It’s that time of year when many of us are reflecting on the past 12 months, eager to make a fresh start and set new resolutions for the year ahead. And as we enter January with this positive outlook we often find brands aligning themselves with the collective mindset and aiming to capitalise on this.
It’s true that certain industries are best placed to take full advantage – those that fit well with our personal goals. The recruitment agency Reed for instance has just launched “its most ambitious candidate attraction drive [they’ve] ever undertaken,” building on the previous success of its Love Mondays campaign. Whilst Virgin Active looks to “shake up” the fitness industry with a “category defining” multi-million pound push that will see gym goers wearing exercise tracking wristbands in the not so distant future.
These are bold attempts by brands vying for the attention of ad-weary consumers. They posses instant shareability and talkability and most importantly they keep the engagement with consumers fresh and relevant as we enter the New Year.
Read on for examples…
Sport England has launched a hard-hitting fitness campaign encouraging women of all sizes to take up sport.
The campaign aims to unite women across the UK, harnessing their camaraderie and respect for each other. It is in response to research suggesting that many are afraid to exercise because of a fear of judgement.
Running across TV, OOH, cinemas and shopping centre screens, the ads feature real women (not models), who sweat and jiggle as they exercise. ‘Sweating like a pig, feeling like a fox’ and ‘I kick balls, deal with it’ are two of the hard-hitting lines used. On the campaign website the public can leave messages of encouragement for one another.
Agency: FCB Inferno, LONDON
To co-inside with the New Year healthy eating trend, Shredded Wheat aims to inspire people to ‘Live from the Heart’ with a documentary-style series. In the first short film, we hear from a middle-aged Northern Soul enthusiast looking to lead a healthier lifestyle so he can continue to follow his passion. Another is narrated by 59-year old wild-water swimmer Julie as she tells us about her love of the outdoors. An onpack promotion will run later this year to find the next Live from the Heart story.
Agency: McCann London
Virgin Atlantic kicked off the year with a new global brand proposition - ‘Let it Fly.’ The customer centric approach has a clear message - the world doesn’t come to you so go to it. The campaign is centred on a TV and cinema ad that follows the story of one man travelling to pitch his business idea. It skilfully captures the attention of both business and pleasure-seekers encouraging them to follow their dreams.
Agency: adam&eveDDB, London
In an unusual departure for a fitness brand, Reebok has made the comparison between humans and chickens in its latest spot. Free Range is a captivating ad that encourages people to escape a culture of monotonous, uninspiring and inactive lifestyles and instead opt for a lifelong commitment to exercise.
Agency: Venables Bell & Partners, San Francisco
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