#sustylicious

Unicef: Harry and Ahmed’s shared story

WHAT IT IS

Unicef’s short film is a moving illustration of the challenges faced by refugees.

With a split screen, a young Syrian boy on one side, and an older German man on the other, speak of their wartime experiences. They’re 80 years apart, but their stories are strikingly similar.

WHAT WE LOVED

Minimal music with black and white video make the refugees’ words resonate.

Parallels of contemporary and historic footage are a powerful reminder that history often repeats itself.

WHAT WE LEARNED

Evoke emotion from your viewers with heartfelt personal stories.

Parallel stories remind us of our shared human experience. We have more in common with modern day refugees than we think.  

WHAT WOULD WE DO DIFFERENTLY?

Give people something to act on. The video inspires strong emotions of compassion. Use this and direct viewers to find out more on a campaign page.

Do more of this! We’d love to see these parallel experiences extended to other stories.

HOW WELL DOES IT SUPPORT THE BRAND?

Mooncup’s period drama

WHAT IT IS

Mooncup promotes its reusable feminine hygiene product with a tongue-in-cheek film on ‘Period Drama’.

But wait, what’s a Mooncup? Well, it’s a washable, insertable silicone cup to catch menstrual flow. It’s certainly an eco-friendly alternative to the one billion tampons and sanitary towels that are used and disposed of in the UK every year!

WHAT WE LOVED

Love the pun – “Enjoy a period without the drama”.

There’s always time for a bit of man bashing. Milk chocolate to sort your period, anyone?

WHAT WE LEARNED

Visual comedy needs no interfering narration.

Added bonus: without language barriers to overcome, your campaign can go global.

WHAT WOULD WE DO DIFFERENTLY?

Of all the period drama tropes to parody, why pick the most patriarchal of all – the damsel in distress? Although, you could argue that’s kind of the point for a campaign mocking aged gender stereotypes.

Funny video aside, we’d clarify what distinguishes Mooncup as a sustainable option over your traditional feminine products. 

HOW WELL DOES IT SUPPORT THE BRAND?

Mango’s Committed collection 

WHAT IT IS

Mango’s short video promotes its new 45-piece Committed Collection.

Made from sustainable and certified materials, the new clothing range speaks modernity and minimalism.

WHAT WE LOVED

Kooky and cool architectural backdrops suit the elegance of the pieces. 

Mango’s video proves that ‘sustainable’ can be fashionable.

WHAT WE LEARNED

Sustainable fashion can be mainstream too, without the need for pictures of people wearing flower garlands and frolicking in fields (cactus gardens don’t count).

Great timing! Mango launched this collection just before London Fashion Week, sending out a sustainable message to those London fashionistas.

WHAT WOULD WE DO DIFFERENTLY?

Nice aesthetics, but where’s the information? We want to know what makes this different from run-of-the-mill fashion labels.

The video loses momentum. There’s only so much chiselled cheek-bones and beige background you can take.

HOW WELL DOES IT SUPPORT THE BRAND?

Sky to the (ocean) rescue 

WHAT IT IS

Broadcasting company Sky’s Ocean Rescue campaign calls for action to rid our seas of ocean plastic.

An interactive website, dedicated Facebook and Twitter channels, a documentary titled ‘A Plastic Tide’, and celebrity advocates like Sir Richard Branson, Prince Charles and Tom Peake, all contribute to the campaign.

WHAT WE LOVED

There’s so much information at your fingertips. Choose between watching videos, reading articles, following Twitter, or liking Facebook.

What’s the point of a campaign if people won’t act on it? Sky’s Join in webpage sets the ball rolling with behaviour change tips: go plastic free, join beach clean ups, eat sustainable fish.

WHAT WE LEARNED

The shock factor has its place. Dissection videos of a bird’s plastic-clogged innards are not for the faint-hearted but reveal the consequences of our throw-away culture.

Mobilise people with scary stats: ‘by 2050 all the plastic in the ocean could weigh more than all the fish.’

WHAT WOULD WE DO DIFFERENTLY?

Why not juice every last drop of celebrity involvement for what it’s worth? Snippets of a stern looking Prince Charles explaining ocean pollution problems would rake in the social media likes.

HOW WELL DOES IT SUPPORT THE BRAND?

Super Bowl Ads go super political  

WHAT IT IS

Budweiser, Airbnb and 84 Lumber release Super Bowl ads with powerful messages of acceptance in the wake of Trump’s controversial travel ban.

