Let’s be honest, August has been a tough month so far. With endless heatwaves and ever-rising prices, it’s more important than ever for brands to cut through the noise with a product that we actually want to spend our disposable income on. How do they do that? Through campaigns.

Campaigns are a much more thought out process than most viewers may think. It can take months of time and effort to whip up a super simple ad campaign. Post campaign we are left wondering - Does it make sense? Does it have an impact on our lives? Is it reactive to current situations? Is it making a difference in the space? And importantly, would we invest in the brand after seeing it?

If you’re answering no to the above questions, it’s time to go back to the drawing board. You’re not ‘just selling a product’, you’re selling a lifestyle. People don’t just buy Nike because they’re the best shoes, they buy Nike because of the name’s worth, and that’s got a whole lot more impact.

So, let’s take a look at my favourite campaigns from this month…

MERCEDES

We all know and love Mercedes, but with more and more car brands heading into electric vehicles, they were starting to fall behind in the space. It was time to cut through the noise and put them back at the forefront of consumers' minds.

Being most recognisable for their logo, Mercedes knew exactly what they had to do. Their Nature or Nothing campaign recreates their logo out of just a circle and nature imagery, promoting not only the more sustainable effect it has on the environment, but also the damage it can cause from human disruption. Clever, right?

Does anyone else now go round looking for the same logo in everyday life? No, just me?...

HEINEKEN

Now, technically this advert was from late July, but since we didn’t do a July recap, it would be rude to not include this one, so just pretend for me, would ya?

Working back in the office has become a daily ritual for most of us, and we’re all guilty of getting that bit of extra work done after hours - “since we’re here anyway, it’ll help lift the load of tomorrow”. This, my friend, is unhealthy.

Heineken is shedding light on late night workers with little to no work-life balance. Projecting huge images of employees working late onto the outside of office buildings, paired with the release of ‘The Closer’. This handy little bottle opener is so much more than meets the eye, not only will it open your beer (obviously) it will also close all your work apps for it to work. Yep, you read that right, this little machine will stop you from overworking and instead begin your after work fun. Where do I invest?

SAATCHI & SAATCHI

We’ve all been keeping up with the Roe vs Wade case in the US, but it’s Saatchi & Saatchi who made a real impact with their recreation of the 1970 Health Education Council ad.

Challenging men to think differently about the way they may vote for the bill, and putting them in the seat of impact, with black and white imagery and vintage clothing, Saatchi & Saatchi made a beautiful synergy between the old-fashioned ad and the old-fashioned ways of thinking with Roe vs Wade.

An effective campaign, worth the shout out.

IKEA

Reactive campaigns are what Ikea does best, and this month was no exception. Reacting to the non-stop heatwaves, Ikea launched their new summer collection disguised as ice creams and ice-lollies to stay ‘Fresh’.

Plastering these images across OOH billboards, they definitely caught the eye of shoppers, myself included.

As the months fly by, the biggest marketing season of the year is coming up fast, and we can’t wait to see what campaigns brands have in-store to break the internet, boost their sales and set them on track for a groundbreaking 2023.

With August already ticked off the list, what brand campaigns are you looking forward to seeing for the rest of 2022?

Let’s discuss.