When it comes to advertising, the best campaigns are built on truth. Not the kind you need to dig for, but the kind that’s staring us in the face – from a very human insight to a bold challenge to the status quo. From a Mercedes ad that puts the spotlight on a chicken to a Twitter bot that calls out corporate hypocrisy, my ‘Desert Island Ads’ showcase the transformative power of insight paired with innovative execution.
Each pick showcases an ability to turn authenticity into creativity—and creativity into something, ultimately, unforgettable.
Desert Island Ads
Mercedes ‘Chicken’
Probably my all-time favourite. There’s so much to unpack in this ad, despite it being one of the simplest out there. Firstly, Mercedes did a pretty bold thing choosing to create an ad about the product benefits of a car, without even showing it. Genius. Then we have the crux of it – finding a visual representation of what the V8’s Magic Body Control looks like, in a playful, light way that connects with consumers. A great, creative execution of a product truth. And finally, being a massive fan of disco, this ad’s use of a Diana Ross classic had me in the first few beats, not to mention it works too perfectly with the body control product messaging. All in all, this ad might be 10 years old but I believe it would still have the same impact as it did back then, if not more, with hopefully some more chicken-inspired social content to extend the storytelling.
@PayGapApp
Okay, so this one isn’t technically an ad, but the @PayGapApp needs to be included if we are talking about truths. Working closely with social media over many years, we’ve all seen and shared the best and worst of it. But there aren’t many times in the social calendar that are more scrutinised than key political or social milestones, where we see many brands fall short of what’s expected. Classed as the ‘antidote to social awareness campaigns on International Women’s Day’, the @PayGapApp bot was created to ultimately embarrass companies with their own pay gap data, reminding them, and the world, that vague messages of empowerment are not good enough on social. What I love about this activation is the fact the truth is so pure and bespoke to each company. It tackles many important messages – honesty, inequality, accountability – with a shock-factor-inducing execution.
Xbox ‘The Everyday Tactician’
This approach to problem solving is probably up there with one of the greatest inspirations for all creative talent out there. To launch Football Manager 2024, Xbox doubled down on their product truth; the most realistic football simulator in gaming – recruiting a new tactician from its pool of gamers to lead a UK league team for real. Using the truth in data from the game itself, Nathan’s gaming skills led Bromley FC to its best season since 1892 – and it became the most played Football Manager ever. This campaign just felt so natural. Easy almost.
The fact that this campaign led Bromley FC to its best season for over 130 years was the cherry on the top. It’s also a beautiful reminder of what’s possible when there are fresh eyes, unrivalled passion and diversity at its core.
Tokyo Paralympic Games 2020 ‘Super. Human’
One of the only ads I’ve ever watched over and over again when it launched. Yes it was Channel 4, so predictably ballsy, but its boldness still blew me away, and its craft to tell the story.
I loved the way it blended self-actualisation and self-deprecation at the same time, making watchers feel a bit uneasy, almost. It was such an interesting mix of challenge, energy, reality, humour, and a great big middle finger, all at the same time. The Olympics, plus living (and excelling) with disability are two unfamiliar themes for many, so for this ad to highlight human truths as niche as they are, in the powerful way it did was genius. And to top it off, the ad has one of the best end lines in history. Bloody brilliant.
British Airways ‘A British Original’
This might be a bit bait, but I kept coming back to the simple truth here that Uncommon uncovered – different people have different reasons to travel. This opened hundreds of opportunities for BA to connect with potential flyers, the next one wittier than the last. For me, the interesting part was seeing all of these niche truths come to life across so many different outputs – hyper-relevant to a British audience. You, the reader, actually become the storyteller, forging your own scenarios and adding context to the reasons given, which is a great way to bring audiences on the journey with you through a campaign.
Honourable mentions:
I couldn’t forgive myself if I didn’t add in these bangers as honourable mentions at the end. All iconic and clever in their own ways, hitting on both consumer and industry truths.
IKEA – ‘Silence The Critics’ – A true copywriting masterpiece/ Funny, yes. Unexpected, yes. Relatable, yes. The best Christmas ad of 2019 hands down.
Nike – ‘You Can’t Stop Us’ – A masterpiece of craft and empowerment. Prepare to instantly feel good watching this, and be captivated by its artistry.
Kenzo World – One to defy all perfume ads ever (in dare we say it, a typically stagnant industry for ads) and still one of my all-time favourites. A little bit less pointed than other ads in the honourable mentions, but Margaret Qualley is an absolute icon in this and the world needs to see it once again.
BBC Sport – ‘Pressure is for tyres’ – One of the best things to come from Euros 2024. Not your classic ad campaign but this spoof remix of Alan Shearer’s commentary is epic – and definitely worth a watch if you fancy hyping yourself up all over again.
Robyn Saunders is creative director at SHARE Creative.