Budweiser tells the immigrant story behind the beer, Airbnb reminds us the “the world is more beautiful the more you accept”, and 84 Lumber traces the story of a mother and child crossing the American border.

WHAT WE LOVED

Budweiser and 84 Lumber’s stark realism and emotive images of determination remind us of America’s immigrant roots, hitting right at the heart of the controversial travel ban.

Airbnb gets its point across with minimal fuss: a collage of faces from around the world overlaid with music and a concise message.

WHAT WE LEARNED

Not everyone will always agree with you. These ads faced criticism for their overt political message with #BoycottBudweiser trending across Twitter.

A little controversy gets you noticed: Airbnb’s ad has nearly 2 million views on YouTube, 84 Lumber over 10 million and Budweiser, a whopping 27.9 million!

WHAT WOULD WE DO DIFFERENTLY?

Why shouldn’t companies engage with big issues? Both business and politics are integral to society. We want to see more companies speaking out for a more inclusive world.

HOW WELL DOES IT SUPPORT THE BRAND?

Diamond dialogues: Tiffany tells its story

WHAT IT IS:

Tiffany & Co’s short film shows how its world-renowned diamonds are brought to life in workshops around the globe.

We’re taken on a diamond’s journey from mine to iconic Tiffany Blue Box®, stopping off along the way to watch the sorting, cutting, polishing and setting process.

WHAT WE LOVED:

This film has a boutique feel to match the luxury of these jewels. Soft lighting and smooth music create the illusion of an invite-only private view.

Tiffany may be letting us in on a few of its secrets but it doesn’t give too much away. Right on-brand, these glittering diamonds remain shrouded in luxe and mystique.

WHAT WE LEARNED:

The grandeur yet intricacy of Tiffany’s jewels is matched by epic nature shots and intimate close-ups: analogies add a layer of abstract intrigue to a campaign.

It’s not just words that set the tone. A soft-focus lens and carefully curated imagery can capture your brand’s feel as well as any slogans could.

WHAT WOULD WE DO DIFFERENTLY?

The narrator does his job well, but we’re talking sexy Tiffany diamonds here – why is his voice so, well…ordinary? We’d get Liam Neeson or Scarlet Johansson on the case.

We’d push the sustainability message even more. The video mentions Tiffany’s commitment to supporting local communities but it could make more of its direct sourcing relationships.

HOW WELL DOES IT SUPPORT THE BRAND

Tetra Pak lays the Groundwork for a sustainable future of food

WHAT IT IS:

Food packaging and processing company Tetra Pak launched a digital platform called “Groundwork” to highlight people and initiatives that keep us and our planet healthy.

Scroll through blog-style posts about ground-breaking solutions to food scarcity, sustainable packaging, renewable living and more.

WHAT WE LOVED:

Tetra Pak isn’t afraid to try its hand at explaining complex global issues. Combine that with some “punny” titles and bright graphics, and you’ve got sustainability communications gold.

A measure of modesty: Tetra Pak celebrates the movers and shakers of sustainability, demonstrating #susty commitment without tooting its own horn.

WHAT WE LEARNED:

There’s great power in sharing small yet extraordinary stories - they’re the pixels of the bigger picture.

Sometimes less is more. Clean colours, slick graphics and miniature animations give this website a cutting edge look and feel.

WHAT WOULD WE DO DIFFERENTLY?

We’re asked to submit ideas for new articles, but not until the ‘About Groundwork’ page. If you’re a keen bean like us, you’ll be wanting to share your thoughts right on the homepage!

HOW WELL DOES IT SUPPORT THE BRAND?

Purchase positively: FSC’s call to consumers

WHAT IT IS:

FSC US and WWF collaborate with big name brands in an online video, urging us to buy products from responsibly managed forests.

We’re taken on a journey from forest glade to shop floor to see how buying FSC products is good for both planet and people.

WHAT WE LOVED:

As well as being hosted on YouTube, the video can be found on the campaign microsite, a well- designed platform that provides users with more information about FSC and sustainability.

WHAT WE LEARNED:

There is nothing more powerful than telling the human story behind products. With a clear message, storytelling can empower consumers to take ‘one simple action’ for the better.

WHAT WOULD WE DO DIFFERENTLY?

While the story was clear and simple, the video was quite traditional. Taking elements of style from the micro-site could make it more visually engaging and give a consistent look and feel.

HOW WELL DOES IT SUPPORT THE BRAND?