Whenever you see great creative work from a brand (no matter size), there has to be a great relationship behind it. A great relationship doesn’t automatically mean the agency and client agree on everything. It doesn’t mean that the agency does exactly what the client asks. Sometimes it means the two sides disagree. Sometimes it means pushing the other side outside of their comfort zone (and that can go either way – not just the agency pushing the client).

In my opinion, no brand and agency understands that relationship better than Nike and Wieden+Kennedy. In their storied 35+ year relationship, the brand and agency have produced countless memorable campaigns featuring Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, Maria Sharapova, LeBron James and most recently, Serena Williams.

On Labor Day at about 3pm, we once again saw that great relationship bring out some of the best advertising of the past decade. In celebration of the 30th anniversary of the “Just Do It” campaign, the brand and ad agency took a step forward, and in many people’s opinion (mine included), took a step on the right side of history. Instead of standing with the NFL – the week the season begins – Nike paid Colin Kaepernick (financial information not yet released however, it is known that Kaepernick will have his own line of shoes, clothing and be an endorsed athlete) and featured him as one of the key elements of the “Just do it” campaign. Nike, the uniform provider of the NFL, took a stand. It stood with a player that so many, including the NFL and the NFL owners, refuse to stand by.

Within minutes, it felt like everyone on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and across all news channels were talking about the fact that Nike, a major corporation, was celebrating their “Just Do It” campaign by featuring an athlete that has had a major impact on social injustice – taking a stand against his own employer for what he believed to be the right decision. Like the line in his ad says, sometimes you have to sacrifice when you believe in something. Will some Nike customers turn their back on the brand? According to social media on Monday and Tuesday, yes. But has Nike lived up to that line in their campaign? Absolutely.

Would it have been easy to pick another athlete to feature in the campaign? Sure. Nike has plenty to choose from. But would it have made the impact that it needed to make? Would it have lived up to the brand’s standards and values? Would it have taken a stance on a topic that everyone has an opinion on?

This campaign is about more than being an athlete – it’s about being a human.

Each featured athlete has their own story – whether about standing against social injustice or being a girl from Compton that no one expected to be one of the greatest athletes of all time. While only a few of the ads have been released, the brand has said that more will be coming which will feature LeBron James, Lacey Baker and more.

At the end of the day, we (right now) have no idea if this idea was led by the client or by the agency but we shouldn’t be surprised either way. This is a brand not afraid of taking a stance and this is an agency that is used to pushing the envelope and doing what they feel is right (see Donald Trump BS Food Truck and the agency’s statement on Black Lives Matter). The great relationship, the two teams working together, pushes their work and each of their brands.

Agencies – as you sit with your clients in the upcoming weeks – maybe in status meetings, maybe in planning sessions for 2019 or a creative review – think about how you can grow the relationship. I don’t mean taking your client out for to an NFL or NBA game, or out for cocktails. I mean, how can you live their brand with them? How can you push their organization’s values? How can you push your own agency’s values?

And clients, as you sit with your agency, think about what you want from them. What is the business objective? What is a problem that you have been trying to solve with your internal teams? Maybe it’s not a marketing or advertising problem – that doesn’t mean you can’t, or shouldn’t, talk to your agency about it. What’s the mission of your company that you want everyone to know about?

Have that open dialogue. Create together – not apart. Develop work that you are both proud of and that means something to both sides. Let that great relationship lead to great work.

Images c/o Nike

Diet Coke’s “Because I Can” Campaign Drops a Generational Mile Marker During The Big Game.

At TWIST, we tell our clients that there are three things a successful brand does: instill confidence, impact culture and inspire devotion. Achieving all three is a transcendent moment for a brand. It is the moment when a brand stops being seen for its products and becomes part of an individual’s identity. That type of deeply sophisticated connection with consumers can capture the type of market leadership that lasts for an entire generation.

