A campaign should do more than spread a message; it should reflect the wider business, cultural tone of voice and who the brand wants to be. In Q3 of 2021, there have been numerous campaigns which aimed to draw attention, some were subtle and some were more thought-provoking. Below are the ones that caught our attention and made an impact.
Following the release of Ford’s new blue ‘Ranger Raptor’, the brand came face-to-face with homophobia on Twitter. A user suggested that the blue colour was ‘gay’ and instead, pushed for the paint to be ‘black or gold or camo’. Ford reacted by turning the tables, and instead of holding back in response, they stood in solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community.
They shared a tongue-in-cheek video of the Raptor painted in glittery gold alongside the Pride flag, with the caption ‘Very Gay was a compliment right?’. They then took it a step further and made the digital version a reality, creating a ‘real-life’ #VeryGayRaptor.
This video campaign shifted the narrative around people with disabilities from one in which they are often subject to stereotypes to one in which they are celebrated and ultimately empowered. The video was the first stage in a 10-year long global campaign that aims to create true inclusivity in the world of sport for disabled people.
If Reels, Stories and Snapchats weren’t providing us with enough snappy videos, we recently welcomed YouTube Shorts. YouTube is now fighting in the ring with TikTok’s core demographic. But is this just a ploy to stay relevant? Following Twitter and LinkedIn’s announcement that they were abandoning their “stories” after short stints in the market, there was always a question of fit. But with YouTube there’s no doubt their 2.3 billion monthly active users are thirsty for new video content.
A multi-media advertising campaign giving solutions for consumers to begin their carbon-neutral journey, simplifying the commonly used jargon associated with sustainability into easily digestible, short-form videos. The three 30-second films all include the popular song DJ Snake, Turn Down For What highlighting simple solutions to live a more sustainable life.
32% of consumers are highly engaged with adopting a more sustainable lifestyle but the large majority of Brits (84%) expect brands to be part of the solution. British Gas have hit the nail on the head by simplifying day-to-day activities, overlaying with an earworm (look it up) “Turn Down for What”.