Stella Artois – Ice Skating Priests

The beer with the snobbiest positioning in the UK market – Reassuringly Expensive – has always created fantastic TV ads, with its unique brand imagery, where humour goes hand in hand with good taste.

Beer is a simple product made with just three ingredients. But Stella Artois has never been a simplistic beer brand.

Sin and the forbidden fruit are obvious references in this idea, showing that even the most virtuous can’t resist a good Stella Artois, preferably cold.

This ad was directed by the talented English filmmaker Jonathan Glazer. It features flawless casting and a masterful score that punctuates every moment of the action.

Filmed in black and white, it’s one of the most colourful beer ads ever. Cheers to great ideas.

Sony Balls

A good idea is always simple. And this script couldn’t be simpler:

"To the sound of an emotional song, we see 250,000 colourful bouncing balls rolling down a steep street in slow motion. Tagline: Color like no other."

An idea by the famous Argentine creative Juan Cabral from Fallon London, underscored by José Gonzalez’s music, with poetic imagery and fine details that make all the difference.

Dumb Ways to Die

Accident prevention is always a boring topic, and most consumers tune out after five seconds of conversation.

Many campaigns with this brief show accident scenes and take on a dramatic tone.

This idea is the exact opposite. The old advertising trick of a catchy jingle, paired with fun animation, delivers the message in a positive way and sticks in your head.

The best way to get it? Watch and listen. I guarantee the tune will stay with you.

Nike – Find Your Greatness

After years of showing famous athletes pushing the limits with the unforgettable slogan “Just do it,” Nike felt it was time to change its strategy – to be more human, less superhero.

Finding greatness in the weakness of those who buy Nike shoes to begin their long sporting journey.

A one-shot film with brilliant writing, narrated by a powerful voice that punctuates every detail of the words just right.

An exercise in great advertising.

Air France – L ́Envol

French advertising has always accustomed us to elegance, to allure, as the French say.

The national airline had to be an example of just that.

For years, Air France used one of the most brilliant slogans in commercial aviation communication: “Faire du ciel le plus bel endroit de la terre” (Making the sky the most beautiful place on earth).

This positioning tagline took flight in this film.

One of the classic arts – dance – paired with Mozart's music, resulting in a true piece of cinematic art.

Watch the making-of to see how a great idea can become even better with good production.

Honda – Cog

A car commercial without cars speeding down a scenic road? That’s Honda for you (pardon the pun).

This brand has always gone against the grain, and this film is proof of that.

Created by Wieden+Kennedy, it won Gold at the Cannes Festival and was a lesson in strategic planning.

Once, I heard the strategist who wrote the brief for this ad. After much thought, he arrived at one of the most brilliant insights I’ve ever heard, passed on to the creatives responsible for this campaign to launch Honda’s most technologically advanced top-of-the-line car, the Accord.

The story goes that in the briefing meeting, the strategist said: “This film should give the same feeling I get when I press the eject button on my CD player.”

Leica – “100”

When the product is good, the brand always looks great in the picture. In Leica’s case, this is an undeniable truth.

The brand that invented photography and modern image aesthetics wanted to remind us of that on its 100th anniversary.

It gave this briefing to one of the best Brazilian advertising agencies – F/Nazca – which created a memorable idea: a journey through the most iconic photographs in history.

An ad where the word takes centre stage, with well-written text and masterful narration. And, of course, fantastic images that come to life through talented direction.

A work of art, it won the first Grand Prix in film for a Brazilian agency.

Audi “Clowns”

Even the calmest driver has called someone a clown in traffic.

From this powerful insight came an even more powerful idea for the high-performance car brand Audi.

This ad demonstrates all the driver-assistance systems Audi has developed, using classic British humour.

Created by BBH, it features music that fits perfectly with the direction, along with unique details that guide us through the film.

Donate Life – “World's Biggest Asshole”

This ad is almost a short film.

It’s a story about the life of an anonymous citizen in a small American town: Coleman Swenney. Or rather, about his death.

A concept filled with irony, where the twist in the storyline brings a smile to your face. A life lesson for a vital social cause.

This ad was also created with a strategy to reach the millennial target audience, so it didn’t follow the classic TV ad format.

Libress – “Blood”

Sanitary pad advertising is usually set in a rosy world, with beautiful young women jumping on clouds of white cotton. Or it speaks to women as if they were “little girls!”

This idea has none of that. It exalts women’s strength and empowerment. It’s a punch in the gut. And with lots of blood.

The sound design is perfect, and the music is striking. It hits the nerve and leaves no one indifferent. As a good ad should.