In our commercialized lives, brands are playing an increasingly large role. And what fascinates me is the ability in advertisements these days to elicit that connection that we all have with a brand and the emotions that come with it. With all of the troubling news stories these days: ISIS beheadings, police brutality, the crippling effect Ebola is having on countries in West Africa, I would like to take the time to remember things that connect us as humans. I believe that while the commercialization of life has largely been seen as a negative thing (e,g, materialistic, shallow, etc), the way advertisements have been able to remind us of our humanity is quite inspiring. So without further ado:
1. Extra - "Origami"
Everyone has played around with those gum wrappers at some point in their lives. This commercial isn't overtly selling a product. Instead it reminds us of how these wrappers have been there through the different stages of our lives - albeit not as centrally as it is shown in the ad.
2. Olympics P&G - "Thank You, Mom"
Just in time for the Olympics, P&G released an advertising campaign reminding us that behind every great athlete there is a mother, working hard to raise their child and support their passion. Everyone has a mother, and in this advertisement P&G brings it down to that personal level, reminding every individual how their mother has supported them throughout their childhood.
3. Pamper's Japan: Mom's 1st Birthday
In a similar way, Pamper's Japan reminds us that a child's 1st Birthday is as much about the mother as it is about the child. In this campaign, Pamper's Japan followed mothers as they went in to their child's first check-up. All the while, their husbands- the fathers - set up a display celebrating the work their wives put in to their child's first year.
4. Dove's "Real Beauty Sketches"
A part of Dove's Real Beauty campaign, Dove hires a forensic artist to sketch photos of women purely on the description they give on their own features. The women are then asked to describe one another. The ad touches upon that age old saying that "we are our biggest critics". One of the most remarkable things about Dove's Real Beauty campaign is its ability- especially in this ad- to contrast our perceptions of our own features with the perceptions of how we actually are - beautiful.
While ads have been criticized for their pervasive and enabling nature, these ads reveal another aspect of advertising that celebrates humanity, and reminds us of our own. Amidst all the turmoil going on in the world, or in our own lives, it is the little things like a 2-minute emotional appeal in an advertisement that, to me at least, counteracts in some small way that negativity.
2. Olympics P&G - "Thank You, Mom"
Just in time for the Olympics, P&G released an advertising campaign reminding us that behind every great athlete there is a mother, working hard to raise their child and support their passion. Everyone has a mother, and in this advertisement P&G brings it down to that personal level, reminding every individual how their mother has supported them throughout their childhood.
3. Pamper's Japan: Mom's 1st Birthday
In a similar way, Pamper's Japan reminds us that a child's 1st Birthday is as much about the mother as it is about the child. In this campaign, Pamper's Japan followed mothers as they went in to their child's first check-up. All the while, their husbands- the fathers - set up a display celebrating the work their wives put in to their child's first year.
4. Dove's "Real Beauty Sketches"
A part of Dove's Real Beauty campaign, Dove hires a forensic artist to sketch photos of women purely on the description they give on their own features. The women are then asked to describe one another. The ad touches upon that age old saying that "we are our biggest critics". One of the most remarkable things about Dove's Real Beauty campaign is its ability- especially in this ad- to contrast our perceptions of our own features with the perceptions of how we actually are - beautiful.
While ads have been criticized for their pervasive and enabling nature, these ads reveal another aspect of advertising that celebrates humanity, and reminds us of our own. Amidst all the turmoil going on in the world, or in our own lives, it is the little things like a 2-minute emotional appeal in an advertisement that, to me at least, counteracts in some small way that negativity.
