Work of the Week: 12/09/25
KFC Thailand - Baby Sanders Collection
Chosen by Sunna Coleman, Asia reporter
For avid collectors, the feeling of completing a set must be so, so satisfying. In celebration of Colonel Sanders’ birthday, KFC Thailand released the 'Baby Sanders Collection', a limited-edition set of six figurine characters, each capturing a different aspect of the Colonel’s personality including charm, playfulness, and mischief.
In a humorous accompanying film, we follow a fan who is one collectible away from completing his set. As his desire to find the final collectible becomes all-consuming, he begins to see reminders of the missing piece everywhere. From glaringly obvious gaps in bookshelves and paving stones to a gap on a games board and in someone's teeth. He sees missing pieces everywhere, driving him more and more crazy. Does he ever get the feeling of satisfaction? You'll have to watch the film to find out.
Chery - Drive Further
Chosen by Zara Naseer, EMEA reporter
This ad is short and sweet, so I’ll keep my commentary the same. Aussie car brand Chery has spotlighted its impressive range (1,200km) through the despair it brings kids – because no service station stops means no service station snacks.
For me, this is a great example of an ad not overstaying its welcome. Its 30-second run-time packs just the right amount of comedy: the kid’s acting (10/10), the slo-mo shots, the dramatic yearning of the song lyrics. Nice one, Dentsu Creative Australia!
Graza - Good in anything.
Chosen by Ben Conway, Americas reporter
OK, I admit I might be pushing it a little by including this today; Graza's new work created by Quality Meats did start running last month. But now that both films are live, and with the benefit of seeing the full scope of the OOH, it seems to me an excellent time to sing its praises.
I adore this campaign - the olive oil brand's most ambitious to-date, and its debut out-of-home work. To announce the launch of its new glass bottles, Graza reminded customers that it's what's inside that counts, showing its oil being poured onto a multitude of dishes from various bizarre vessels.
The avant-garde visuals aside - framed by that eye-catching green fluorescence in both the OOH and the surreal films directed by Common People's Morgan Harary - it's the simple yet clever double-entendre tagline that truly makes this sizzle. 'Good in anything'? I'd say it's great.
Tubi - Free Forever
Chosen by Aysun Bora, Germany reporter
The ad-supported streaming service Tubi takes a clever approach in its new ad campaign, "threatening" its fictional characters with the ultimate punishment: being "free forever." The clips are short, sharp, and showcase a variety of protagonists and genres. By playfully referencing the rising subscription costs of its competitors, Tubi brilliantly positions its own competitive edge with wit and creativity. The result is a genuinely witty and memorable piece of work.
Honda - The Bored Cam
Chosen by Paul Monan, head of creative excellence
Maybe it's because my summer holidays are over and I'm already nostalgic for travelling. Or maybe it's because our Immortals jury days are coming up and I'll be spending plenty of time in airports in the next few months. This one - 'The Bored Cam' from Honda and DDB Paris - left a real impression on me this week. The campaign juxtaposes the often-delay-ridden, often-uncomfortable-boredom of airports with the freedom that two wheels and the open road offers travellers. Sure, you can't always replace a flight with a ride on a motorbike, especially if you're not travelling solo. But you can aspire to travel differently. The black and white film is a woozy blend of stills - shot by the phenomenal Ale Burset - and video footage, whilst the DOOH cleverly uses colour to contrast the glumness of airport gates against the freedom promised by the bikes (which offer the only splashes of colour in the campaign). And the line, "Traveling Isn't About Waiting to Arrive", is smart.
Nike - Why Do It?
Chosen by Jordan Won Neufeldt, Canada reporter
’Why do it?... You could give everything you have and still lose.’
In a beautiful celebration of all the mental resilience that goes into playing sports and competing, Nike and Wieden+Kennedy Portland have eloquently captured a question which runs through the mind of every athlete (or at least, probably does). Speaking personally, this is something I repeatedly asked myself as a teenager, going to (football – the kind you actually play with your feet) practice four times a week, and before heading to matches. And, all these years later, it’s still something I contemplate before attending my weekend rec league games. Why do I do this – eat painful, crunching tackles week after week, and risk the heartbreak of defeat or executional failure? Because I can, and because I, like many others, love that pursuit for moments which truly matter, where it all pays off.
All of these sentiments (and so much more) are exactly what Iconoclast directors Vania & Muggia have captured here. It’s both visually-striking and emotionally-resonant work, brought to life through Tyler, the Creator’s excellent narrative tone. Somehow, it highlights all the mental fortitude that goes into being an athlete at the highest level, yet simultaneously speaks to the common competitor. Yes, the answer to ‘Why do it?’ might be different for every person, but the question, and the insight backing it, is universal. That’s powerful advertising, through and through.
Netflix - The Thursday Murder Club
Chosen by Zhenya Tsenzharyk, UK editor
The phenomenon of 'The Thursday Murder Club', the debut novel from TV presenter Richard Osman, spawned a new subgenre: cosy crime. Five years on, it's a Netflix feature film with a star-studded cast. How to promote a cinematic story about four pensioners investigating a mysterious murder? Turn to the medium of knitting, was the answer from the agency Meanwhile.
