvey, the ABC American broadcaster idealizes the life of a farmer in a poetic speech to the nation with this superbowl spot. With profound imagery and a divine perspective, the narration leads us through the journey of answering why we admire and need our American farming culture.

RAM has always had an association with becoming close to the rural American way of life, but it also wants to make sure that the future generations of farmers are not lost to other ideals. As a reminder, RAM wants to create a connection with the FFA (Future Farmers of America) to show that the brand will align with American growing youth.

The Insight: Farming is an admired practice 

Explanation
After every time I have watched this spot, I was left with a sense of undeserved pride for what I do as a career. The fact remains that farming is a tough, tough, tough job and most people watching this commercial have never seen a farmer or let alone ever been on a farm. Since the obvious target of this commercial was the younger generations, RAM wants to align their products with the same sense of integrity and pride in order to keep their image honest and pure.

It is an inspiring spot. 

Zoosk - Heart Friend

Title: "Heart Friend"
Client: ZOOSK
Agency: Camp + King

Brief
It's Friday, you are sitting in your Crate and Barrel inspired living room and you have the urge to go into town in order to fall helplessly in love with some random stranger. But wait, you are not that kind of Carrie Bradshaw that you really think you are. So you are a little stuck on plans.

Secretly beside you, your gruff and pushy heart keeps telling you that there millions of possibilites to meet people in the world. Only problem is that the one possibility escaping you is the obvious Zoosk online dating tool that has been constantly popping up in your facebook feed. Your heart finally gets the best of you with some tainted humor and gets you to sign in and book the date. Now your life can be complete again.

The Insight: Sometimes your heart knows whats best for you 

Explanation
Since the client's idea of themselves is that they want to be seen as the "romantic" dating network, having someone on your side is something very useful romantically. By making the companion a heart rather than a person, the analogy stands clearer and therefor gives almost a storybook situation for grown-ups. This insight can lead down multiple roads but the end creative for making it playful with a lot of humor is more in line with how the brand sees itself.

I get the feeling that this also has taken a lot from Avenue Q

BBDO New York - Monster "Pinocchio"

Title: Pinocchio
Client: Monster
Agency: BBDO New York

Brief
BBDO New York has created a new advertisement for their client Monster named "Pinocchio" taking the old italian fable to the modern century. This spot was only played in the U.K.

You walk into work as you have every week of your life hoping that things will be different. The water cooler greets you as you head to another meeting filled with mindless pie charts and friendly banter that only you can smile and nod about. The same holiday parties, the same guy yelling into his phone annoying everyone at the office, and proverbial elevator doors shutting on any sight of the future getting brighter.

As you walk out of the office after everyone is gone, another day begins and your stereotypical boss gives you a firm reminder that last 5 years of service have been commemorated by a pen and a good firm talk about your pathetic reports you spent hours researching.

The Insight: Finding the right job is better than lying to yourself about it.

Explanation
The insight is a play off of the pinocchio paradox where the growth of the nose acts as a representation to pinocchio's moral character. The parallel to Monster is that Monster acts as the savior in this piece creating a way out of "Office Space" predicament where Peter, Michael, and Samir are working in the most unhappy of positions.

The thing about this insight is that it must be balanced not to make it too much about Monster, but at the same time not too much about relating to the severity of the situation. If you are giving an insight, you must really know what the emotional feel is rather the logical. Creatives want to be inspired by movement rather than the stagnant.

All that's left is for a paper jam to happen.