Matt Abramson: What US Spots Could Win at Cannes
We caught up with Cap Gun Collective's EP to find out which 3 US campaigns he thinks will scoop up big this year.
Nike Equality
This spot from Wieden +Kennedy, which aired during the Grammys, has the strong craft and production value we have come to expect from Nike ads along with a really powerful script featuring numerous athletes and Alicia Keys covering Sam Cooke’s A Change is Gonna Come. The message, that you are defined by your actions - not your looks or beliefs - feels especially poignant right now. The campaign came out during Black History Month and Nike plans to donate $5 million this year to organizations that advance equality in communities across the US. It’s a strong example of a brand highlighting their values and doing it right.
Avocados from Mexico Secret Society
On a lighter note, there were some really funny standout commercials this year as well. This Super Bowl spot by GSD&M and directed by David Shane was my favorite ad of the game this year. It felt like a Second City sketch, perfect casting and performances - and such defined characters and relationships all in 90 seconds.
Coleman Sweeney The World’s Biggest Asshole
This ad from the Martin Agency was both really funny and also for a good cause, not a combination you see very often. Again, such a strong script and the production value brought to each vignette felt cinematic. It’s a fairly long story for an ad, but it never overstays its welcome. Unlike most pieces of work we see these days, the messaging is built into the foundation of the idea, it’s impossible to watch the spot and forget it’s about raising awareness for organ donation.
