The year 2012 was quite good in bits for Wieden + Kennedy London. Come with us now, as we go back in time to review some of the stuff that happened to us, with us and by us in the last twelve months. You may meet polydactyl cats, you may fall down a rabbit-hole to play with a Nike-wearing Sonic the Hedgehog, and you might be enticed into The Great Unknown. You are about to enter another dimension, a dimension not only of sight and sound but of mind. A journey into a wondrous land of imagination. Next stop...the Wieden+Kennedy zone!
Nike - Make it Count
January 2012 marked the beginning of a very important year
for sport in the UK. Not just for top athletes but for everyone.
This was the year to step up and Make it Count. To celebrate
we launched a campaign that saw top UK athletes make their
pledges for the forthcoming year, whilst inspiring people to be
part of the movement and make their own pledges under the
hashtag #makeitcount.
In March, Campaign reported from the “Socialympics” panel debate on the London 2012 Olympics, which it described as “the biggest social media event ever”.
The article said: “Adidas is currently getting around 0.4% of all conversations around the Olympics associated with its brand. Its non-sponsor rival, Nike, is dominating Olympics brand buzz with 7.7%. A lot of this can be attributed to Nike’s #makeitcount campaign - a runaway social media success... The campaign resonates with sports fans by associating Nike with training for the Olympics and cleverly skirts Olympic ambush marketing rules.”
Goes to show, if you don’t have a huge marketing budget, you
need to #makeitcount.
Lurpak Lightest
Early in 2012 we launched Lurpak Lightest, Lurpak’s biggest
launch in 10 years. It was an important initiative, allowing
Lurpak to compete with other low fat spreads on the market
by offering health-conscious consumers a new low fat product
that doesn’t compromise on taste.
We did everything from naming the product and designing the packaging to creating the launch campaign, which was described by The Drum as “Fantastic... marvelous... brave... mesmeric”.
The TV ad was ranked third best of the year by Campaign and the poster number four.
There were also some press ads:
Honda - The Great Unknown
“Significant new Honda TV work from Wieden + Kennedy London is typically an anticipated event, and the brand’s new “Spark” commercial does not disappoint. The beautifully filmed spot—narrated by the longtime voice of Honda Europe, Garrison Keillor—tracks the journey of an idea from the darkness of inception to its dramatic full realization.” AdWeek
Damon Collins wrote of it in Campaign:
“My favourite ad right now is “The Great Unknown” from Honda... Why do I like it so much? Is it because it’s beautifully produced, with stunning visual effects and immaculate sound design? (Have a listen - that’s what awards sound like.) Or is it because, as so often with the campaign, the thinking behind the words is so alluring?”
The spot was 2012's most popular with UK YouTube viewers, racking up over 3.8 million hits.
Cravendale - The Milk Matters
Megalomaniac polydactyl cat Bertrum Thumbcat – star of ITV viewers’ ad of the year 2011 - returned in 2012 with a plan.
A big, evil plan to steal our Cravendale milk: he was brainwashing innocent milkmen to work as his milk-pilfering henchmen. Yes!
But we’re on to his scheme, and Cravendale sent a message to Betrum and his gang: NOT ON OUR WATCH, PUSSIES!
You can also follow Bertrum on Facebook and Twitter.
And your cat can join his Thumbcat army.
Three - built for the internet
Our 2012 work for Three, the UK’s fastest-growing network, highlighted the fact that it’s the network built for the mobile internet.
Maximus - Rise and Conquer!
We pitched and won the Maximus vodka business in February. Our first work recently launched in the brand’s home market of Poland and will roll out across other parts of Europe later this year.
This is a world in which a generation of young men is inheriting a legacy of economic worry and doubt. It’s a world in which traditional masculine values are under threat. This has been described as a ‘he-cession’. (Really, it has.) It’s difficult for men to remain confident or upbeat and this is having a direct effect on their most precious gift, their manliness. Tests have shown that testosterone levels are in general decline.
Our campaign aims to inspire today’s generation of young men to feel empowered to be manly and take on the world. Maximus Vodka embodies the qualities which make men, men and is a celebratory toast for all young aspiring men who dare to reclaim their manliness. Rise and conquer!