No brand does it as well as Coke. Sure, Apple. Yes, Tesla. OK, Google. But most of the remarkable and influential brands you can name offer a product with a tangible benefit and/or they are companies whose innovations solve a problem. Think about it, there is no benefit of soda. Soda doesn’t solve a problem. Soda’s only key benefit is the way you feel about yourself when you drink it and that requires an amazing brand experience.

Coca-Cola mainstreamed the “Me Generation” (baby boomers), and now they have done the same for “Generation Me,” (millennial).

Those of us who are not digital natives remember (or think we remember because we watched Mad Men) the famous Hilltop Coca-Cola tv ad. That ad, with its line “I’d like to buy the world a Coke and keep it company” at that time set the tone for a generation. That youth movement was called the “me generation” and it was all about personal development and individual growth. It was anti-establishment. And while its values were panned by mainstream polite society as selfish, it really was a movement of inclusion and unity. It was advertisers like Coca-Cola who recognized its importance and influence, and they were one of the first to take these new consumers seriously. (See the “impact culture” moment.)

“Because I Can” Diet Coke delivers a Hilltop ad for our times and man, have times changed.

We are “re-energizing and modernizing Diet Coke for a new generation of drinkers.” The Coca-Cola Co stated in a news release upon the January 10th launch of a reimagined Diet Coke line-up. New can shape, new can design and four new flavors plus the original. Coke tapped U.K.-based design shop Kenyon Weston to do the can redesign and Wieden & Kennedy, authors of “Just Do It” created the new campaign. 

The new “Because I Can” campaign is a series of five fifteen second films the first starring Actress Gillian Jacobs, best known for her roles in the NBC sitcom “Community” and the Netflix romantic comedy series “Love,”. The other spots star other up and coming millennial actors. In the spot, Gillian grabs a Diet Coke from a corner store before walking along a sidewalk and offering viewers a straight-into-the-camera invitation to do what makes them happy.

https://youtu.be/LnZnSumfIlE

“If you’re in the mood for a Diet Coke, have a Diet Coke,” she says.

What?! I’m 47, so the first time I saw this it angered me. The series of portraits of millennials with their “Whatever” attitude about life and kind of defiant lack of enthusiasm for the product they are supposed to be persuading me to purchase, really angered me. It made me want to yell at them “this is your job, take it seriously.” Then I thought more deeply about their life experience, they were raised on un-produced YouTube videos, not glossy sitcoms. They grew up with the internet so even though they are young they have been exposed to every sales pitch there is.

https://youtu.be/uAt04_1nH-o

“Bridesmaids” director delivers the authenticity required for success

It makes sense that these portraits of young adults and their sleek skinny Skittle/vape flavored soft drinks are stripped down. The approach is painstakingly authentic and like them or not, these are consumers who are comfortable in their own skin. These portrayls owe their “easy on the eyes” vibe to the skilled hand of director Paul Feig, known for the TV series “Freaks and Geeks,” as well as movies including “Bridesmaids” and the 2016 “Ghostbusters” reboot, they are full of subtle and quiet nuance. 

“Because I Can” is what Advertising Looks like in its highest form, as art.

I also have to comment on the soft, subtle and thoughtful color palettes used in styling these spots. Each product flavor is so well complemented by wardrobe, propping and set design which is just the right blend of quirk, kitsch and color.

If it feels good, do it, because we’re over it. The “impact culture” moment.

If you employ millennials and find yourself confused, frustrated and even at times angered by them, you should watch these spots and reflect on them. This is the emerging American consumer, these are tomorrow’s entrepreneurs, CEOs. They are telling us that we, as a society, have reached a moment where we feel so comfortable, provided for and confident that we can casually move from one experience to another. That we have an unlimited amount of choice and that we, as a society have evolved (from their perspective) to a moment of not heightened but lessened awareness. These guys are over it.