The team followed the story's narrative yearn and landed on two tactile OOH ideas, a knitted billboard and knitted postbox toppers that popped up at the film's premiere and in some of Britain's quaintest, cosiest towns. While the billboard was produced with the technical expertise from Dentsu Posterscope, the toppers are a true DIY affair as Meanwhile reached out to the knitting community for help. It's this DIY, communal aspect that I really loved in that it engaged the film's target audience while making their craft the star of the campaign to attract new viewers in the process. Plus, the postbox as media space feels like a genuinely fresh idea.
BBC - Made of Here
Chosen by Abi Lightfoot, Americas reporter
I’ll admit to being a super sentimental person. It’s probably why this campaign, ‘Made of Here’ from BBC Creative really pulled me in this week. Directed by Newcastle born director Dan Emmerson through Somesuch, the spot delicately weaves some of the BBC’s most well known narratives and characters together through regions, from Liverpool to Barry, and from Thomas Shelby to Del Boy.
It really makes you think about some of the BBC’s most well-loved, familiar faces, and realise just how deeply they are woven into the footprints of the towns and cities that inspired them. The soundtrack, a version of ‘My Home’ by singer songwriter Myles Smith, is reimagined by Alex Baranowski for this two minute film, and really does its bit in pulling on audiences’ heartstrings too.
KIND - Squirrel Insurance
Chosen by Alex Reeves, managing editor, EMEA
There is absolutely nothing wrong with handing out free samples of a tasty snack. I hear it’s a strategy that’s still going strong for more illicit products than nut-based bars. But there are creative ways to amplify the impact of this simple act. And McCann Canada has found one. Building on a squirrel-based campaign from earlier in the year, KIND offered insurance policies to people in the park, protecting them from the risk of bushy-tailed rodents relieving them of their snack bars. It turned a simple bit of direct marketing into a quirky moment that could live on social channels and provoke a bit of cheeky silly news to break up the media cycle. It’s a bit of fun.
Burger King - Not Made By Gordon
Chosen by Olivia Atkins, EMEA Editor
It’s not every day a fast-food brand features a world-famous chef, and while Gordon Ramsay never actually touches the burger, his presence lends an unexpected sense of quality and refinement to how Burger King presents its food. By keeping him just out of the kitchen, the campaign positions the brand’s Wagyu burger as something that looks and tastes chef-made, while staying proudly Burger King. Gordon doesn’t feel out of place here either and he quickly becomes an unlikely beloved brand ambassador, elevating the story, without overshadowing the product.
Australian Marine Conservation Society - Fragile Oceans
Chosen by Alex Reeves, managing editor, EMEA
When you live in the city, the catastrophe facing creatures that live in the sea doesn’t always feel that catastrophic. But this campaign from ABEL for the Australian Marine Conservation Society puts the plight of turtles, whales, octopuses into our everyday setting. Through the potent combination of impressive VFX turning the creatures to delicate shapes of water, a heartbreaking track from Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, and the voiceover chops of Melanie Zanetti (AKA Bluey’s mum), it drives home the fragility of marine life. A brilliant example of the sum of various crafty parts adding up to some serious emotional heft.
Lime - Good Service on All Limes
Chosen by Tará McKerr, Americas reporter
What a smart moment this is. While tube workers strike and chaos reigns on the London Underground, Lime leans in. The ‘Good Service on All Limes’ campaign by The Or toes the line between cheeky and essential, twisting Tube line names into Lime-puns, it reminds commuters that when the rails go quiet, Lime keeps on rolling.The stats prove the point – during strike days, Lime saw over 50% more e-bike and e-scooter trips in the morning peak than the week before. Journeys weren’t just more frequent, they were longer too – people using Lime as a full commute option, not just a last-mile patch.It’s a timely, witty reminder that good service sometimes comes on two wheels.
DFS - Thingception
Chosen by April Summers, North America features lead
The latest chapter of DFS’ brand platform ‘What’s Your Thing?’ is an interior design based take on the much loved movie Inception. The mind-bending journey centres around a female protagonist who is yet to find her ‘style thing’. But, sure enough, DFS is on hand to help out, guiding her through a series of surreal rooms and style choices. Directed by Bradley & Pablo at PRETTYBIRD and created by Will Bingham, Victoria Daltrey, Matt Fitch and Mark Lewis at Pablo, this ad is exciting and stylish – exactly what the brand wants you to feel ahead of a trip to one of their stores. The suite of social and digital content created by Jungle Creations is an added bonus that had me giggling. With this work, DFS makes the prospect of discovering your own unique style feel like an adventure awaiting you at furniture retailers around the country.
Motion Sickness – Karangahape Returns
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Chosen by Tess Connery-Britten, news and features editor AUNZ
The sight of a once-busy street peppered with closed or run down shops, or absent of the bustling foot traffic it was known for, has become more common post-pandemic. Such is the case for Auckland’s Karangahape Road (known colloquially as K Road).
In an effort to revitalise the strip – voted one of the ‘world’s coolest streets’ by ‘Time Out’ – Motion Sickness has created a pop up called Karangahape Returns, where punters can use receipts to buy one-of-a-kind items that celebrate the road.
It’s a neighbourhood-first loyalty scheme that rewards locals while injecting much-needed life (and economic activity) back into the area.
Equally important is the way the project gives back to the community. From pasta water from Coco’s Cantina to a full tattoo voucher from local artist Thom Hinton, every item on offer is a reference to the people and history of K Road.
The work blurs the line between campaign and art project, and positions Motion Sickness as more a creative studio than ad agency. The indie is known for big ideas that surprise us, and this is no different - now, how to get to K Road in the next fortnight?
