Work of the Week: 10/07/26
TWIX – Double Act
Chosen by Zara Góralczyk, writer, editorial strategy
Potentially the most unanimous pick this week is TWIX, adam&eve\TBWA, and Dougal Wilson’s dummy duet, the latest in the ‘Two Is More Than One’ platform. The song is what hooked me first: Nelly and Kelly Rowland’s ‘Dilemma’ packs a punch of nostalgia. And I appreciate that they’ve honoured the original while sprinkling in some extra pizzazz, from the 52 second mark in particular. That ventriloquist has got vocals – the harmonies!
Then there are all the silly details. The singing while he takes a bite. The sax. The explosive pyrotechnics blowing back the audience’s hair. Pure, weird fun plus a great track equals memorable, to me.
It’s a talent show I’d have liked to attend. And it looks like KFC’s crooner this week was the next act.
KFC – Surrender to Tender
Chosen by Alex Reeves, managing editor, EMEA
In a relentlessly loud world, I am very relieved for a weird yet calm and beautiful musical moment. I love that KFC and Mother London have leaned into a literal pun on chicken tenders and tender music to launch their new range. And what a track to cover too. My love for The Cranberries only grows.
Bringing in YouTube sensation Frank Watkinson to perform an acoustic cover of 'Linger', beautifully shot on film in one shot by Jonathan Alaric, is the kind of craft that our industry falls over itself to congratulate. His soothing voice makes you actually feel as tender as a perfectly fried piece of chicken.
It is a delightfully restrained pivot. One of those mindful breaths that are increasingly welcome. I hope people beyond our world love it too. I just hope this unexpected softness does not mean the end of the edgy cult vibes Mother has been building around its wider 'Believe in Chicken' brand platform.
National Geographic – See Things You Could Only Imagine
Chosen by Ben Conway, reporter, Americas
Terri & Sandy’s first work for the National Geographic Society is a physical manifestation of the organisation’s 138-year mission to protect the wonder of our world. A colossal OOH takeover of the D.C. metro system, the campaign spreads the brand’s iconic yellow border throughout the network’s stations, taking commuters on a journey of discovery.
'See Things You Could Only Imagine' does exactly that, visualising many awe-inspiring yet previously intangible factoids within the brand’s existing visual language. The yellow lines of the famous rectangular symbol become timelines, units of distance and frames for the new museum’s exhibits, giving passersby just a taste of the intrigue that awaits them in the city’s latest educational attraction.
Phoebe Bridgers – Lost Boys
Chosen by Zhenya Tsenzharyk, managing editor, editorial strategy
Phoebe Bridgers is back with her first solo single in six years, ‘Lost Boys’ from the upcoming album ‘Lost Weekend’. That’s a big deal to me – a fan of hers and her supergroup, boygenius – as well as everyone who “used to drown their Sims,” per the wise words of my friend and colleague, Tará McKerr.
The accompanying video, directed by Lance Oppenheim and Pablo Rochat with production from Biscuit, is a mini-epic exploring the desire to leave behind the mundane. A gas station cashier, played by Skyler Gisondo, manifests an escapist fantasy of joining a troupe of vagabonds led by an elven Phoebe. OG 'RuneScape' gameplay features and the video ends with Phoebe and Skyler inside a vintage-looking game walking away side-by-side.
While Phoebe reached out to Lance (the two recently working together on his upcoming film, ‘Primetime’) with ideas for a video with LARPing elements, he pitched the ren faire angle from his experience directing the HBO documentary aptly titled ‘Ren Faire’. I loved how much heart the story has and the way the visuals weave between the literalism of the lyrics and fantastical imagery, capturing a very relatable feeling to live a life far more fantastical than the one at hand.
Qiao Fu Da Yuan – The Harvest Bowl
Chosen by Laura Swinton Gupta, editor-in-chief
There’s a Chinese proverb that goes along the lines of "When eating rice, remember the farmer who grew it” (“吃饭不忘种谷人 “). It’s the sort of thing parents say to children to teach them gratitude. Here, Mother Shanghai and premium rice brand Qiao Fu Da Yuan ties together farmer and diner with a project designed to draw attention to the rich farming heritage of the brand’s native region of Wuchang, in Heilongjian Province.
Together with the School of Design & Art at Jingdezhen Ceramic University, they’ve created a rice bowl that fuses together fragments of antique rice bowls from significant periods of Chinese history, starting in the neolithic period. The shards are fused together using gold and the final piece is elegant and highly covetable. As well as the central exhibition piece, there’s also a limited run of 200 handcrafted bowls available, and the team has created a film featuring a conversation between farmer and ceramicist. Timeless, ancient and yet incredibly modern, it’s a project that’s steeped in Chinese culture and executed with elegance.
