Creative > Ad of the Day

Ad of the Day

U.S. Cellular "Fish"

Brand: U.S. Cellular Wireless Telecommunications Service
Agency: Publicis & Hal Riney
Review Date: August 18, 2009

Publicis & Hal Riney turns a San Francisco street into a deep-sea adventure in this charming spot for U.S. Cellular. Giant balloons, soap bubbles and sound effects are used to create an "underwater" atmosphere on dry land, and this early cut of the spot captures the action as the crew works to transform an urban setting into an open aquarium to the delight of the neighborhood. The result is a compelling feel-good spot that keeps you watching as fish float down a street, a building turns into a giant octopus and -- to less effect -- a car becomes coral. The experience is all about anticipation, wondering where these whimsical images will take you in the end. “The world is full of things to share,” says the voiceover as the floating parade culminates at a block party. “That’s why only U.S. Cellular has free incoming calls, text and pics.” People are glimpsed taking pictures with mobile phones, but their inclusion almost seems secondary to the peaceful and otherwise imaginative journey.--Eleftheria Parpis

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Overall rating:
(3.33 ) Good

15 Comments
  • 1. karenC comments:
    September 06, 2009

    What a terrific ad! It took me twice to see it to realize what was going on,(cause I don't normally watch ads.) Incredibly imaginative! Love it! Want to do it!


  • 2. Thor O'Zeen comments:
    September 02, 2009

    wow. neat. wish all 12 billion dollars worth of this category's messaging was more like this.


  • 3. devinANDhahaAREdbags comments:
    August 24, 2009

    Devin, the creators of the ad state that it was filmed in SF. Maybe it isn't a place you are familiar with, but why would the creators change their story? Haha, maybe you are unfamiliar with the ideals U.S. Cellular has been branding itself with for the last 2 years...check your history, and then come back to the intelligent people contained herein...


  • 4. shyamala comments:
    August 20, 2009

    the idea is good and spot is perfect .but had no clue in what way this idea conveys msg for US cellular wireless telecommunications.


  • 5. AdGrrrrl comments:
    August 20, 2009

    This spot is simply beautiful, and tells a perfectly relevant story. It's such a noisy, crappy category, arguing over network size and who has the cooler technology, it's nice that a brand actually remembers why we have phones to begin with. I'd use them if they had service in LA.


  • 6. haha comments:
    August 19, 2009

    how many marketing US Cellular people were told to write positive things about this spot. These comments are so staged. This spot is not good and we all, who are not getting paid off know it. Any spot can be spot of the day if you grease the right wheels this is ad for God sake.


  • 7. CAC comments:
    August 19, 2009

    This is an awesome approach to the in ya face noise out there. What a feel good ad... if it had no value it wouldn't have been the Ad of the Day. Great decision and great work by the ad, brand and marketing team of U.S. Cellular. Money well spent!


  • 8. Devin comments:
    August 19, 2009

    First off this was not shot in SF second what the hell is this spot about ? Third US Cellular is totally loosing their base ( mid westerners) with this lofty over done over borrowed already exhausted execution.


  • 9. raj comments:
    August 19, 2009

    this is not good


  • 10. walt comments:
    August 19, 2009

    Oh John. Stop trying to save the world. IT'S ADVERTISING!!!!!!!!!


  • 11. Misty comments:
    August 19, 2009

    Finally, wireless commercials that aren't obnoxious. This seems very cutting edge for the category. We all love our cell phones, its about time a carrier moved beyond network and price plans.


  • 12. john comments:
    August 18, 2009

    Yes, it's charming. It's warm. And-like so much stuff today- it's borrowed interest. Just watched it and I have no idea what it was for.


  • 13. Jeff comments:
    August 18, 2009

    Clean, clever, fresh emotional draw into the waterways of the city, and engagement of the society with free/open communications.


  • 14. Eric comments:
    August 18, 2009

    Charming. Although I was yelling out to the fish to watch those power lines over the street! Don't need them to be fried fish for all to share.


  • 15. Chris comments:
    August 18, 2009

    Great execution! Beautiful ad! However client seems a bit conservative. It's not a very unique direction!This approach has been explored by T-Mobile in Europe. It's a bit on the safe side and doesn't really challenge any conventions about cellular services.


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