‘Go Forth’ is Levi’s new brand proposition. It supports positive change in the world and celebrates today’s “pioneers who are taking action to build a better future”. In this dramatic mini-documentary, created by Wieden+Kennedy and directed by Sanne van Hecke, we see Portuguese street artist Alexandre Farto (aka “Vhils”) nonchalantly wearing a pair of baggy Levi’s and creating a series of street murals that capture the faces of some ‘Berliners’ who embody the ‘Go Forth’ spirit. This branded content made us think of both the Sartorialist film for Intel (by Amsterdam Worldwide) and the mobile printer film for Océ (by Lemon Scented Tea) – though the latter was a fictional documentary. We’re spotting a trend here, in which everyday people are portrayed as heroes. That is, they all do something special and this is enlarged in a documentary-like piece of long(er) form content. It merges real life with the smooth exaggerative qualities of an ad agency and thus subtly incorporates brands into society. It makes (or at least should make) these brands more authentic, credible, and sympathetic.

Good news for 180 Amsterdam; ASICS appointed the agency for its global communications around the London Olympic Games 2012 – after a competitive pitch that started last summer. 180 will also work with ASICS to launch key product ranges through 2011 and 2012. ASICS asked 180 to give emotional meaning to its ethos ‘Sound Mind Sound Body’ (Anima Sana In Corpore Sano) – an inspiring assignment when combining it with the idea behind the Olympics. 180′s big advantage in the pitch was its extensive experience on the Adidas account – 180’s founding client who left the agency in 2010. Next to 180 ASICS also works with Vitro in San Diego. Together with Vitro ASICS very recently developed a global campaign around the proposition ‘Sports releases more than just sweat’ – namely negative energy. It seems ASICS is working hard to capture some market share from Nike and Adidas.

How to give a boring ingredient brand like Intel – the ‘second generation core processors’ – a face? When you’ve watched this short documentary (too long to be called a commercial), created by Amsterdam Worldwide (AW) and directed by Tyler Manson, you know how. AW chose to visualize the lives of influential bloggers in a series of profile films. A smart angle, since the majority of bloggers still has some sort of independent, maven status, which makes you believe that Intel is used by the people that can be trusted for their advice. And this is the life of Scott Schumann from the renowned fashion blog The Sartorialist (read: the tailor). We are very impressed with the quality of this piece of content. It’s smoothly directed, has some strong copy (probably inspired by Schumann’s view on the “shrinking world”), and is even quite interesting to watch. You’d almost forget Intel is trying to sell you some product here. In fact, we were a bit disappointed with the anti-climax at the end; all of a sudden the film changes into an ad, asking you to share your life on some corporate website – you almost feel tricked into it. Maybe they could have done without it – especially since there’s already a commercial that invites you to share your life – a little corporate, but also very skillfully made.

Amsterdam won two Grand Prix in Film and Design at Eurobest in Hamburg, last Wednesday. Wieden+Kennedy was awarded the prestigious award for its epic Nike ‘Write the future’ commercial – alledgedly the most expensive commercial ever made. And for the same film it won bronze in Film Craft. Amsterdam Worldwide earned a Grand Prix in the category Design for the Onitsuka Tiger ‘Tansu sneaker’. Other than that Amsterdam did not do extremely well, we have to admit. In interactive Pool Worldwide won silver for its brilliant StarWars branded TomTom viral. In the same category 180 Amsterdam won bronze for Adidas’ Match Tracker and NRG3 won bronze for an interactive banner for the EA game Need for Speed Shift. N=5 was awarded silver in the category Media with a ‘Live interactive billboad’ – an aggression awareness campaign. BSUR got bronze in Film for MINI’s Flow, Publics won bronze in Print for KIKA, and JWT bronze in Promo and Outdoor with the MINI Christmas box.

Dutch Fashion brand G-Star appointed Nothing Amsterdam to run its international account. Joris Aperghis, CMO G-Star said Nothing understands the brand and the challenges that lay ahead to help it with its international growth.  G-Star was founded in 1989 (originally called Gap Star). Today the brand has over a 1000 employees and 250 shops in 69 countries. This is G-Star’s first agency, which is quite surprising given the fact that already for quite a while the brand has launched international ad campaigns – most recently with photographer Anton Corbijn.

Amsterdam Worldwide hired ‘Director of Strategy’ Uli Kurtenbach to support the agency with (among other brands) the brand new tequila account Olmeca and to help it develop new products and services – which sounds interesting and a bit vague at the same time. Kurtenbach lives in Amsterdam already for 14 years. He worked at Wieden+Kennedy Amsterdam (together with his new agency’s ECD, Richard Gorodecky), 2008 (today SSSS & Orchestra), and most recently at Naked, where he was managing partner.

