Work of the Week: 03/10/25
OpenAI - ChatGPT
Chosen by April Summers, North America features lead
I was so curious to see how OpenAI would approach their biggest ad campaign yet.
As a brand somewhat enveloped by intrigue, I was interested to see what aspect of the artificial intelligence world it would choose to lead with. Would the aesthetic be fully futuristic and tech-forward? Would it feel high-octane and high-tech? Would it educate us or announce new features? Nope, nope and nope. OpenAI has taken this opportunity to lean on user insights and the “everyday magic” of ChatGPT, leading with “humanity, creativity, and a clear focus on people.”
Having spoken to Charlotte Arnold, co-founder of Blacksmith, about the post house’s involvement on the project, I was already aware that these films were shot on film. But I didn’t know how beautiful they’d be or how perfectly shot. Dropping viewers “into the final scene of a movie," each film is framed like the closing credits scenes of a feature film. Produced by SMUGGLER and director Miles Jay, each scenario is relatable, shot with the sort of soft focus reserved for the fondest memories which play out in our minds' eye. This softness is emotive, it feels tangible, it feels important – and crucially, it feels human. Regardless of what we think about the future of AI, we can see ourselves in the here and now of the artificial intelligence we are faced with.
Change the Ref - 30 Under 30
Chosen by Zhenya Tsenzharyk, UK editor
This week, the news broke of yet another mass shooting in the US. The Guardian article reporting on the events cited a shocking statistic: as of Sunday, the 271st day of 2025, there had been more than 320 mass shootings in the US, according to the non-partisan Gun Violence Archive. Also this week, the gun reform organisation Change The Ref teamed up with creative agency Founders and former Rolling Stone editor Alan Light to reach the attendees of Forbes' 30 Under 30 Summit with 10,000 copies of a magazine that subverts the '30 under 30' listicle format by featuring 30 young people who lost their lives to gun violence in America. The magazine will also be distributed on the steps of the US Capitol and be sent to key media outlets.
For the founders of Change the Ref, Manuel and Patricia Oliver, the issue is deeply personal. Their son, Joaquín ‘Guac’ Oliver, was shot in the 2018 Parkland mass shooting. By telling the stories of all the lives lost – and with them, all the futures and possibilities – the magazine attempts to make the grief material and difficult to brush off or ignore. I don't have anything clever to say about this, nor do I want to. Gun violence remains the leading cause of death for children and teens in the US – anyone who's trying to address the issue and campaigns for gun reform deserves our attention and then some.
DoorDash - Your Door to More
Chosen by Jordan Won Neufeldt, Canada reporter
Highlighting a brand’s services whilst informing consumers of recently-expanded offerings is not the easiest undertaking for any agency. Sure, the task of getting information across doesn’t seem that complex on paper, but to do so in a way that actually sticks in the memory and doesn’t come off like an infomercial? Slightly harder, to say the least.
This is something that DDB Sydney has masterfully pulled off on behalf of DoorDash this week – a fitting result for the brand’s biggest Australian marketing campaign to date. Expanding on DoorDash’s global positioning, ‘Your Door to More’, the work, directed by Jeff Low, features an assortment of garrulous delivery bags – brought to life through animatronic puppetry from MEG – discussing everything from what they’re carrying to whether or not they’ve been brought to ALDI yet. Dry, witty, yet surprisingly insightful for people who might be looking for convenient, expansive delivery options, it all comes together in refreshing fashion – something consumers will undoubtedly appreciate for its ability to stand out against other category competitors.
Xfinity - Imagine That
Chosen by Zara Naseer, EMEA reporter
Frankenstein’s monster wasn’t really a monster. He was just a lonely, rejected being in need of connection. ‘Internet connection, perhaps?’ suggests Comcast’s Xfinity.
I derived great pleasure from watching the green-skinned creature learn how to be a real boy from streaming ‘Love Island’, cutting his signature micro bangs along with a social media tutorial, and laughing away while videocalling a mummy. The edit lends a good deal of comedy – the cut from him ominously eyeing an old woman’s hen to him following a Korean fried chicken recipe video is a literal chef’s kiss.
A lot of effort was put into the production. Universal Pictures and the Universal Parks team were enlisted to help rebuild Dr. Frankenstein’s medieval lab from the ‘Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment' ride at Epic Universe’s Dark Universe, and the park’s make-up and prosthetic artists faithfully reinvented the creature’s iconic look.
Wholesome, Halloween fun.
Six Flags - Come Out and Play
Chosen by Alex Reeves, managing editor, EMEA
Listen, it’s not for everyone, being chased around a theme park by actors trying their best to haunt your worst nightmares for years to come. But I think it is for me. It’s certainly a favoured pastime of my better half. So I am very much in the crosshairs of this campaign for theme park company Six Flags’ annual scream-fest.
Developed by TMA, part of Omnicom, the film unveils Smiley, a menacing figure lurking in the dark, while spotlighting the park’s night-time attractions, from haunted mazes and scare zones to rides running late into the night. It builds on last year’s acclaimed ‘Tick.Tick.Tick.’, reinforcing Six Flags’ hunger for long-form branded horror.
