2014 Golden Globes Roundup

In case you missed them, here are three ads worth noting that aired during the 2014 Golden Globes this past Sunday, which drew nearly 21 million viewers.

1. CHEERIOS, “NANA”

This new :30 from Cheerios delivers spot-on acting and emotion to convey the breakfast cereal’s long heritage and family focus. The spot begins with Mom and boy at the table eating Cheerios together, when the boy asks, “Did Nana ever give you Cheerios when you were a kid?” A touching conversation follows that’s sure to resonate with moms watching.

With “Nana”, Cheerios moves its brand away from the controversy touched off by the bi-racial family in last year’s “Just Checking” and reminds consumers that it’s still the same great cereal it’s been for generations.

2. YOPLAIT, “RAINY NIGHT”

With a catchy tune and upbeat tone, Yoplait’s latest TV spot follows the family fun that ensues when the power goes out on a stormy night. Overall, the :30 positions Yoplait yogurt as the go-to snack for families with kids, while specific action and VO call out Yoplait’s multiple flavors.

3. TROP50, “SISTERS”

“Sisters” rings consistent with previous work for Tropicana’s Trop50, targeting single, active women with an interest in health/wellness — rather than young families or children.

New Olympics-themed Spot from Proctor & Gamble Celebrates Moms

Proctor & Gamble brings us another tearjerker this week with its latest ad for the “Thank you, Mom” campaign. Titled “Pick Them Back Up”, the spot follows four athletes and their moms from first steps to Olympic performances (P&G is a sponsor of the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi). Anthemic and emotional, “Pick Them Back Up” pays tribute to Mom’s enduring support for and belief in her child through each stage of growth. It’s not airing until this Sunday during the Golden Globes, but it’s already garnered over 4 million views on YouTube.

Parents bring toy dinosaurs to life to foster kids’ imaginations

“…in the age of iPads and Netflix, we don’t want our kids to lose their sense of wonder and imagination. In a time when the answers to all the world’s questions are a web-search away, we want our kids to experience a little mystery.” – Refe Tuma

More fantastical photos of dinosaur adventures here: https://medium.com/thoughts-on-creativity/6f4cb1886d41

New LEGO spot highlights father-son relationship

LEGO is generating a lot of buzz with its heartwarming spot about a boy and his father building with legos together. The ad shows one way in which advertisers can keep parents relevant while still depicting a kid’s world (the boy provides the voiceover).

Ad encourages moms to replace unhealthy snacks with Yoplait

In this new ad from Yoplait, a mom and teen come to a compromise in which the mom gets her daughter to eat a more healthy snack and the daughter gets to date the boy she likes. The daughter takes center stage here, narrating the scene in the know-it-all, blase tone of voice that teens are known for. The ad ends with a VO encouraging parents to replace one snack a week with Yoplait, revealing perhaps that it’s proving difficult for parents to convince older children to make a complete switch to healthier snacks.

Moms find competition rather than community on Facebook

“More and more mothers are using Facebook as a platform to boast about their lives, their kids, their parenting techniques. And that’s making it harder and harder for moms like her to log on without getting slapped in the face.” – Tracey McCoy, Newsweek

According to a recent Newsweek article, moms have been flocking to Facebook to announce their children’s latest triumphs, whether it be great grades or successful naptimes. As a result, many are left feeling that the Facebook experience is less about community and more about competition. Annoyed and insecure moms have admitted that they’ve taken breaks from the social media site, de-friended acquaintances, and even deactivated their profiles. The modern mother’s experience on Facebook is certainly something to take note of as we work to expand our brand presence within this context.

Bringing a child’s dreams to life

Queenie Liao created captivating scenes around her sleeping baby, Wengenn, and then took photos that she compiled into a book called Wengenn in Wonderland. There are over 100 photos in all.

New OREO Commercial

Oreo recently launched a new campaign called “Wonderfilled”, which launched via flash mob in NY with a catchy tune, “I wonder if I gave an OREO to ______” and explores the idea of friendship and the joy that sharing an Oreo brings.

The latest installment is a dedicated “Happy Father’s Day” spot that is fIlled with child wonderment and celebrates the love between a father and daughter, it definitely warms the heart.

See more at http://www.oreo.com/wonderfilled

Internet Explorer: Children Of The 90’s

This video came out earlier in the year, but it is still on our Best Of 2013 list.

An anthemic and nostalgic yet modern snapshot of the generation that grew up with them, IE re-introduced itself to the world. Catching the eye of Generation Y, the vintage inspired look also caught the eyes of those younger who didn’t grow up with the platform.

All around, a strategic and compelling spot.

NEW SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM

Viddy was listed as one of the top 15 applications to watch this year by Mashable. The video equivalent of Instagram, users can record short videos, filter them and share online with their friends and family (facebook accessible). 

While their core demographic remains to be seen, it would not be surprising if this app becomes popular with moms, as we know they love social media and sharing snapshots/videos of their kids on a regular basis.