Ford – Driving America Forward
Chosen by Scarlett Sherriff, reporter, EMEA
In Washington D.C., the heart of the USA, the foundational city that is home to the Library of Congress and the White House itself, Ford has created a museum as a nod to its historic role in US identity and history.
Located at the grand Union Station, the exhibition displays iconic models from across the car manufacturer's history in a thematic narrative. Available for the public to freely explore for two weeks until July 14th, it is a stylish way to mark the USA’s America 250 celebrations, and for the brand to cement itself in the next chapter of the country’s history (whatever that may entail).
LEGO – FIFA World Cup Trophy at Rockefeller Plaza
Chosen by Sunna Coleman, reporter, Asia
Built with more than 1.36 million LEGO bricks, the world's biggest FIFA World Cup Trophy has been unveiled at Rockefeller Plaza, New York. It took a team of 59 designers, engineers, model builders and technicians from the LEGO Group's Model Production facility in the Czech Republic eight months to develop and assemble the trophy, putting in over 7,000 hours of work.
Whether you're a football fan or not, it's hard not to appreciate the time and talent that went into its creation. And at 8,47 metres high, there's no doubt it'll draw attention and spark conversation.
Way Out West – Real Fake Tickets
Chosen by Cathy Meyer-Funnell, reporter, EMEA
I pride myself on my organisational skills but sadly by April this year I had already missed out on tickets to see some of the biggest pop girlies perform in London’s Victoria Park this summer (fingers crossed for resale).
Even if you’re not a Lorde or Zara Larsson fan you will no doubt understand the mad scramble for tickets for your favourite artist, the tension of waiting in the virtual queue and the thrill of obtaining the goods. To then realise you’ve been scammed would be genuinely devastating.
Enter Way Out West Festival and NORD, who have joined forces to invite music fans and scam victims to share their stories.The 'Real Fake Tickets' initiative asks those who were scammed out of tickets to see one of the artists performing on this year’s festival bill to talk about their experience. A lucky few will then receive a free pass to the festival in Gothenburg to be able to see their artist of choice perform after all.
It’s a campaign strategy that ticks all the boxes: it addresses a very real problem, offers a thoughtful solution, and raises awareness so that other fans can avoid the same pitfalls. Plus the line up for Way Out West looks incredible if anyone’s pining for the lack of Glastonbury this year.
Michelob ULTRA – ULTRA Turnaround
Chosen by Jordan Won Neufeldt, Canada reporter
As a huge fan of soccer/football, I’ve often wondered what it would be like to serve as a match steward. On the one hand, you’re right there in the action, soaking up crowd reactions, and getting an experience that many – at least on paper – would envy. But, when you have to spend the whole 90 minutes of play staring at the stands, not allowed to turn around? I can’t help but feel it’d be agonising.
Clearly, the latter is a sentiment that Michelob ULTRA and BBDO New York agree with, because here, they tracked down three American stewards from the 1994 World Cup (the last one on US soil, prior to 2026), and finally invited them to spectate. Sending them to the match on June 25th at Los Angeles Stadium – initially under the guise of filming a documentary about their 1994 experience – it’s hard not to feel a little emotional at the reactions of Craig Winans, Miguel Mouchess, and Timothy Sanders when they finally get their just deserts.
RNLI - Float
Chosen by Tara McKerr, reporter, Americas
There’s little as inviting as the Irish Sea on a balmy summer's day. But anyone who’s been caught in choppy waters will tell you that things can change in an instant, and the urge to panic pulls strong.
This film from Banjoman director Dermot Malone follows a teenage boy through the typical rhythm of an Irish summer, signposted by romance, GAA, sea swimming and the like. When losing control in the water, the boy remembers the life-saving advice, that one should ‘Float to Live’.
Instead of demonising the activity, the work safeguards it. Embedded within a human narrative, the creators hope the advice will come to mind when people need it most.
DiDi – Sore Loser Saver
Chosen by Tom Loudon, AUNZ reporter
Nearly one in three AFL fans admit they have left a game early because their team was losing -- a statistic that DiDi has turned into a commercial opportunity with 'The Sore Loser Saver'.
Created by Sunday Gravy as part of the brand's official AFL partnership, the campaign rewards fans who stay until the final siren with cheaper rides, while those who leave early pay a premium.
A simple application of behavioural economics, the campaign makes the brand feel like it genuinely understands fan culture. By linking ride pricing to loyalty and using Sheedy's authentic curmudgeonliness as its weapon, DiDi has found a way to be useful, memorable and culturally resonant all at once.
