2024 is shaping up to be an exciting year for marketing, and Q2 has delivered some stellar campaigns. While we’ve all heard about the big’uns (we’re looking at you Blank Street x Sabrina Carpenter), here are some hidden gems you might not have seen…
Oslo Tourist Board: Is it even a city?
Hosted by Oslo’s grumpiest resident, Halfdan, this sarcastic ad seemingly criticises the city while inadvertently highlighting its best features. Starting with, “I wouldn’t come here to be honest,” Halfdan moans about the city’s walkability, the lack of queues at art galleries and the ease of getting a table at Michelin-starred restaurants – all of which are, of course, positives in disguise.
This campaign shines for its clever use of reverse psychology and dry humour. Instead of the usual glossy and overproduced visuals, the ad opts for a more down-to-earth style, showcasing Oslo’s charm. We absolutely love this tongue in cheek approach.
Next up is the genius PR stunt by NICE | B Corp, which hilariously tapped into the current buzz surrounding Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce.
As any Swiftie knows, where Taylor goes, Travis tends to follow, and the London leg of her Eras Tour was no exception. Just before her opening night at Wembley, “Travis” was spotted in a local Sainsbury’s buying several cans of NICE drinks. The sighting, captured on TikTok by a seemingly random passerby, quickly went viral, racking up over 1.1 million views and even getting a mention on Capital Radio.
But here’s the twist: a follow-up TikTok revealed the true identities behind the video. The TikToker was actually NICE’s Marketing Manager, and the supposed Travis Kelce? Well, he was just another team member who looked uncannily like the Kansas City Chiefs player.
This brilliant stunt shows the power of UGC and was so effective that it even earned a feature in British Vogue. The total cost? Just a few £2.50 NICE Sauvignon Blanc cans. Well played, NICE.
Reiss x Looking For a Man in Finance
“I’m looking for a man in finance. Trust fund. 6’5. Blue eyes.” Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you will have heard this viral TikTok sound.
Millions of people jumped on the trend, including a group of dancers who created a flashmob at Liverpool Street station dressed in typical ‘finance bro’ attire.
Following the success of this original video, global fashion brand Reiss noticed that the clothing the dancers were wearing looked a lot like the pieces they sell. In a great example of reactive marketing, the social team recreated this iconic flash mob outside of Leadenhall Market in the heart of London’s financial district. This time, the dancers were dressed head to toe in Reiss clothing with a branded bag in front of them.
Having only created their TikTok account a few months prior, this style of video was different to their usual slick and polished content. However, it proved to be a great success, gaining almost 2.5 million views and drawing a new audience to their brand. Who knew finance bros could move like that?