Nike - My Time is Now
Our innovative ‘My Time Is Now’ global campaign for Nike celebrated the ‘next wave’ of young footballers, from young kids to elite athletes looking to make an impact on the world stage.
Launched online first, the campaign was driven by a variety of different interactions and experiences. By following ‘tunnels’ hidden in the film, fans could do everything from playing a Nike-wearing version of Sonic the Hedeghog, to booking a footballer’s haircut, to – of course – buying Nike kit.
Sports Industry news reported: “Nike football has revealed that the ‘My Time Is Now’ campaign has been named the brand’s most successful football campaign ever. Featuring global icons including Cristiano Ronaldo, the ‘My Time is Now’ film has received over 39m views (30m flat film views & 9m interactive film views across all platforms) and is the fastest growing Nike film ever.
Consumer engagement has reached record levels for the brand, with fans reportedly spending an average of 6mins
18secs viewing the film and the “hidden tunnel” content that
rewards consumers who engage with the film.
It was the world's most viewed ad on Youtube in 2012.
Stride Mintacular
We picked up the Stride gum business from Kraft at the end
of 2011. Our first work broke in the US this year and, timed to
precede the launch of iPhone 5, we launched the Mintacular
variant with a spoof of Apple’s product launches.
In the run-up to the launch we posted a mystery billboard in
Apple style, featuring nothing but a date. Two weeks later we
revealed Stride Mintacular – “Chewing redefined. Again.”
We also launched a viral film that spoofs Apple’s product
launch videos, featuring gum engineers talking with awe
and wonder about the amazing new Mintacular, “the
most advanced celebrity-endorsed chewing product
we’ve ever launched.”
“A great parody and hilarious,” said the New York Times.
Tesco
W+K won the Tesco business in autumn 2012 following
a competitive pitch. The scope of our assignment covers
all aspects of the Tesco business, including food, general
merchandise, banking, delivery services and clothing. Our
first task was to promote Tesco’s products and services in
the run-up to Christmas.
Tesco was looking for a single thought to focus all their activity and communications. One that could help them to connect with customers, and to unify all their 300,000 staff. The idea we came up with was, ‘We make what matters better, together’.
This helps to give new meaning and focus to the familiar Tesco line ‘Every little helps’. As the country’s largest retailer, Tesco is in a position to understand what really matters to people, and to help make that better.
The Christmas campaign highlighted the little moments that go to make Christmas special, and showed how Tesco could help make them possible. This was a fully integrated campaign, with the story played out on TV, in print, in store and online.
FUZE Tea - when this meets that
Coca-Cola awarded us the Fuze Tea business without a pitch early in 2012. The new campaign, now rolling out across 27 markets, is based on the thought that everything great in the universe is the result of ‘when this meets that’. Simple. From when Big met Bang, to when Tea met Fruit, everything great is always a combination of things. Fuze Tea is just another example of this.
MoreAboutAdvertising said of the work: “Wieden + Kennedy London has produced some brilliant ads in the years since the celebrated Hall of Fame favourite for Honda Grrr announced a major new force in agency-land but, arguably, nothing quite to match this new mini-masterpiece, ‘WhenThis MeetsThat’.
Nando's - Find Yourself
The idea attributes different levels of the PERi-PERi spectrum to different character traits.
On Twitter, Nando’s predicted people's spice levels based on their past Tweets. We also created a Facebook app, so the curious could answer situation-based questions to ascertain their spice orientation.
On Spotify, ads offered up a different spice for listeners, based on the music they’re into. So if you appreciate distorted power chords marinated in barbaric bass, you’ll like your chicken Extra Hot. Whereas if you’d rather something a little more alternative, Drum ‘n’ Yodel perhaps, then Mango and Lime’s for you.
Tactical press extended the idea by tying in 'Find Yourself' with current events.
If you haven't tried it yet, click here to find out which PERi-PERi spice reflects your personality.
Lactofree - Listen up, hedgehogs!
In February 2012, we launched the new Lactofree campaign. The star of the ad was a hedgehog (Madison), because hedgehogs are lactose intolerant. The spot showed our lady hedgehog wandering around her local supermarket and daydreaming about all the wonderful dairy moments she misses out on- creamy coffees in Paris, buttery crumpets round a campfire, cheesy pizza on a romantic date.