Seven minutes is a long time to sit through a slightly jokey arthouse horror-style film, but I didn’t mind. There are a couple of moments towards the end that make it all worth it. And I applaud everyone involved for taking the campaign to such a dark place. It’s appropriate. I can totally see how shorter cuts of the film will work on social, showing off just how chilling and thrilling a spooky-season visit to Six Flags could be. I want to go.
Sandisk - Memory Man
Chosen by Ben Conway, Americas reporter
I’m a big fan of Sandisk’s new approach to entering the creative conversation. As a technology company that designs and manufactures flash memory products, it stands to reason that many creators of all types – videographers, photographers, VFX artists – rely on their memory sticks, hard drives and more to store and protect the work they make. And so, their recent marketing’s increased proximity to the creative process is not just natural, but welcome – especially when they make something as adorable as ‘Memory Man’.
’Memory Man’ is more than a mascot. He’s a functioning camera, a character for creators to collaborate with, and a walking-talking product demo for Sandisk’s Creator Series drives. Created by agency CALLEN and production company 1stAveMachine, Memory Man is very cute. Let’s make that clear. But it’s how he’s deployed in the real world, appearing in creators’ content while simultaneously filming behind-the-scenes footage for Sandisk’s own marketing, that brings this idea – and this charming new character – to life.
AAMI - Driving Test
Chosen by Tom Loudon, AUNZ Reporter
The sounds of honking horns or flashes of speed cameras have become the default language of road safety, where punishment often overshadows praise.
In an effort to reframe the conversation, AAMI and Leo Australia launched a national competition turning safe driving into a high-stakes sport, pitting Zoomers against Boomers and truckies against tradies for the title of Australia's safest driver.
The data-first initiative rewards careful behaviour while injecting a dose of healthy competition into the daily commute. Equally important is the way the project leverages natural rivalries, with state-against-state and blonde-versus-brunette, digital leaderboards will fan the flames of competition, transforming careful cornering and smooth braking into points of pride.
The work blurs the line between a public service campaign and a national tournament, positioning AAMI as more of a coach than an insurer. The agency is known for big, behavioural ideas that surprise us, and this is no different.
Heineken - Rooftop Revival
Chosen by Laura Swinton, editor-in-chief
Isn’t it handy when you find your brand assets just laying about, out there in the world, just begging for a logo? Heineken had just such a stroke of luck with their new campaign. In South Korea, rooftops are painted with a bright green polyurethane paint to keep them waterproof and protect buildings from extremes of weather and temperature. Add a red parasol in the shape of the Heineken star, and some stunning aerial photography by Tom Hegen and – boom! – lovely.
It’s part of Heineken’s wider push to help people connect in the real world. In the Rooftop Revival campaign, LePub identified that over half of city dwellers in London, Seoul, Tokyo, New York, Paris and Sydney often feel lonely, and that 49% of people questioned in Seoul said the city doesn’t encourage social interaction. To remedy that Heineken held a series of events (including an intimate set from K-Pop Icon DINO, an art workshop and a food testing) across some of those distinctive green rooftops. The locations were shared via satellite imagery and 8,000 Seoulites applied for invitations, evidence that the brand had tapped into a real appetite for connection.
For us, it’s the gorgeous photography that has been used in digital out of home advertising across Seoul that really sings.
Tesco Ireland - It’s Not a Little Thing, It’s Everything
Chosen by Abi Lightfoot, Americas reporter
”When did we start seeing food as mere fuel?” A question posed by BBH Dublin in its latest campaign for Tesco Ireland. Reframing food from a basic human need to a driver of connection, this thoughtful montage showcases the ways that food intersects and enriches our lives.
The campaign cleverly subverts Tesco’s well-known slogan, ‘Every Little Helps’ into ‘It’s not a little thing. It’s everything’, highlighting food’s presence through every moment of our lives, celebrating the joys of experimentation and the human need for comfort food and familiarity. The film is accompanied by out of home that shines a spotlight on one singular ingredient – from a hearty looking steak to a sun-ripened tomato – and the extensive list of culinary possibilities that each ingredient holds. It certainly tickled my tastebuds.
Sydney Morning Herald - Here’s to Reason
Chosen by Tará McKerr, Americas reporter
This one had the editorial team split right down the middle, with some strong dissenting voices over whether or not this work actually landed. While the jury is still out for some, this was a winner for me. The message pedestals nuance, the (on its way to being) lost art of critical thinking, application of context, and consideration of broad perspectives. It feels like we’re in a moment where headlines are taken as the whole story and the ability to hold multiple truths in one hand is a unique talent. ‘Here’s to Reason’ is brought to us by Publicis Worldwide Australia for the Sydney Morning Herald. Editor Luke McIlveen said, “At a time when the world’s most powerful man wants to sack comedians and pin autism on Panadol, reason is in short supply.” The main film is accompanied by an array of striking black-and-white out-of-home. We’d love to hear your thoughts and maybe settle this debate.
