Contagious Spotlight on Latin America: January 2022 /

In Sao Paulo State’s countryside, an island the size of almost five football fields has appeared in the middle of the Jurumirim dam, raising concerns about water shortages.

Rede Brasil do Pacto Global – a UN initiative – in partnership with AlmapBBDO, has created the campaign Afunde Esta Ilha (Sink This Island) to promote the debate on environmental emergencies.

As part of the campaign, environmental activist Guto Zorello camped on site to document the island’s growth and the dam’s dramatically lower water levels.

Time for action / Extreme events caused by the climate crisis are already a reality in Brazil: the water scarcity in the Southeast contrasts with the floods in the country’s Northeast Region. Through Afunde Esta Ilha, Rede Brasil do Pacto Global pushes the idea that the time to act is now.

Crisis in effect / While the UN global campaign Don't Choose Extinction used fantasy to talk about the dangers of extinction, Afunde Esta Ilha chooses a more radical and dramatic approach to talk about the effects of the water crisis. A wise choice aimed to draw attention to the topic’s urgency.

The idea that the human race could be wiped out by a rebellion of machines that see Homo Sapiens as an obstacle has been popularised by films like The Terminator. The belief ​​that an apocalyptic future can be caused by unbridled technological development is also known as “Tech Doomsday” or “techno-apocalypse” and it has a lot of traction among conspiracy theorists.

This campaign for electronics manufacturer Philco subverts the idea of ​​a technological apocalypse by presenting the brand’s home appliances and smart products line to the Argentine public as safe, reliable and, most importantly, rebellion-proof.

Updating the Past / It's not always easy to bring back an old favorite, but Philco has managed to update its classic image effectively. Through an unusual approach linked to pop culture, the company was able to highlight its products’ design attributes and functionality in a clever and fresh way.

Defying Conventions / In a category full of clichés, Philco did something different: a long, irreverent film with apocalyptic tones and complex storytelling, which weaves the entire product line into an intriguing narrative. Un Futuro en el Que Podés Confiar is a great example of how home appliances marketing doesn't need to be boring.

Old Spice has launched the Anime Epic Adventures campaign to promote its new deodorant sticks. The campaign is an anime-style series in which the main character is a deodorant fighting its main enemies: bad odor and sweat. Divided into three episodes produced in traditional 2D, the campaign is faithful to its source of inspiration: Japanese animation.

Walk The Talk / To reach gamers and geeky audiences, Old Spice invested in an aesthetic and style that is popular among this niche. As a strategy, Anime Epic Adventures is a perfect example of the importance of understanding the segments within your target audience.

Following the script / Known for the series of commercials featuring actor Terry Crews, Old Spice has its fame built on a humorous approach and the engagement of its community, making advertisements into cultural phenomena. This campaign lives up to that tradition in an updated and rejuvenated way.