In fifteen seconds, the new Diet Coke campaign redefines the standards of the conversation between brand and consumer. If you plan on selling anything in the next twenty years you need to understand this or be ready to hire someone who does.

https://youtu.be/YdculGfAuPI

https://youtu.be/FAkGdfAE8PE

https://youtu.be/Vuwsr1xlI_k

Men Are Watching, But Women Are the Real Audience

It’s more than just making sure you have a party to attend. Brands today are doing more and more on the second screen than what you may see on your main TV while watching the game. To have the true Big Game advertising experience, you need to be prepared with not just your main screen for the game….you need to make sure you are watching the online experiences. And let’s be honest, if you are a Browns fan like I am, you may be more interested in the ads than the game itself (though as a Tom Brady fan, I’m all in with the Patriots).

You may ask yourself – why do brands spend so much money, and time, on an ad that lasts somewhere between :15-90 seconds during The Big Game? Let’s say a brand is ready to spend $5 million for thirty seconds during The Big Game. All advertisers and their agencies approach this from the perspective of not just the ad, but the momentum and cache created by the event, which if done correctly, propel and add to the overall spend.

From a long-term benefit, the minute a brand starts leaking their spot (whether that be on a social platform or YouTube, etc.) they continue to get value from the spot being seen by a large audience. Add in the fact that people talk about The Big Game ads on social for days after, as well as in-person, and you are continuing to increase your impressions and potential engagement with your audience.

The Big Game is an opportunity to establish, reset or remind a large audience – and by large audience, we’re talking over 114 million people – about the brand, values, features or benefits. It could even be the first time an audience has heard of your brand. And unlike other ad placements, you can reach a wide audience – women, men, all ages, enjoy watching The Big Game for both the game and the advertising. Speaking of women, for most of us, it’s about more than just the game.

Here is what we know about female viewership of the game

Eighty percent of women say they plan on watching the game and nearly 100% of those 80% say they watch The Big Game with this order of priority of importance and interest:

Female Viewership Priority

1. She watches for the commercials
2. She watches for the social aspect in person and on social media
3. She watches for the half-time show
4. She watches for the action on the field

Let’s say, like me, you are more in it for the commercials, Justin Timberlake and of course, the social aspect. If that’s the case, you need to plan ahead when it comes to The Big Game. Here are a few helpful hints as you plan for Sunday (whether you are watching for the game, JT, the advertising, or…well…This Is Us.)

To Do List:

1. Ensure that you are fed and ready for The Big Game. This is a marathon – not a sprint. (Not to mention, This is Us, will be on right after The Big Game.)
2. Stay properly hydrated (beer, wine, water – your pick).
3. Have all devices charged and ready to go. In fact, have multiple devices. You don’t want to risk a battery dying mid-tweet. I also have multiple accounts that I’ll be tweeting from so I like to keep one account on my cell and another on my laptop.
4. Know who is advertising and when. My go-to resource? AdWeek and AdAge’s Big Game previews.
5. Check out your favorite Brand’s Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat accounts pre-game to see what’s happening on digital, as well as on your main screen. (Case in point: last year Tide was active all day on social media, as well as used the pre-show as an opportunity to grab the attention of viewers.)
6. Know the correct hashtags. We suggest: #AdBowl #BrandBowl52
7. Follow along with other accounts that are tweeting. We think that @TWISTtweets is a pretty great one to join along with during the conversation.

So if you’re here then you are curious. Right?

The billboards are designed to exhibit the idea that if you want to have a conversation with an audience you have to start it and you should start it elegantly with taste, wonder and mystique. There is no better role for outdoor billboards than sparking an interest and simply suggesting a “want.”

Please aid us in our experiment. Answer the questions below and help us keep the conversation moving forward.

If we can demonstrate the real power of simplicity and suggestion then maybe we can begin to declutter both the physical and digital over-messaged landscape.

This year three Big Game advertisers demonstrate the power of making a values match with a target audience as they pair their products with our politics.

One for the dreamers-Budweiser: Born the Hard Way

Americans haven’t lost our sense of humor (yet) but let’s just say frogs, puppies and even big horses are out and immigrant struggles for the American dream writ large are in.

This year Budweiser will share with the Big Game’s 80 million viewers the origin story of its brand in a spot by creative agency Anomaly called “Born the Hard Way” a cinematic and poetic portrayal of the unwavering perseverance and struggle of Budweiser’s original brewmaster Adolphus Busch.

