Columbia Sportswear, Google Pixel 10 and more: top new creative ads

Every week, I attempt to publish a curated listed to top new creative ads. This week, ads from Columbia Sportswear, Google Pixel 10 and more.

Columbia Sportswear: Engineered for whatever

My memory of Columbia Sportswear’s ads are of their print ads from the 1990s. Even though I am not their core target audience, the brand carries premium imagery and aspiration. Their latest ad has created a lot of buzz in social media for good. The new brand platform ‘Engineered for Whatever’ is anchored on the brand’s heritage of gear testing making it suitable for extreme weather conditions. The creative idea takes the perception that nature is sweet and beautiful by juxtaposing with the nasty & real side of it.

Agency: adam&eveDDB

The static media creatives have some great lines – loved the climate denier one.

Center fresh: overthinking

Some ads evoke the ‘I have been in that situation’ feeling. A new campaign from Center fresh appeals to the over-thinker in all of us. The link to the product and what it does to overcome the problem of over-thinking is tenuous. Nevertheless, a couple of fun situations around the concept.

Agency: Ogilvy

Trident: try different

As I said, creating ads for categories where there’s hardly any product difference, such as confectionaries is hard work: the pressure is almost always on the creative teams to deliver the magic. A new campaign for Trident chewing gum, claims the product is different (and no one is likely to ask how) which then triggers a different kind of behaviour. The onus is then on the story being told. A couple of short, snappy spots deliver the message.

Agency: FCB

GTR Thameslink: every stop is a story

Brands in many categories tell a generic story. What is claimed as a feature or benefit can be applicable to many others brands in the category. GTR Thamelink tells two charming stories of chance discovery of new experiences, new people and new bondings with a claim ‘every stop tells a story’.

Google Pixel 10: wait

Competitors of Apple products have always seen the brand as a punching bag – right from the days of ‘wars’ with Windows. Samsung joined the bandwagon after the launch of the iPhone. Google too has taken several digs at Apple, the latest being a teaser ad for Pixel 10. It calls out, rightly so, the under-delivery of Apple in AI and Apple Intelligence in particular. The tone of voice is just right – not too nasty or pompous.

TESCO: print ad for adjustable hems

Print ads with an idea, copywriters & art directors working together on an idea delivery print ads with some charm: all of these are still a thing (thankfully) in the UK.