Although we haven't been fortunate enough to see more than a few scattered days of sunlight here in Boston, I'm told it's technically spring.
In addition to rain, April also brought us some stunning new creative work from agencies around the word. Our monthly ad round-up features a German-produced animated short, a delightful Danish beer ad, and a clever insurance spot from Japan starring a rugby team from New Zealand.
Did you miss any of these ads from April? Scroll down to check them out, and get inspired to tackle your next big project.
10 of the Best Ads from April
1) AIG Japan
New Zealand's national rugby union team, the All Blacks, hit the pedestrian-heavy streets of Toyko in this unexpectedly charming spot for AIG Japan. The three-minute ad opens with the uniform-clad players tackling seemingly random (and reasonably stunned) Tokyo residents -- but things quickly take a heartwarming turn.
About half-way through the TBWA\Hakuhodo-produced video, it becomes apparent that the All Blacks were actually saving people from unpredictable disasters -- a car running a red light, a pile of debris falling from a construction site, and a sudden laptop fire.
"[The ad] was an arresting way to show our fantastic relationship with the All Blacks, demonstrate the idea of risk prevention, and create a strong connection to the Japanese audience," said Matthew Walker, AIG Japan's senior vice president and regional chief marketing officer.
2) Carlsberg
Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen ponders the secret source of his home country's enviable happiness in Carlsberg's latest UK campaign. Produced by London-based agency Fold7, the ad follows Mikklesen as he peddles his way through Copenhagen, magically passing through hedges, into stylish, minimal apartments, and over a rustic table set for a hyggelig gathering.
His tour ends (where else?) at a Carlsberg brewery, where Mikklesen enjoys a cold Carlsberg pilsner and decides that this is the real secret of Danish happiness ... probably.
3) Student Flights
If you're young, you better enjoy traveling while you can -- before you become an uncool, perpetually exhausted parent. That's the message of this spot for Student Flights, a company that specializes in travel deals for the university set.
To really drive that message home, Johannesburg-based agency TBWA\Hunt Lascaris convinced a hip millennial to carry around a wailing, pooping "Babybot" for a few days at a music festival. The poor guy in question, Loyiso Madinga, is promised a free trip to New York if he can survive a weekend with Babybot unscathed. His initial assessment of the challenge? "How hard could this be ... right?"
As expected, having a baby at a music festival isn't super fun -- even if that baby is Wifi-enabled and made of metal.
4) Netto
Ever wonder where the Easter Bunny came from? European supermarket chain Netto teamed up with German agency Jung von Matt and production house Mill+ to share their whimsical imagining of the egg-laying rabbit's origins (Hint: it starts with a hen and a rabbit meeting each other at a night club.)
Set to a innocent, heart-wrenching rendition of "Beautiful, Always," the animated short packs a surprisingly poignant punch. It's sure to make even the coldest little hearts grow three sizes.
5) The New York Times
Oscar-nominated director Darren Aronofsky (of Requiem for a Dream and Black Swan fame) lends his talents to this Droga5-produced spot for The New York Times. The stark, one-minute ad series is part of the Grey Lady's first brand-focused ad campaign in a decade.
Aronofsky met with several New York Times photojournalists, asking them to recount their experiences covering some of the most impactful stories from recent years. As the photojournalists discuss their fieldwork and motivations, images from the trips in question flash across the screen.
6) Unilever
Pricey, trendy beauty products aren't necessarily worth the hype, according to Unilever's latest marketing stunt. Vice's digital agency Carrot invited a group of real beauty influencers to try a fake new shampoo: Evaus (Spoiler alert: that's just discount hair care brand Suave spelled backwards).
Packaged in a sleek, minimal bottle, Evaus products were a big hit with the influencers, who raved about how shiny and soft their hair felt after 10 days of using the line. When producers reveal that the "startup" hair care brand is really just $3 Suave shampoo poured into fancy schmancy bottles, the influencers are shocked -- and then seemingly delighted at the great value.
"We found seven of 10 women think higher-priced brands are more trustworthy," Jen Bremner, Unilever marketing director explained to AdAge. "That really was the inspiration. We wanted to peel back the labels and convert the skeptics."
7) Entourage
To promote Entourage, a French app aimed at reconnecting neighborhoods with their homeless populations, TBWA\Paris decided to take an unconventional, offline approach to viral marketing: writing directly on banknotes.
The agency asked homeless community members to pen short messages directly on paper bills. Each hand-written note reveals something that homeless people wish everyone else knew. Take this example from the case study video below: "For me, Pierrot, homeless for 19 years, this bill has a lot of value, but not as much as a hello."
The hope is that the simple messages with encourage Parisians to download the Entourage app, which helps people offer support and make social connections with homeless folks in their neighborhood.
8) SubHub
When the inevitable robot apocalypse finally spells fatal disaster for the human race, won't you wish you shelled out to see that Sia concert?
Goodby Silverstein & Partners produced this cinematic, YOLO-fueled spot for StubHub, encouraging you to buy those concert tickets "before it's too late." The ad balances sleek, action-movie pacing with an unexpected, hilarious ending.
9) Pedigree
BBDO New York resurrected a little-known story from the Revolutionary War to promote Pedigree's "Feed the Good" campaign.
In 1777, General George Washington and his troops were in the midst of a battle against British Forces Commander-in-Chief William Howe when one of Washington's men discovered Howe's dog wandering lost near the American camp. Instead of harming the lost pup (as some of Washington's men reportedly suggested), Washington benevolently returned the dog to Howe with a kind note. The true story reflects Pedigree's belief that dogs bring out the best of us.
10) Hewlett Packard Enterprise
Here's one for the IT guy or gal in your office.
In this playful Publicis New York-produced ad for Hewlett Packard Enterprise, a sad, bobble-head IT employee named Brian is forced to deny his colleagues' earnest requests due to inadequate legacy technology. That is, until his office gets Hewlett Packard Enterprise -- at which point Brian transforms Pinocchio-style from a plastic bobble head doll into a guy who can finally say "yes."
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