Sete Léguas Staves Off Enemies of Feet

 

With an average temperature falling within the range of 63-84 degrees Fahrenheit (17-29 Celsius), it's no surprise that Brazilians are often found walking barefoot on the beach or decked out in their latest Havaianas.  But, just like any other country in the world, there are times when sandal-clad feet are just not appropriate.

In steps Sete Léguas (aka Seven Leagues), a brand of Brazilian boots with a reputation for safety. Consumers across Brazil are seen wearing these boots while working in hospitals, industrial kitchens, gas stations and farms. 

Question: How do you convince someone to protect their feet with Sete Léguas boots?

Answer: You create a stunning print and outdoor campaign that reminds consumers that their feet have a lot of enemies in the workplace.

No doubt, the beauty of this ad campaign breaks through the clutter, dreamily drawing you in to learn more.  The 2010 Cannes Lion International Festival agreed, awarding a bronze metal to Sete Léguas for this campaign.

Nikon Helps You Lose Yourself

Nikon and Cheil Worldwide earned a bronze medal in the 2010 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity with this print campaign, which aired in Seoul, Korea last year.

I think this campaign is brilliant in acting as a megaphone for a hardcore consumer insight, which is mainly this: When you are working hard to bring your vision to life, you get totally immersed in the moment. You become so focused that everything else around you fades from vision. And you will stop at nothing to get that perfect shot ... whether it involves climbing a wall, balancing yourself at a precarious angle, or even risking life and limb.

Nothing stands in the way of a perfect shot.

Brilliant consumer insights are often the most obvious of insights. Nikon merely acknowledges what any great photographer already knows ... that it's easy to lose yourself in your photography.

Attention-getting. Intriguing. Memorizing.

Well done Nikon.

Intuitive, Inspiring, Powerful. New Ipad 2

The new iPad 2 ....

 To a parent, it's intuitive...

To an artist, it's inspiring...

To a doctor, it's groundbreaking...

To a CEO, it's powerful...

 To a teacher, it's the future...

To a child, it's magic...

And if you ask Apple... 

We'd say it's just getting started.

Such is the copy behind the newest iPad 2 TV commercial.

In a recent analyst briefing, Apple Chief Financial Officer Peter Openheimer claimed they have sold every iPad 2 they have made.

iPad has rapidly moved from being a high-tech, innovative device idolized by those always in search of the "latest and greatest" to a device that is becoming ingrained in the lives of children.

Talk about an impressively rapid life cycle.

Subaru Fights Mediocrity ... With Mediocrity

Every so often an ad comes along that makes you stop and pay attention. I mean, stop and really pay attention.

Enter Subaru.

Subaru has chosen a tongue-and-cheek approach to prove that their Legacy is anything but vanilla. Their website touts the launch of a brand new car called .... Legacy? No, not exactly.

The new auto is called Mediocrity, a car that is defined as not extraordinary, but extra-ordinary. The announcer issues a challenge, "I dare you to look at this car and find something that stands out." Marily Reiter, Senior Vice President, Worldwide Product Development, declares: "Doors? Check. Windows? Check. Steering Wheel? Check. Bells and whistles? Not on my watch."  The site also invites participation from those that visit, allowing them to build their own car, painting it in various shades of beige, medium crumb and stale biscuit, harkening back to the days of Henry Ford when consumers were invited to select any color of automobile they wanted ... as long as it was black.

As you are exploring this website, you find yourself wondering who the sponsor is behind this incredibly professional, yet comical, marketing effort.

Looking up at the URL will lead you to the path of enlightenment. Or clicking on the arrow which reads "or click here if you don't subscribe to these principles at all" will take you into the Subaru Legacy site which promises to help you fight mediocrity.

Overall, I really like this campaign because of its intrigue and its declaration of independence from mediocrity.

My only concern is that you have to dig a bit to find where this campaign is leading and once you leave mediocrity behind and enter the Subaru site, there is nothing linking the spoofed campaign to the car. It left me a little sad. I went from being thoroughly entertained to just viewing another boring car ad.

In my mind, Subaru and their agency demonstrated some brilliant thinking with the launch of Mediocrity. But, unfortunately, I think they missed the mark on closing the loop on their final delivery.

Tropicana Is Wired To Have Fun

Oranges have long been thought of as a great addition to anyone's diet. Among other things, they are loaded with Vitamin C, providing tons of natural energy. 

Inspired by the natural goodness of oranges, Tropicana along with their agency partner DDB Paris, decided to take the concept of natural energy one step further.

Together, they created a billboard completely powered by oranges. Yes, you heard me right ... oranges.

Approximately 2,500 oranges were fastened to a wood billboard with zinc and copper spikes. The natural acidity of the orange juice dissolved the metals, causing the electrons to react and form an electrical current.

Voila! Oranges are transformed into electricity!

The Tropicana Energie Naturelle billboard is accompanied by a YouTube campaign which unveils the science behind making Tropicana's "beautiful sparks."

Inventive. Intriguing. Fun.

Anyone interested in buying an orange-powered hybrid?

"My Best Fit" Sizes Women Up

If you're anything like me, shopping for clothes isn't always such a great experience. You take several pieces of clothing - which are the same exact size - into the dressing room.  Some fit well. Some are too tight. Some are too loose.

How can clothing that is the same size have so much variability in the way they fit???

That is exactly the question a company called My Best Fit sought to find an answer to. After much effort and research, they are offering up a solution that is guaranteed to streamline the clothes buying process.

MyBestFit.com offers an easy three-step process to finding clothes from 30 major retailers, including American Eagle, Gap, Levis, Mavi, Old Navy, and Talbots, among others, that will be a perfect fit ... every time.

1) A body imaging system scans your fully clothed body for 10 seconds
2) Mybestfit™ matches your measurements to clothes that will fit your shape
3) A Shopping Guide recommends the best fitting styles for your body

Currently, this equipment is only available at the King of Prussia mall in Pennsylvania. But, the excitement it seems to be generating will likely lead to other installations in the near future.

The Foundation for a Better Life Passes It On

According to The Foundation for a Better Life, the values we live by are worth more when we pass them on. Their belief is that - at their core - all people are basically good.

But, unfortunately, all too often the pace of life takes over and we forget to pass on our goodness to others. Sometimes ... we just need a little reminder to open our minds and our hearts. 

The Foundation for a Better Life provides that reminder in their recent TV campaign.

What began as a kernel of a good idea has blossomed to global proportions. Feel-good ads like the ones on honesty and on offering encouragement to others are now seen in over 200 counties, in English, Spanish and Portuguese. Award-winning artists and writers like Garth Brooks, Kenny Chesney, Celine Dion, Aretha Franklin, Josh Groban, and Randy Travis have donated their music to this campaign ... promoting positive change around the world.

Viewers of the advertising are directed to The Foundation for a Better Life's website, Values.com, where messages of hope, love and encouragement are shared with readers.

In a time when our world news is dominated by disturbing images of war, deadly tales of natural disasters, and crimes of epic proportions, it is uplifting to see an organization enlighten and inspire us all.

So, instead of holding all your goodness inside your heart, take a lesson from The Foundation for a Better Life and pass on a piece of your kindness to others.