Summer is the time to get creative, colourful, and kooky. This month brands have ventured into witty and wonderful narratives and visuals, with quirky expressions of their brand values.
This summer, the aim of marketing is to promote memorable, emotionally connected, optimistic campaigns. Though our long, lovely summer may draw to an end soon, the marketing gurus are still focused on bringing positivity and inspiration to our screens (TVs, tablets, phones and otherwise…).
There’s a shift in the property market this summer, people are itching for somewhere new to call home.
Zoopla’s latest campaign ‘Just Ask Zoopla’ is addressing the shortage of property evaluation and suppliers, amidst the demand for high-quality property to buy or rent.
Zoopla is planting the seed for people to get their properties valued, during this turbulent time in the property market. Zoopla understands the growing need that homeowners feel for getting value for money amidst growing concern for a property market crash.
‘Just Ask Zoopla’ encourages people to do valuations, get selling, to look at stock in a different way, it creatively addresses the challenges of property searching right now – it is perhaps a response to the more witty creative actions of relative newcomer “Boomin”.
It works so well because of the tie-in with British awkwardness and humour – poking fun at would be customers/homeowners with its hilariously cringe approach.
Property valuations may not be the most exciting topic to market, yet Zoopla have cleverly intertwined our deep rooted social anxieties and “keeping up with the Jones’ need to know what our neighbours’ homes are worth without having to speak to our neighbours about money, too (because heaven forbid!).
By encouraging people to use the site to see what neighbouring properties are worth, people will naturally be inclined to think personally and ask, ‘what is my home worth?’.
The campaign’s witty and dry nature, presented well through its TV spots and out of home placements, captures the recognisable pain of asking something a little too personal, in a less than private setting.
Slightly bewildering, highly intriguing, and completely entertaining. And, unsurprisingly from Wild, incredibly informative, and thought-provoking.
Wild’s latest advert for their sustainable deodorant focuses on a highly satirical, perversely hilarious take on environmentalism, subverting the usual take on guilt-tripping environmental adverts.
Whilst the advert is running on TV and social media channels, the majority of impressions could be found on YouTube. YouTube has drastically changed over the past decade, from it’s creation in 2005 the world’s second biggest search is now home to millions of advertisers all vying for their spot in front of audiences. It’s no wonder with extensive customization and audience tools that content creators and advertisers alike are opting for a more engaging search engine to garner fans and of course launch products.
With many long-form adverts are overlooked and normally skipped on YouTube, so it feels risky for this particular campaign to choose to run on the site. But like all good ads, this one included, the best ones, will always be those that stand out from the crowd.
With Wild’s campaign, could it mean the return to longer and more engaging advertisement narratives?
What is so special about this campaign is its fearless and unashamed ‘sex sells’ approach to marketing not just its product, but Wild’s brand values. From the strange human/animal relationship – a taxidermy polar bear no less, to its pink, sensual, strange setting, this advert is a feast for the eyes and a treat to the funny bone.
Advertisement musing aside, the marketing works due to its ‘shareability’ and talking points.
The ‘Dirty Talk’ narrative compels audiences by its absurdness, its depravity and then, just as your intrigue peaks, it cleverly promotes its environmentally-conscious values.
In an ode to art and invention, the latest Haagen-Dazs advert pokes fun in homage to classical artists’ sculptures.
While marking their products as ‘Masterpieces’, Haagen-Dazs understands how to present luxury and excellence, all without having to explicitly say anything.
Haagen-Dazs is notoriously feigned as a more expensive, higher quality treat, rather than your average ice cream. It’s an experience.
‘The Masterpiece of Masterpieces’ is short, vibrant, and punchy. All without dialogue. So how does it convey its message?
Through an audience’s predetermined understanding of what amounts to a Masterpiece, we recognise the link between great sculptors, priceless art, and that artistic quality which cannot be recreated.
The not-so-subtle hint at a Colosseum-type building in the background of the scene surely incites images of the Great Roman Empire or the Masterpieces from the Renaissance age.
‘Masterpiece of Masterpieces’ is a simple campaign, that proves a brand like Haagen-Dazs needn’t fight for its place at the top. Haagen-Dazs know their place in the cultural zeitgeist, and confidently place themselves amongst artistic big leagues.
Are they too overconfident? Or is Haagen-Dazs truly the Masterpiece of Masterpieces?
It’s been a long, hot summer… Or at least the sporadic heatwaves helped make it feel as such.
Whilst for most, it meant sweating on the commute, sticky armpits, and rosy cheeks, for some it genuinely meant imminent danger, due to the dangerously hot and dry weather.
For those born with a lighter complexion and a rarer, more vibrant hair colour, the heatwave could have meant severe skin burning or damage, and nobody needs that.
Showcase, the cinema chain, offered free tickets for redheads over the heatwave, churning memes, mockery and mainly a (harmlessly) wobbly attempt at humour and empathy.
This campaign aimed to provide a service of protection and banter, knowing that nowhere is as desirable in the hot weather in those always slightly too cold cinemas, with a Tango ice blast and some sweets.
So, was this summer marketing campaign a success?
It was certainly spoken about in mass, the company certainly received tonnes of free marketing due to social media’s hot takes on it.
Showcase also promoted other discounts and campaigns, as a piggyback off of its ‘SPF’ movement. By using this current promotion to give life back to old ones, or at least promote their regular offers, it is a clever way to reach as many audiences as possible.
On a final note, it’s so important to keep safe during these increasingly dangerous weather spats, but it’s equally important to watch out for offers at the cinema and keep an eye out for cinema promotions this summer.
Because have you seen ticket prices these days?
We’ve shared our picks of marketing successes in DGT Loves August, but what have you been loving this month?
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Posted by Luke on Monday 22nd August 2022
