Influencer head Joe Ellyatt picks his (location-based) Desert Island Ads
In a time where AI-generated visuals are everywhere, and brands can fake just about anything, I really appreciate campaigns that still get out into the world and do it properly. There’s something irreplaceable about a real location — the sights, the light, the people — and the impact that has on storytelling and authenticity.
My ads all show how a well-chosen location can elevate creative. Whether it’s somewhere completely unexpected like the Saudi desert, or a fresh perspective on a place we think we already know — these are the kinds of campaigns that make you stop and feel something.
And as more brands start experimenting with new territories, especially for travel and luxury, it feels like we’re only scratching the surface of what’s possible.
Desert Island Ads
Burberry – “London in Love.”
I’ve made London my home, and there’s something about this ad that captures exactly why I love it. Burberry leans into its roots — trench coats, grey skies, a bit of understated romance — and nails it. It’s packed with icons (Naomi Campbell, Kate Winslet, Jodie Turner-Smith, Richard E. Grant…) but it doesn’t feel forced. It’s a celebration of the city: rainy park benches, greasy spoons, classic cabs. Somehow it captures both the chaos and charm of London life. This is Burberry advertising at its very best, bringing its British heritage to the fore.
Visit Oslo
This might be the driest, most self-aware tourism ad I’ve ever seen — and I love it for that. The narrator (actor, Bendik Aunan, who is also a basketball player) casually slags off his own city (“I wouldn’t come here, to be honest”………“Is it even a city?”), while casually dropping in everything that actually makes Oslo great: outdoor swimming, walkability, and no queues for world-class art (….we spot Munch’s The Scream casually dropped in the background!).
It’s sarcastic, weird, and exactly the kind of disruption that tourism marketing needs more of. It confidently under-sells itself, which ironically makes you want to go. Not surprisingly the campaign went viral clocking up more than 20 million views and counting.
Aldo Kane – Bremont UAE – Take it Further
This is what a great brand partnership looks like. You’ve got Aldo Kane — ex-Royal Marines Commando, world record-breaking adventurer — taking on the UAE desert on his all-terrain bike in a way that feels completely authentic. It’s gritty, cinematic, and the visuals mirror the bronze tones of the rugged Bremont watch perfectly.
No gimmicks, just someone who’s actually lived the lifestyle reflecting the product’s values. This is the kind of influencer casting that gets it right.
Penhaligons AlUla Fragrance
Luxury fragrances and exotic locations go hand in hand. Penhaligon’s AlUla, named after the Saudi UNESCO world heritage site, takes its audience to the mesmerising desert location that inspired the perfume, with its canyons and sandstone cliffs, wind-carved rock formations and pinnacles
This influencer campaign is a perfect example of what happens when storytelling meets cultural respect. AlUla is visually stunning, but the deeper magic comes from the way the fragrance is brought to life through the historical context, the spice routes story that influenced perfumer Fanny Bal, and voices of local creators. Thirty influencers, one desert, and a genuinely moving way to connect people to a luxury product.
The Ritz Carlton Collab with Late Checkout
This came out of nowhere for me. The Ritz isn’t usually a brand I’d expect to go playful, but their collaboration with Madrid-based fashion brand Late Checkout is surreal, stylish, and genuinely funny; think Wes Anderson meets travel ad.
The short film format, the storytelling, the hotel-as-character vibe — it all works. It’s a clever way of merging fashion, travel, and experience without taking itself too seriously.
Filmed in the Ritz Carlton Hong Kong, we get a tour of the hotel facilities (including a quick peek at the highest swimming pool in the world) and a sense of what it’s like to be a pampered guest. Hong Kong Harbour and the city’s skyline provide a thrilling backdrop and we even get to see the Late Checkout clothing items worked seamlessly and hilariously into the narrative.
Puma. Go Wild
Yes, full disclosure – Puma is a client. But even if they weren’t, this would still be in here. It’s got pace, great energy, and the message is spot on: it doesn’t matter where you run — the feeling’s the same. The ad moves from Cape Town’s urban grit to mountain-top highs and captures that everyday beauty.
Cape Town’s my favourite place in the world, so maybe I’m biased, but this is a campaign that knows how to blend inspiration with real-world accessibility.
Joe Ellyatt is a co-founder of social/influencer agency Komodo.