The ad explains that lots of us suffer from Lactose intolerance,
but that we can still enjoy dairy. Lactose is the sugar in dairy,
which is what causes digestive issues for most people.
Lactofree make real dairy products- milks, spreads, cheeses
ice cream, yogurts etc, that have the lactose taken out. So
with Lactofree, the dairy kingdom can once more be yours.
Finally, a couple of campaigns from over there that did rather well over here this year.
P&G - Proud Sponsor of Mums
Created by Wieden + Kennedy Portland for P&G's sponsorship of London 2012 to honour the amazing mothers behind Olympic athletes, “Best Job” shows the hard work all mums do to raise their children—a lifetime of chauffeuring their children about, washing their clothes, providing meals on the run and supporting them at practices and competitions—all to see their children succeed. The hardest job in the world, is the best job in the world.
Among many honours, this spot won the 2012 Emmy for outstanding commercial.
Southern Comfort - Whatever's Comfortable
The 'Whatever's Comfortable' campaign, created by W+K New York, launched in the UK this autumn and immediately made an impact.
James Brown wrote in Sabotage Times: "So have you seen it yet? The advert some are the calling the best ever made? Certainly the funniest around right now. Not only is the new Southern Comfort commercial the best
on television right now it also applies an aspect of feminism for barrel-chested, beer-bellied sex gods."
So, that was 2012 for us. How was it for you?
Sombody said, 'Don't try to make it viral. Try to make it awesome.' That's what we aim for.
The world's most viewed commercial on YouTube in 2012 was our My Time Is Now spot for Nike. Hurrah!
Wieden + Kennedy had a very strong showing on the list, being responsible for a total of seven ads in the top 20. Chrysler 'Half Time in America' was at number 8, Nike Mercurial Vapor at numer 9, and Old Spice spots filled numbers 13, 14, 19 and 20.
Meanwhile in the UK, the most viewed ad on YouTube of 2012 was also one of ours: Honda Civic 'Spark'.
But when I suggested this to Max, Cameron and Joseph, they replied:
Southern Comfort has announced the appointment of W+K London as its new lead creative and strategic agency for the UK which will include above the line and digital.
The win comes off the back of Wieden +Kennedy’s New York agency, who were selected in August as the brand’s new agency of record for Southern Comfort’s global marketing and communication services across all traditional, digital and emerging media channels.
W+K London will be implementing the new creative strategy “Whatever’s Comfortable” which follows W+K New York’s first work for the brand that launched last month. The first television spot celebrates the awesomeness of being comfortable in your own skin.
The Soco success is a continuation of W+K’s relationship with the Brown–Forman Group,which includes Finlandia and Maximus - the vodka brands we won earlier this year.
Wieden + Kennedy’s Neil Christie says “We're delighted to add Southern Comfort to the WK London drinks trolley. It's a truly iconic brand and we look forward to working on it with the Brown Forman team”
W+K also took over all of Southern Comfort’s UK community management from September 21st.
The FC Barcelona midfielder expertly pulls the strings, dominating the midfield and dictating the pace of the game as a puppet on a miniature football pitch theatre set.
In the film Iniesta wears Nike’s completely re-designed CTR 360 Maestri III: the boots for the midfield maestro. Maestri – meaning Maestro in Italian – is the boot favoured by midfield players like Iniesta who rely on innovative performance features to enhance their control of the ball, and therefore the game itself.
You can watch Iniesta talking about the boots and the ad in this short film. On appearing in the spot Iniesta said: “It was fun to shoot; it is always good to do something a little different from the norm."
Our sentiments exactly.
Nike’s co-founder Bill Bowerman famously said ‘if you have a body, you’re an athlete’. It is this mantra that still lies at the heart of the Nike brand and is brought to life in the ‘Greatness Anywhere’ work that launched globally over the weekend.
At a moment when all of the world’s eyes are on a select number of elite athletes, in a small corner of the world, Nike is shining the spotlight on all athletes, wherever they are.
In a film created by W+K Portland, Nike calls on all athletes to find their greatness. Dispelling the perception that greatness is reserved for the chosen few, Nike reminds us that greatness is in all of us, it’s just a matter of trying.
Our friends from Portland had the hard task of travelling the globe, finding greatness in Londons across the world, including South Africa, London Towers in Shanghai and Little London, Jamaica. Tough work.
Here's the main film:
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