What we’re loving this month: Humankind’s creative campaign favourities

Creativity comes in many forms, and the PR industry is full of clever examples of how businesses can effectively project their message and values within the news agenda.

Here, at Humankind Comms, we know that good businesses are the ones that put people first and we work with our clients to build on these strong foundations. And, that’s where creative campaigns come in!

We’re always finding new ways to support our clients effectively and creatively, and we’re always on the lookout for inspiration.

Have a look at the creative campaigns that we love this month and why we think it’s something you should be paying attention to:

May 2023:

Using abandoned mattresses to promote eco alternatives

To launch its eco-friendly beds, the Australian brand 10:PM turned some of Australia's 2 million abandoned mattresses, into clever advertising spaces. Each bed was made into a billboard, exposing the grimy things that can be found in old beds. The brand placed a clever emphasis on why eco-friendly beds that are microbe neutralising (10:PM’s own product) are the necessary way forward.

Credits to Howatson+Company for the creation.

Birmingham is encouraged to be ‘Sick of Plastic’ with epic sculpture in the city

To help revolutionize the UK laundry industry and raise awareness of the levels of plastics used when we do our washes, smol has come up with the ‘Sick of Plastic’ sculpture. Led by our fantastic sister agency, Fanclub, the team have worked with smol to encourage the people of Birmingham - one of the UK's worst cities for recycling - to switch to plastic-free alternatives.

The sculpture was made up of 3,229 pieces of recycled laundry plastic and the organisation donated £5,000 to support the charity, Surfers Against Sewage, and its ‘Plastic-Free Communities’ work in the city.

Kit Kat’s iconic strapline ads

We all know the power of KitKat’s brand.

Its recent ads across global cities have really proved the power of a successful and consistent brand message over its 66 years in operation. These ads, using just 5 letters ‘Have a..’, were used as a marketing opportunity to highlight just how recognisable their brand is amongst the public.

It’s an aspirational brand and a simple yet effective way of demonstrating its brand success.

April 2023:

Uber launches coronation carriage so passengers can ride like the King and Queen

CREDIT: Kieran Cleeves/PA

Being treated like a King or Queen is something most of us can only dream of. But Uber has given its passengers the opportunity to be treated like royalty with an activation alongside the coronation weekend. Passengers will get the chance to ride a coronation-style horse-drawn carriage through Dulwich Park in south London. 

It’s a great campaign in generating assets for social media as well as national media recognition and Uber has leant on a significant calendar event to successfully boost its brand value.

JACQUEMUS drive its new collection through Paris

Whilst Jacquemus is traditionally known for its minuscule handbags, the brand took a fun challenge to its concept by ‘driving’ huge car-like bags through the streets of Paris. Causing a stir in the fashion world, and going viral on social media, the brand was forced to eventually let fans know that the cars were in fact 3D renderings.

Credits to Ian Padgham at origiful on this video creation.

Tories without the privilege

Whether we can truly call this a campaign is up for debate, however, the creative use of AI and challenging the role of some of the most powerful in our society, is spot on within these images. Whether it's Boris Johnson portrayed as a cleaner, or Rishi Sunak delivering food on Deliveroo, the images show how these political figures could have lived their lives, if their privilege was removed.

In a time where the nation is cutting costs as the cost of living rises, this clever use of AI imagery is a simple yet effective way of challenging the status quo and creating big impactful messages.

Credits to WOTW.

Asics and AIs distorted ideas of beauty in the fitness industry

It’s another AI campaign that we’re loving and this time, it comes from the sports brand, Asics. With the fitness industry commonly defining a healthy person as someone who looks ‘good’ or is ‘ripped’, asics exposes these unrealistic physical transformations across the industry by highlighting that AI too, is making this association.

To launch the brand's AI training tool, Asics show how the power of exercise is much more than physical gain and shows how, after being trained, AI can start to generate more reflective and representative images.

Credits to Golin for the clever concept.

March 2023:

IKEA teams up with Shelter charity to reflect the harsh reality of the UK housing crisis

Teaming up with the national charity, Shelter, IKEA has installed a realistic showroom that displays the cramped living styles that many are having to deal with across the UK each day. The remodelled showrooms were created after an IKEA survey revealed that one in five people in the UK are concerned about no longer having somewhere to stay.

Heinz and Absolut Vodka team up for limited-edition pasta sauces

If we think back to the midst of the pandemic, we all remember the viral videos, make-up tips and food trends that flooded our social channels. For the culinary amongst us, Gigi Hadid’s ‘penne alla vodka’ sent TikTokkers crazy as fans tried out the vodka and tomato sauce recipe.

In a clever move that builds on the viral recipe, Heinz teamed up with Absolut Vodka to offer a limited edition of pasta sauces that would sit on Waitrose shelves.

This brand collaboration is a great example of how organisations can build on social trends online, to increase commercial revenue and make a splash in the media.

Credits to Wunderman Thompson for the creative campaign.