Let us look at Top 14 Award Winning campaigns in Cannes Lions 2018 and what brand managers can learn from them
1) KFC-“FCK” We are Sorry
This is an excellent case study on how brand should respond in case of PR backlash.
KFC had a delivery issue in UK with a chicken supplier change on Feb 14th, having to close down most of its outlets. This Lead to huge backlash on the ground.
But brand came out of the situation with a print ad mixed with humour which said
FCK –We are sorry
“A chicken restaurant without any chicken. It’s not ideal,” the statement continued before apologising to inconvenienced customers and thanked KFC employees. “It’s been a hell of a week, but we’re making progress.”
Also it pointed customer to a new website to find out the status of local restaurants. The header of the site read, “The chicken crossed the road, just not to our restaurants.”
Learning:-For brands at crisis situations, the best approach to adopt will be to be honest about it and use subtle humour to lighten it up a bit
2) Burger King-Scary Clown Night
Burger King turned Halloween into its own personal holiday—for tricking McDonald’s.
BK launched a broader stunt, also taking aim at McDonald’s, called #ScaryClownNight. Here they welcomed people to come dressed as clowns (as Ronald McDonald himself) by giving them a free Whopper.
Come as a clown,Eat like a King
Following the “never to trust a clown’’ campaign in cinemas where it ambushed Mc D, this time it the reverse by welcoming everyone—even the costumed embodiment of its major nemesis.
Learning:-As a challenger brand, you need to be looking at opportunities to nail the market leader and use them as a reference to build market share
3) Palau Legacy Project:-
The Palau Legacy Project was an environmental campaign to build awareness of the environmental effect of mass tourism on palau island, creating a pledge that visitors need to sign within the visa stamp in their passports.
The campaign aimed to make tourists understand the legacy and protect the environment
A digital online version was been setup along with a compulsory in-flight video about the damage tourist can do to the ecosystem. Influencers like Leonardo DiCaprio, HRH Queen Noor of Jordan, political influencers such as Secretary John Kerry and conservation luminary Dr Sylvia Earle were tasked with taking this to a larger audience
Learning:-In Today’s Age where customer is bombarded with Tons of messages every day, brands should look to build campaigns that force fits with the customer way of life. Such Campaign which becomes integrated with customer habits/attitudes will ensure better uptake
4) It’s a Tide:-
Tide’s Super Bowl campaign, in partnership with Saatchi & Saatchi New York, hijacked other popular ads to make Tide Ads.
While other brands, like Old Spice and Mr. Clean, showed up throughout the game, it was all part of Tide’s master plan, because no matter which “product” was being advertised, the people singing (and dancing) its praises were wearing the cleanest and freshest clothes imaginable, leading viewers to only one conclusion: every ad is a Tide ad
Learning: -It was an excellent example of how to use humour & previous customer learnings to drive home the point of association with a key product attribute. It showed glimpses of various other famous ad campaigns to drive the point and grabbed the mindshare during this year’s superBowl
5) Tourism Australia-Dundee Superbowl Ad
Tourism Australia launched a major marketing campaign to promote the destination to US audiences with big-budget Super Bowl commercial.
The ad, which starred Tourism Australia ambassador Chris Hemsworth alongside actor Danny McBride masquerades as a trailer for a film called Dundee: The Son of a Legend Returns Home.
Learning:- To Stand out, brands needs to tell the brand story in ways which customer hasn’t heard before .The art of storytelling needs to be perfected by brand managers
6) Nike-Nothing beats a Londoner
It’s a widely acclaimed by critics and customers for its use of real kids instead of famous professional athletes.it shows the sport that takes place in London with grit and determination of those taking part in it.
People take centre stage with London in the background. The subtle use of humour and colloquial language by Nike ensures that it resonates with young city dwelling customers.
It avoids cliché about London and includes some celebrities in its 258 members seamlessly moving in.
Learning:-Celebrity campaigns seldom work nowadays. It’s time for brands to create customer centric campaigns that are totally relevant to the customer.
