3, 3, and 3: Part 1

To begin with, I would like to highlight 3 spots that advertise a product in a responsible manner. This first commercial for Heineken by Wieden + Kennedy out of their Portland office is one of my absolute favorites. It combines humor with a cool, trendy hipness to promote a positive and effective message: Don't Drive Drunk. "Let a stranger drive you home," the ad states: a valuable message aimed at the cool, trendy crowd of Heineken drinkers the commercial targets.

Next on the list for spots that advertise a product in a responsible way is an ad for Liberty Mutual by Hill Holiday in Boston. This 'warm and fuzzy' ad delivers a powerful "pay it forward" type of message that lends credit to both the insurance agency and the human race as a whole. It speaks to the power of one good action and the resulting cycle of good actions, and it falls in line perfectly with the Liberty Mutual "Good Deeds" campaign it belongs to.

My third spot that advertises a product responsibly is yet another piece by Wieden + Kennedy's Portland location, this time for Coca-Cola. It piggybacks on the controversy revolving around the Grand Theft Auto video game series and its violent content by turning the main character into an iconic "good guy" personality. Add that to the soundtrack "You Give a Little Love" from Bugsy Malone and you've got a pretty powerful television spot. While assuming that sharing a Coke is equivalent to sharing love is certainly a lofty claim, the commercial gracefully pushes a positive message across while making Coca-Cola look great as well.

Advertising Literacy Assignment 1: 5 "Artful" Ads

So this will be my first post here and I'd like to start things off with one of the most beautifully artistic ads out there. It's done by Wieden + Kennedy out of their London office and you've probably seen it at one time or another as it's shown up on countless video sites. It's their Rube Goldberg-esque spot composed entirely out of Honda parts that speaks perfectly to the versatility, synchronicity, and sleekness of Honda's automobiles. This is a true example of advertising as an art form because every piece comes together in a beautiful harmony that makes you forget it took over 600 takes for this to work.

Next up I'd like to mention a fantastic commercial for Visa by TBWA/Chiat/Day out of Los Angeles. While there are countless spots out there involving the fluidity and liquidity of water, none do it so well as this one. There is a flow the the commercial that truly captivates and lends "credit" *pun* to the ad being artful in its very nature. As you'll see throughout the rest of these ads, music can play a large role in how a television spot can flow artistically. It can make or break the commercial. I genuinely believe this is one of the most compelling ads on television today. In addition, I love the message it carries. It sure makes me want to do something fun with my Visa Debit Card.

For my third advertisement I'd like to post a series of print ads done by Saatchi and Saatchi out of New York for Ultra Tide Stain Remover. While these fascinating and original pieces could easily appear in an art gallery, what makes them truly interesting is that upon a closer look what was originally a carpet becomes individual people all closing in on a smaller group. While it emphasizes the power of the stain remover, it also shocks by way of illusion, an effective artistic tool when it comes to print ads.

Fourth is a beautifully crafted ad by JWT New York for De Beers, quite possibly my favorite De Beers television spot out there. Two dandelion seeds do a romantic dance as they flow across a landscape filled with breathtaking images including spiderwebs, water droplets, and waves. While a tad cliche, as all De Beers ads tend to be, the commercial highlights a key element of advertising as art: flow. All of these ads thus far display an absolute mastery of the art of fluidity. This ad epitomizes it. I love the part where one seed gets stuck, however mushy and sappy it might be.

Finally, I'd like to present one of my favorite campaigns of all time, the "Go Forth" Levi's campaign by Wieden + Kennedy's Portland office. These spots are flawless in my opinion, absolutely beautiful. Between the use of Walt Whitman's poem and strategic filming, the vivid and powerful images come to life to present a strong message: go forth and live your life in America, the land of freedom and unity. Dress how you want and express yourself. Express your soul through our denim.