A Week in Creative: Dettol’s messy copy and Specsavers’ Barnard Castle eye test
Welcome to ’A Week in Creative,’ a handpicked selection of the most interesting campaigns to come out of The Drum’s Creative Works in the past week. If this list doesn't quench your creative thirst, then please visit the 'A Week in Creative' hub.
Cold Turkey
Too much of a ’good’ thing is never a good idea. Did you know that the Royal Society of Public Health found social media is more addictive than smoking and alcohol?
This is why the cosmetic retailer Lush teamed up with Spirit Studios, alongside influencers Zoe Suggs (Zoella) and Jordan Stephens (Rizzle Kicks) to devise one whole day to turn it all off. On 5 September, Digital Detox Day took place, where people were encouraged to step away from their phones to raise awareness about the damaging effects social media can have on people’s mental health.
Sterile copywriting
Spotted across London Tube Spots, Dettol has got itself in a bit of a mess after commuters shared their disdain for what they deemed ’cringe’ copywriting.
With workers slowly but surely heading back to the office, the disinfectant brand hopped on the opportunity to showcase how its product can help keep offices free from infection. However, the tone in which it chose to voice that message fell a little flat, with people left debating whether the ads were meant to be tongue-in-cheek.
Attempting to make the return to the office a lighthearted affair, the ad lists off various snippets of ’relatable’ things commuters may have missed over the last six months in lockdown, such as too much coffee, the ’second family’, watercooler conversation, buzzwords and banter.
Music and podcast playdate
After snatching the rights to the Joe Rogan Experience from the hands of its competitors, this year Spotify has been charging ahead with its podcast strategy. Marking its first global campaign this year (covering 16 markets globally) the focus is, of course, podcasts.
’Music, Meet Podcasts’ features artists and podcasters alike, from Tove Lo to Calvin Harris and Michelle Obama to Esther Perel.
Should have gone to Barnard Castle
Although many a joke was made at Dominic Cummings’ expense, that he ’Should have gone to Specsavers’ when testing his eyesight on that trip to Barnard Castle, the high street optician has kept surprisingly quiet.
Now, a couple of months down the line, a visitor at Barnard Castle realised that Specsavers had hilariously taken advantage of the media space on the back of parking tickets at Barnard Castle, offering those visiting the now-infamous attraction in County Durham a ’free eye test.’
This is just the tip of the iceberg, so if this dose of creativity leaves you thirsty for more, please drop in at The Drum's Creative Works – the home of creative from all around the globe. You can also subscribe to The Drum's creative newsletter or browse our round-up here.