7) Kiwi’s Ali Print Ad:-
Kiwi’s print ad won in the inaugural award for Industry Craft at Cannes. It sells the brand through its magical copywriting delivering the brand message and showing power of craft. The ad will make you feel as if Ali is dancing in the ring
Learning:-The art of copywriting isn’t dead. It’s just that we have stopped believing what good copy can achieve.
8) Savlon healthy hands campaign:-
This year’s Creative Effectiveness Grand Prix went to ‘Savlon Healthy Hands Chalk Sticks’ by Ogilvy Mumbai for ITC’s Personal Care Brand
The information campaign in India showed how Savlon, a new entrant in the Indian FMCG hygiene space, created a positive impact on the health of school kids through an innovative behavior change idea by showing them proper hand hygiene.
The company introduced cleansers (soap) infused chalk sticks that could be used to write like normal chalks on slates but turned its powder into soap automatically upon coming in contact with water. This compelled kids to wash their hands, thereby teaching them an important lesson in handwashing
Learning:-Brands need to go beyond the regular grain of advertising and show greater purpose for greater awareness and to improve uptake.
9)Diesel:-GO with the fake
Diesel opened a bootleg store in New York’s Chinatown “ DEISEL – For Successfull Living’ selling fakes that are actually real. The pop-up, which is decked out like any other traditional hole-in-the-wall, fake-as-they-come shop space on Canal Street, is part of Diesel’s spring/summer 2018 campaign strategy, Go with the flaw. Stock comprises a series of denim, sweatshirts, caps and T-shirts, all printed with the misspelt Diesel logo, and is priced at knock-off sums
Learning:- The ‘knock-off’ price point and the fake store was an experiment to celebrate those brave enough to find their own unique style. Brands should get out of rigid guidelines and structures they imposed on themselves and look for opportunities to be the talking point
10)Body form: Blood Normal
Unremarkable in theory but boundary-pushing in practice, the 20-second film from AMV BBDO kicks off a new #Bloodnormal campaign. This campaign by BBDO enourages women to come out during periods and show it to others. It was informed by the brand’s research that showed 9 out of 10 women still attempt to hide their periods, due in part to the taboo surrounding them on in culture, in advertising and in wider society. Those responsible for the campaign say that the PR reach of it is over 4.5 billion, with a 72% positive reaction
The line reads: ‘Periods are normal. Showing them should be too’.
Learning:-Going into newer unexplored terrains of customer attitudes will be an easier way of getting the campaign to go viral
11)Xbox Design Lab Originals: The Franchise Model
Microsoft and McCann London became the first winners of the Cannes Lions Creative eCommerce Grand Prix, for “Xbox Design Lab Originals
They turned a problem into an opportunity. For X-box the sales of customised controllers were pretty low. People were buying regular controllers but not willing to pick up customised ones due to price differential.
So to improve the awareness, they gave gamers a stake in the business. Their franchise model allowed customer to create his own design and then sell it thereby becoming entrepreneurs.
Customers could make money through no of sales they generate. Customers began showing how entrepreneurial and marketing savvy they were.
Lot of designs across various themes starting from football themes, Donald trump, social issues were done by customers
Great customer designs were chosen for poster, magazine, TV and online ads, drawing inspiration from advertising for luxury items such as watches. The controllers on a pedestal to give them imagery of a premium brand On average, each designer got $95.24 from their controller, with the top guy making $1,131.
But, more importantly, the campaign achieved its aim, with overall sales of customised controllers rising by 350%. By giving consumers part of the profit, the brand profited as well Learning:-Co creation with the customer can be a great way of taking the campaign places
14) Trash Isles:-
“Trash Isles,” a pollution awareness campaign from AMV BBDO London and LADbible in partnership with The Plastic Oceans Foundation, today claimed 2 wins, PR and Design Grand Prix
Trash Isles gave petition to the United Nations to recognize a new country, made of large, floating piles of garbage found throughout the oceans. The nation, Trash Isles, had its own flag, currency and had celebrities like Al Gore and Jeff Goldblum lined up to become its first honorary citizens.
Learning:-
Same as Tourism Australia-Dundee Superbowl Ad
Art of storytelling needs to be unique to stand out