Ever stared down at a blank screen and felt yourself fall into a void of... meh? Creativity is a fickle beast at the best of times, but add the small issue of the world pivoting to the mix and it's no wonder our brains are craving a break. Flip the other side of the coin and you'll find those who thrive under the pressure of, well, pressure and are producing campaigns that are not only inspiring but also incredibly spot on in tone. Whether it's a hard-hitting charity message or a welcome injection of humour, we've invited members of the Bright team and our creative partners to pick their favourite piece of media which has sparked their creativity over the last few months.
Tom Leach, Creative Director & Founder at Studio Evoke
There have been all kinds of creative responses to the pandemic – many of those great. Normally, when I’m asked to share a piece of creative that I think stands out, I want to share something witty, clever, a ‘wish I’d thought of that’ / ‘smile in the mind’ piece of genius – that makes me look good just for sharing it! But one piece I saw highlights something important that almost overnight feels forgotten.
Amid all the noise of various ads featuring video calls and the like, there’s one interesting word that often comes up: ‘normal’. Every day I hear things like ‘the new normal’ or ‘when things get back to normal’. For me the following campaign by Extinction Rebellion has picked up on this one word and in my opinion made it more meaningful and powerful than ever.
Emma Pryke, Founder of The Scoop Digital
Created in response to the One Minute Brief’s ‘Staying Inn’ competition, Luke O’Reilly, a creative from Dublin hit the nail on the head with his take on the initial government lockdown slogan merged with a pint of Guinness. Like all the best ideas, his take on the brief was simple and eye-catching, so much so that Guinness shared Luke’s work on their official Instagram. This piece of reactive imagery has really stuck in my mind and inspired me as a copywriter to keep straplines simple - as sometimes less really is best.
Vic Heyward, Marketing and Communications Manager at Bright
There have been so many ‘Zoom call’ adverts, sketches, quizzes and TV show interviews most of us are feeling a bit jaded by it all. This is the only one that caught my attention for a good reason. Why? Because it involves Jamie and Natasia Demetriou, the genius minds behind the channel 4 comedy ‘Stath Lets Flats’.
If I’m honest I find the majority of the Zoom hysteria incredibly wearing, because the quality of the content behind the technology just isn’t there to start off with. These guys nailed it because the quality of the content hasn’t been sacrificed. In addition, the subject matter really lends itself to the video call. This has reinforced to me that we should keep our focus of quality content which genuinely entertains our audience and always consider the medium in which we deliver it. Don’t just jump on an uncomfortable Zoom bandwagon because everyone else is. It also gave me a much-needed laugh. If you like Stath Lets Flats... watch this.
Briony Storer, Digital Marketing Manager at Bright
Like Vic, I’ve been getting a bit of repetitive ad fatigue. What once may have been amusing ads that poke fun at life in lockdown and endless Zoom calls, have become a little repetitive no matter how well-intentioned.
However one ad stood out for me. Women’s Aid filmed an ad during lockdown on the empty streets of London and launched when the press had started to highlight the shocking rise of domestic abuse during lockdown. Showing the completely empty streets of London because we need to ‘Stay Home’ to stay safe, is a great way to demonstrate that for thousands of people, it’s the least safe place to be. It’s simple and clear with a bold message and call to action, reminding us that good ads and good marketing doesn’t need to be gimmicky or complex, sometimes honesty and a stark view of reality is enough.
Laura Evans, Creative Director at Let’s Talk Video Production
Recently, I worked with National Numeracy on their campaign to promote National Numeracy Day. Usually these would be in-person events but in just a matter of weeks the whole campaign was turned around to become an online virtual festival featuring talks, interviews and lessons to help people improve their numeracy and their lives overall. It was a great success, beating all previous campaign sign-up, engagement and traffic records.
We worked on over 40 videos for the campaign and I particularly liked this interview between Bobby Seagull and comedian Luisa Omielan but it was also great to hear Lauren Child read excerpts from her books and watch a Q&A with Carol Vordeman, as well as hear the real life stories of the National Numeracy Day heroes. All in all, a very inspiring day!
Hear more musings from the Bright team on our blog, or check out our podcast on Spotify.