Delta Lloyd ends it relation with Lowe & Draftfcb. There will be a pitch, but the insurer hasn’t decided which agencies will be joining it. In 2006 Delta Lloyd ended its contract with TBWA\Neboko, the agency that invented the pay-off ‘…zeker Delta Lloyd’. Lowe & Draftfcb kept the pay-off but completely changed the tone of voice from humorous to serious. The first series of commercials Lowe created for Delta Lloyd were the best within its kind.

Amsterdam Worldwide has won the global Olmeca tequila account. Pernod Ricard took the brand away from M&C Saatchi (London) and forwarded it to Amsterdam Worldwide without a pitch. It wouldn’t surprise us if the agency’s multi-awarded work for ArArAt helped the smooth transition. Though in Holland tequila is not very popular – we had never heard of the brand – it is the fastest growing spirits category globally over the past 5 years. And Olmeca is one of the biggest brands within this growing category.

Last night Amsterdam won 2 golden design Lions. Amsterdam Worldwide for its Onitsuka Tiger Tansu sneaker (picture) and FHV/BBDO for its black Mars packaging (almost) without the iconic Mars logo. Consumers received a sheet of letter stickers to create their own text on the Mars bar. The jury was charmed by the fact that Mars dared to change its world famous packaging so radically. In Cyber Amsterdam won 2 bronze Lions. Achtung! with ‘Public Polo‘ for Volkswagen and Kong (again) with Stanislav for the Ministry of Justice. The day before yesterday we got 2 silver outdoor Lions. Again, one for MINI Christmas box by UbachsWisbrun/JWT and one for Interbest, created by Y&R Not just film. Indie won bronze in radio for Dance4Life.

Source: Adformatie

We’re not very fond of ads with a corporate look and feel. The kind that is created out of stock-like-look-at-my-toothpaste-smile material and pregnant of compromises – cause it needs to appeal to the entire world and be approved by every single person in the company that pays its expensive bill. The opportunity can be quite a dilemma for an ad agency. Do we want this big name on our client list and earn a shit load of money? Or do we stick to our principles and work on our distinctive profile. Not an easy one… In any case, when we saw this feel good Opel Meriva commercial with the happy-go-lucky sing & song writer in the background (listening to the name of Ingrid Michaelson) we tried hard to fight the pleasant feeling it gave us. The catchy concept (“an embrace can mean many things”), created by Amsterdam Worldwide, in combination with the innovative retro-doors that stand for ‘embrace life’ is just too perfect to be able to fully appreciate it. It will probably do very well among young families, but we’re a little too cynical for this stuff.

What an inspiring event it was. Here are the insights we took home. The first key note speaker, Ed Ulbrich from Digital Domain, talked us through the process of getting the multi-platform remake of Tron to market. He showed what looked like a trailer of the movie ‘Tron Legacy’, but later revealed it was ‘just’ a teaser to get Disney excited; they could make a movie, a game and a theme park ride out of this single concept. He called this a ‘transmedia content prototype’; a piece of content that mitigates the investor’s risk, because it provides a tangible window into the opportunities of the concept. Ulbrich founded a  company, Mothership, that single mindedly builds these kind of prototypes. More…

There are days that Amsterdam strongly feels like the international capital of advertising. Today, for example, with Boards Summit Europe being held in Amsterdam and bringing the crème de la crème of advertising together in the Beurs van Berlage. Then we’re also very happy to hear that Adformatie last week announced a few new international agencies that chose Amsterdam for opening new offices. First of all Strawberry Frog. The agency split up two years ago, and separated itself in Scott Goodson’s Strawberry Frog New York – that already existed – and Amsterdam Worldwide, lead by Brian Elliot. Maybe it was because Amsterdam WW is doing so incredibly well in Amsterdam that Strawberry Frog decided to re-open offices in Amsterdam. Hans Howarth founder of Media Catalyst was asked to lead the Amsterdam office. Then there is Iris International, an independent agency network that was founded in London in 1999, also feeling the Amsterdam attraction. Another aspiring title in the market, LBi International, will move its head office from Stockholm to Amsterdam soon – a consequence of the recent merger with Bigmouthmedia. And, as Adformatie put it vaguely, it is said that yet another big cross media agency will open its doors soon in the Dam. If this is the sign that the recession is over for Amsterdam advertising, then we’ll definitely hoist some Heinies at Boards Summit Europe tonight!