Best Ads of 2022 You Probably Didn't See.
Per usual, it's a short list.
And it’s short, not because I’m lazy; I see virtually every damn ad every damn year. It’s short because Advertising Creativity is in very serious trouble. And I’m not crying wolf. More on that development soon.
Five ads, in no particular order.
1. IRN-BRU (UK)
The soft drink—which tastes like several things—has put out some pretty good ads over the years through their ad agency Leith. They released two in 2022, this is the better one. (Here’s the other, which features the overused “mob” linchpin. It’s still funny, worth a watch.)
The casting of the “ginger” boy is perfect branding (nit, should’ve had an orange bow tie and pocket square). You kinda know what’s coming, but it’s still an unexpected ending—”Get your dancing shoes doll-face”—nice writing.
2. O’select cat litter (Canada)
This is how you sell cat litter in 15 fucking seconds. (Yes, I’m a cat man, also a dog man, animal man, nature man, planet man, etc.)
Ad agency: Quebec City’s Lg2, one of the best creative agencies in the world. See: this great insane 2019 spot for Milk Producers of Québec, the best cheese ad I’ve ever seen.
3. Milliways Super Natural Gum (UK)
“Purpose” advertising is almost always bullshit because the purpose of purpose advertising is never the purpose. (get me?).
But this video for Milliways manages to “seamlessly integrate” (that’s for you marketing dweebs) the so-called purpose—conventional gum contains plastic—into a very entertaining short video, the purpose of which is to SELL Milliways Gum. Driven by a most-excellent host, “Felicity Plasticity”, and a most-excellent script, the sprightly spot doesn’t waste our precious time.
Gum does contains plastic, as much as a plastic straw (yikes). Agency: Analogue.
Addendum: Volvo, in 2021, showed the industry how to properly and crackingly do purpose advertising with their “Ultimate Safety Test” video.
4. Peas Of Heaven (Sweden)
I said back in June that this might end up being the best ad of 2022. It did not (see: next ad).
Nice details in the spot: burger and hot dog sliding into floating man’s pockets; pan flute; dancing around the tree ending. Good, fun execution to sell plant-based food. Ad agency: Forsman & Bodenfors, Göteborg, also one of the best creative agencies in the world right now.
5. KFC—KFC Cinema (France)
Yes, this is my best ad of 2022.
The commercial was made to celebrate the reopening of cinemas in Europe. That was the brief. The brilliance here is how the creatives smartly co-sold cinemas and KFC chicken. The Foley Artist is real, but the crunch sounds…I approve the creative license used here. Ad agency: Havas, Paris.
