Supersized Copy

Here’s a cute, classic way to get people to actually read your copy. Even if they don’t read straight through the copy, they’re bound to skip around and pick up on one of the lines thanks to the smart formatting. Completely in line with McDonald’s existing strategy, this campaign shows the features of their products with clean and simple presentation.

The campaign works as a complete set, with each individual product changing the format of the ad slightly. My favorite is the chicken because they use the Styrofoam packaging that we’re used to as the background for the CV. We might have preconceived misconceptions about how their chicken is transported and delivered, but this relates it to the everyday fresh chicken that we know and love.

Seeing the positive in the negative

Here's an interesting, simply beautiful, and diverse campaign for IBM by Ogilvy. It's got a brilliant message that couldn't have been promoted any simpler. All of the ads are tied together by highlighting the verb in each headline, keeping the shapes big and bold, and juxtaposing two images together. The visuals are clean and witty, some more successfully presented than others:

My favorite is based on education and uses negative space perfectly.

 Others are a bit of a stretch for me; this one is downright creepy:

One last one worth mentioning is the brilliant placement of the hands in this ad promoting IBM technology in a Germain retail store. The headline is right there in the visual, but not too in-your-face.

Somehow, as inspiring as these were for me, I couldn't help but see that last one and think "In soviet Russia, tie picks you!". I guess these were meant for an older demographic, but I can't help but appreciate them!

WWF sends a deadly message

Too many non-profit organization ads play it cool, but don't leave a lingering message. It's a great promotional step to place a logo on shirts and accessories, but there is so much more potential for promoting awareness.

WWF has done a really great job combining slick design and viral marketing in their interactive campaign promoting the protection of the Siberian Tiger. Finally, a t-shirt with two purposes: to look great and send a message.

Shirts were created with a special tiger design. They were then placed in various shops around Moscow next to specially designed mirrors. When an individual stepped in front of the mirror, the image on the shirt was recognized, and triggered (no pun intended) footage that made the wearer look like they were being shot.

The technology was taken a step further with the online content, which provided the same augmented reality experience through the individual's webcam. Because of the online and in-store shirt distribution, over 200,000 people were affected by the campaign.

We're a narcissistic society. We are constantly looking at ourselves, and happy to show of a company logo if their product fits in our wardrobe - so why not appeal to that nature and hit us when we least expect it.