It was a big week for brands leaning into humor and absurdity. Mr. Clean got a glow-up, Uber Eats sent Ernie from Sesame Street spiraling over a pile of literal bees, and Chupa Chups announced a more user-friendly wrapper by making the least user-friendly object imaginable.
Not every campaign went for laughs, though. NPR made a confident case for curiosity in the middle of a funding crisis, and Heineken made a documentary about an Irish village fighting to save its local pub.
Plus, our Most Effective Ad of the Week, in partnership with EDO, turns to basketball to tout a great deal.
Here are our picks for the best ads of the week.
Merrell | “It Starts Outside” by Uncommon Creative Studio
Merrell, the footwear brand known for its hiking boots, wants to democratize the outdoors with the first global brand platform in its 45-year history. “It Starts Outside” is based on a simple premise: Even one step outside can open the door to possibilities.
NPR | “For Your Right to be Curious” by Mischief @ No Fixed Address
After a tumultuous year in which NPR found itself at the center of a political firestorm and saw Congress cut $1.1 billion in funding for public media, the broadcaster’s national campaign defends the public’s right to stay curious. The work replaces the letters of its name with the questions “how,” “who,” and “why.” This is the first time in NPR’s 56-year history that it has altered its logo.