We follow a young Adolphus on his journey from Germany to the New World. Determined to realize his dream he survives a rough ocean crossing, overcomes immigrant prejudice and survives the numerous hardships and attitudes that seek to separate him from his commitment to his dream: to craft the world’s greatest beer. Is his story relevant to today? You bet it is.

You can’t have a proper American Dream story without an immigrant tale.

Budweiser may not have intended (well maybe a little) for their spot to be a commentary on the hottest political topic of the day, but to the 80 million watching the Big Game, that is surely how it will be received and that’s a good thing! Budweiser is not taking sides, but those who have a side will perceive this spot through the lens of their own world view.

Why this strategy works:

By telling their origin story the Budweiser brand gets to take credit for doing the hard work required to build America’s most famous beer (and ride a political wave of progressive sentiment). It wasn’t easy, this spot explains, and by doing so the Budweiser brand gets to reclaim its grit. Work ethic, dirty hands and self-reliance are as much in style today as they were in the late 1800s, especially with millennial audiences who seek to distance themselves from the “everybody is special” culture of their youth and replace it with authenticity and truth.

One for the progressives-Audi: Daughter

Audi believes they know where their audience stands on the political spectrum and they are not being shy or subtle with their brand message. The German performance car maker returns for a second year with their agency Venerables Bell & Partners to the Big Game spotlight with a feminist equality message.

Although a bit ironic (the Audi customer in the spot is still a man), the spot features a father and young daughter competing in a soap box derby race where all of the other competitors are boys. The spot is beautiful, sleek, smart and a true reflection of the style and quality of the product featured at the end.

The voice over is that of the father and begins with “What do I tell my daughter?” This opening line is no accident. By beginning with this, Audi is tapping into the big question that most progressive leaning men and women are asking in the wake of this election. The brand is saying “we are with you” and “we are for you”, and, it is also saying to others, “we are not for you.” The latter is what makes this such a bold and confident play.

Like it or not, agree or not, Audi shows its brand courage

I can’t tell you how many times I have been in a room with a client that makes and sells a mass consumer good that says “well, you know, we’re not for everyone.” No really, I can’t tell you-because its never happened. Knowing you are not only going to turn off but most likely anger a reasonable portion of the buying public is a bold move. I think it’s exactly the right move though, Audi is right, they do know their customer. You don’t need a market study. Just think about everyone you know who drives an Audi (OK, maybe not the A8 drivers).

Why this strategy works #driveprogress

This campaign is more than talk. Audi is integrating a feminist stance into their brand and their corporate culture. The centerpiece of their second screen component is #driveprogress and they have made a commitment to equality and equal pay, company-wide. Regardless of politics, consumers today demand that corporations live their values. Audi’s strategy works because they offer more than advertising. They are connecting their declaration to proof of action.

One for the Wall-84 Lumber: The Wall

The Pennsylvania based building materials supplier was forced to make last minute changes to its spot called “The Wall” after the network labeled the spot as too controversial. This is the first time 84 has advertised during the Big Game and the company, and their agency Brunner headquartered in Atlanta, had to make some quick changes to the spot.

The ad itself, like the Budweiser commercial, is an American Dream story. It follows an immigrant mother and daughter as they push North toward a better life. They come upon a giant structure that is under construction. We, the viewer see a wall, but as the angle shifts, we see that the wall is really a giant door. The message is that the politics of the day are not in opposition to the American dream, but rather are in support of them.

Why this strategy works

84 Lumber’s customers are tradesmen and women. They are the forgotten, hard-working, blue collar Americans who have taken center stage in the ’16 election. 84 Lumber, is saying we know our audience’s values, but we also know their hearts. The best strategy a brand can undertake is one of validation of their audience’s worldview. It says “we get you” it says “we are on your side.” Plus, having a spot that was rejected is gold for an advertiser as the controversy creates invaluable coverage by the press.

What bold actions will your brand take this year to demonstrate your values and validate your customers’ worldview?