OMNICOM

BBDO:

BBDO, New York for Smart:

What a cute ad. Just like the car.

I really like that BBDO left it up to the public to extract a message from this print ad. I think that it always make you feel smarter when you see and ad and you can say, "I got it".

DDB:

DDB PHILIPPINES (Taguig City) for McDonald's:

Here is where innovation kicks in. The idea of putting up a clock in a billboard using McDonald's products is brilliant. It is simple, yet very creative. The image above says that sales increased, so it's effective too! I like it when agencies think outside the box and create work that is pleasing for everyone. Good work, BBDO.

TBWA:

TBWA\Chiat\Day New York for Absolut:

I can generalize that TBWA\Chiat\Day's work is always spectacular. This Absolut ad is no exception. If I could define it in one word, it would be: inspirational. Why? Well, we see images of nature during most of the ad, it invites us to believe in the goodness of our acts, and the background music is the type of music that gives you "the chills". It is relaxing and motivational. The perfect combination.

Goodby, Silverstein & Partners:

Goodby, Silverstein & Partners for Häagen-Dazs,

This ad doesn't strike me as unique. It's very simple, but not in a good way. I agree that Häagen-Dazs is located at one of the higher ends of the ice cream category, so the brand should be portrayed as elegant, but I think that this ad lacks creativity. And if you see at the rest of the campaign, you can see the same problem.

On the other hand, thumbs up for the photography! I like the high quality of the image.

180:

180 Amsterdam for Adidas:

I once heard that you must appeal the public using simple truths that they already know. This ad is a very good example of this. When I first saw it, I thought it was a clever, but then I realized that this "reason to run" is one of the most common ones! It's still clever, but not super original. 180 just applied this commonality in the right place.

I am sure that people create an immediate connection with this ad, so I wouldn't doubt its effectiveness. It even makes me want to grab my adidas sneakers + a friend, and go do a fun marathon.

GSD&M Idea City:

For the University of Texas, Austin:

First of all, I don't like this ad because I hate the longhorns. But I'll try to be more objective than that...

The aerial shot is pretty cool and Austin is portrayed as the fun city it is. I just don't see how GSD&M is persuading the public to go study at UT Austin. Well, it says that you should go just because you'll be a longhorn. This argument just works for the hardcore fans. I also don't see how the tagline connects to the commercial. Sorry GSD&M, but I'm not a fan of this spot.

Dieste Harmel & Partners

Dieste Harmel & Partners (Dallas) for Gatorade:

This isn't the most inspirational sports-related ad I've ever seen, but it's pretty good. Like the adidas print ad (from 180 Amsterdam), it tells little facts (truths) that we already know but that we don't realize we do until someone tells them to us.

I like how Dieste (or Gatorade?) found this guy. He has a very unique story---a Mexican football player recruited to the NFL?? But I don't see how this would inspire the Hispanic population in the US. What I got from this ad is that I'm glad I left Mexico. Really.

LatinWorks

LatinWorks (Austin) for Bud Light:

This ad is for a good laugh. It doesn't really make me remember the brand, but it makes me remember the story-line. I don't really know if this reaction is the one that LatinWorks was looking for. But it might be, because most beer ads don't highlight the product. So I can conclude that this is a good and effective commercial.

Martin | Williams

Martin|Williams, Minneapolis for The Partnership for a Drug-Free America:

This ad encourages mothers to keep their children out of the malicious world of drugs. But it seems that it is only speaking to the target audience, which is good but not great.

I like the motivational message, but I don't like the fact that it doesn't go beyond that. I feel like Martin|Williams just wanted to get the work done and, therefore, didn't give its 100% effort.