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Why Is Miller Lite’s Ad About Holiday Parties So Unnerving? Because No One in It Is Real
In a new campaign, Miller Lite celebrates the best gift of 2020: The comforting lack of awkward holiday office parties. But this party is even more unnerving and surreal than usual—because its scenes, apparently frozen in the midst of workplace revelry, are created using statues instead of real actors. The brand and agency DDB worked with artist and photographer Alex Prager to create the video, which includes 15 lifelike sculptures reenacting typical party moments.
Enter the uncanny valley: Prager says it explores “the line between reality and artifice.”
How 3 Sports Leagues Leaned Into Brand Purpose More Than Ever This Year
The Brandweek Sports Marketing Summit wrapped up yesterday with a forward-thinking batch of sessions with some of the most innovative minds in the industry. The event carried a familiar tune that we’ve heard throughout 2020—that it’s the year of brand purpose. In one particularly powerful session Thursday, Nascar’s Jill Gregory, MLS’ JoAnn Neale and NLL’s Jessica Berman had a frank and compelling discussion about the future of sports and the reason that their “unique ability and power to effect social change” will make all the difference.
Discover key insights from these three leagues.
Also at the Summit:
- Visa CMO Lynne Biggar explained how the company’s response to the pandemic included a commitment to Olympic athletes, and offered important lessons from the experience.
- Two of the most eye-opening talks, featuring 100 Thieves and Activision Blizzard, addressed the state of esports in 2020, and how pivots from live events presented an opportunity for online events to grow and improve.
More Than 850 Creatives Are Coming Together to Help Democrats Win Georgia’s Senate Races
With two Senate seats still up for grabs in Georgia—which will determine which party controls the U.S. Senate—a group of industry professionals have joined the fray. Creatives for Georgia is composed of more than 850 designers, video editors and web developers whose goal is to produce a massive line of digital content in support of Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff, the Democratic candidates in the races. They’ll coordinate with the campaigns, activist groups and party organizations to align the messaging and creative.
Applying ad savvy to the challenge: The scale of this creative movement is unprecedented.
The Era of Gap’s Mass Appeal Is Over—But Specialization Could Bring the Brand Back
As the already dying American mall is dealt further blows by pandemic challenges, fashion titan Gap is suffering from a loss of identity. The retailer has suffered sharp declines this year—a 43% drop in Q1—and announced plans to close 350 stores. Within three years, 80% of Gap stores will be outside of malls. Part of the problem, too, is that Gap’s customers no longer have a clear sense of what it is and who it’s for because it ventured too far into the promotional.
Leaning into legacy: But there’s hope for the retailer if it can continue to zero in on the key distinctive factors that made consumers fall in love in the first place.
Join Us Live for the 150th Episode of CMO Moves
The 150th episode of the CMO Moves podcast will be hosted live via Zoom on December 19 at 11a.m. EST—and you’re invited to join in the experience. In this special episode on the business of marketing, Nadine Dietz will talk with some of the top CMOs and marketing leaders in the industry about how the role has shifted in 2020 and how it’s likely to evolve in the coming year.
More of Today’s Top News & Highlights:
- Exclusive: Ogilvy Poaches McCann’s Devika Bulchandani as North America CEO
- Waleed Elgindy’s Untraditional Career Path Led Him to his Purpose and Leadership Style
- To Compete Online, Walgreens Overhauls Its App and Loyalty Program
- Publicis Groupe Hires US Chief Growth Officer From AT&T’s Xandr
- Shortened Sales Cycles and Cancellation Clauses Stoke Publisher Concern in 2021
- Sarah Watson, BBH New York Chairman and Global CSO, Is Leaving
- Nielsen Unveils New ID System to Bolster Cross-Platform Measurement
Shutterstock Forecasts Creatives Will Use Calm Colors in 2021 After 2020’s Vivid Hues
Color schemes over the past decade have been notably vibrant, but after 2020, it looks like we might be a bit burned out on high saturation. Shutterstock’s Color Trends Report says the next year will be one of calming, natural hues, specifically Set Sail Champagne, Fortuna Gold and Tidewater Green. Enjoy some relaxing videos dedicated to the colors.
More of the latest:
- BuzzFeed Is Acquiring HuffPost in a Broader Partnership Deal With Verizon Media
- A Suspenseful Barista Class? How HBO Max Is Promoting The Flight Attendant
- Are Consumers Ready for Facial Technology? Amazon Bets On It With Smart Glasses
- For Denny’s, Driving Around America to Feed Veterans Is a Trip Back to Its Founding Purpose
- Lowe’s ‘Letters to Home’ Holiday Campaign Is Full of Gratitude
- Twitter Arrives Late to the Stories Craze—But Aims to Make a Dent with Fleets
