Sierra Douglas

Ad Critiques

Client

Vita Coco

Agency

Thinkhouse

Source

Near a bridge on the course of our London bus tour

Strategy

Fun

Target Market

Anyone 18-25 who is healthy and has a sense of humor

Discussion

When I first saw this ad on my first day here in London I was surprised at how risqué

the copy was. I was also pleasantly entertained and it immediately caught my attention.

I think this is a good advertisement because the font went well with the fun vibe that

Vita Coco stands for. The copy also urges people to step out of their comfort zone and

try something a little less mainstream than normal water. The copy, “Grab Nature by

the Coconuts,” works well in my opinion. The only thing to consider with this ad is that

it might offend some people. BUT those aren’t the people who will likely try this coconut

water anyway.

Client

Trivago

Agency

Noah

Source

In the tube carriage

Strategy

Humor

Target Market

Travelers

Discussion

This is the look for a new Trivago campaign and I’ve seen several other ads that are

similar to this one’s message. There’s a tourist on the right side and a native on the left.

I’ve seen this ad before plenty of times but I don’t have a camera so I found this

picture on the internet. The index card makes a good point. This ad uses the word

roam for what the Apaches do. I’m sure it was a thoughtless mistake but it obviously

really offended someone. I think this ad was supposed to be seen as funny and cute,

which for some others it is but they need to be more careful with their choice of words.

Client

Travel Republic

Agency

In-house

Source

Above a store in Camden

Strategy

Low Price

Target Market

Travelers

Discussion

Travel Republic has plenty of ads in different places and settings but I think this one

has almost perfect placement. It’s above a store on a street corner so people who are

waiting to walk across have time to look at it. Camden market is a busy area with all

kinds of people including the young and adventurous. Also because Camden is busy,

the picture made me think of a more relaxing and quiet time at the beach. Most young

people love to travel but feel they don’t have time or money for it. This ad tells them

that with Travel Republic they’ll only have to go to one site for the cheapest fares to get

to the places they want to go.

Client

Transport For London

Agency

Exterion Media Metro Services

Source

In the tube

Strategy

Safety

Target Market

Teen commuters

Discussion

When I saw this ad in while rushing through the tube with the countless other people, I

felt instant sadness. Of course seeing a dead person would make anyone feel the same

way but I think it resonated even more because the boy in the ad is just a normal

teenager. He was listening to music (which most of the people I know do) while

walking. This made me think that this person could be a family member, a friend, or

even myself. The copy makes the message very clear “Stop. Think. Live.” It convinces

people to pay attention to their surroundings and not listen to music at a volume that

doesn’t allow you to do so. The problem is that it may need a trigger warning for some.

Client

Regent’s University London

Agency

Unknown

Source

Reid Hall Lobby at Regent’s University

Strategy

Fashion

Target Market

Fashion and Design Students

Discussion

This poster is an advertisement inviting students to study abroad in either London and

Paris or London and Florence. I think it does well with the target audience because it

isn’t copy heavy on the first page and the visuals are very striking. After the first page

brings you in the second one gives the important information. Because students are

usually busy with schoolwork and most don’t usually stop to read ads. I think it’s

effective because the work looks like it was produced by students and it is very good.

The poster inspires people to travel and experience a new place and a different culture.

In fashion and design, being inspired has a lot to do with how great someone’s work is.

Client

McDonald’s

Agency

Leo Burnett

Source

Bus Shelter on Baker Street

Strategy

Low Price

Target Market

Lower income or people on the go

Discussion

McDonald’s is an international company and it dominates the fast-food market. All types

of people eat at McDonald’s because it’s cheap, fast, and some even like it for the taste

(which I find kind of weird). This ad is appealing to all those types of people. I’m glad

they made this a bus shelter ad because their target market will most likely be exposed

to it there. The Twix McFlurry and Mars McFlurry are being advertised for just £1.39

and they appear to be prepared quickly for busy people. The copy is short and simple,

“The summer has arrived.” It reminds you that it’s that time of the year for a nice cold

dessert and these will be great for a hot summer day.

Client

The Book of Mormon Musical

Agency

Dewynters

Source

Bus near Regent’s Park

Strategy

Entertainment

Target Market

Theatre buffs

Discussion

The Book of Mormon is a comedy musical about the Church of Latter Day Saints. Even though

some people might find this offensive, the people who made South Park are the same ones who

are behind this musical. So, you just can’t take it too seriously. This ad is on the side of a bus

but I’ve seen plenty more of them in the tube and on the streets too. I think the bus is a good

place so that even people who drive or walk everywhere are exposed. This ad simply uses a

picture of a guy in Mormon dress and it uses a quote from The New York Times that reads,

“The best musical of the century.” To me, that statement seems a little far-fetched but it does

compel me to buy a ticket and see for myself.

Client

Department for Work & Pensions

Agency

DDB London

Source

Bus 27 to Chalk Farm

Strategy

Togetherness

Target Market

Working Class

Discussion

People often feel like “the man” is against them but not in this case. The Department

For Work & Pensions is instead saying that everyone from management to the workers

are “all in.” For some people this ad might seem a little boring but I think it still gets the

job done. It could’ve been more interesting with color but it’s short and to the point and

I like the personal feel that comes with this ad. There’s a picture of a boss smiling and

it has his signature on the ad too as if he approves the message. The ad gives

instructions on how to find out information and it also persuades people to participate.

Client

The Lottery

Agency

Unknown

Source

Outside of convenience store

Strategy

Possibilities

Target Market

Poor people

Discussion

The people who created this ad were smart for putting it in a place where people can

actually play the lottery too. A lot of people who gamble buy their scratch-off tickets

from convenience stores which makes this an even smarter location. The ad draws

people in with all the wonderful possibilities and how the winner can buy a yacht, take

island vacations, and have more money than they know what to do with. On Baker

Street where this lottery ad is, there is a relatively prevalent homeless population. This

could be controversial because some people believe that the lottery is intended to keep

the poor people poor because they always play but almost never win.

Client

Lebara

Agency

Here & Now 365

Source

Outside of convenience store near the underground

Strategy

Low price

Target Market

Foreigners

Discussion

Even though it isn’t very visible, this ad automatically catches attention because of the picture

of the excited guy. Lebara is a phone company here in London and this ad is all about being

able to receive 30 minutes free when your team plays in Brazil. I think this is a great way to

share the promotion, especially because football is such a huge deal here (and everywhere else

in the world except for the USA). This ad is colorful, vibrant and it has a few flags from other

countries. The target market is people not from London because those are the people who

usually don’t use plans or sign contracts for phones. This means that they don’t usually get their

minutes free and this ad is a great way of rewarding the foreigners and still including them.

Client

Wahanda

Agency

Zone

Source

Bus shelter on Baker Street

Strategy

Convenience

Target Market

Women who want to be pampered

Discussion

At first when I saw some of the Wahanda ads in the tube or on the bus I thought it was

some fancy salon. But, after visiting the website I found that it’s actually a website

where you can find numerous salons for hair, nails, massages, fitness, health and more.

This ad is fun, tells about how convenient it is to use Wahanda, and it gives a coupon

code to use on the website. I love the colors in the visual and I appreciate the fact that

it has the important information but it isn’t too copy-heavy. This ad, along with the

others that go with this campaign intrigue people (especially women) who are

interested in things like relaxing spa days. But the problem is some may not read the

copy.

Client

Magnum

Agency

Lowe and Partners

Source

Bus shelter

Strategy

Trust

Target Market

“Pleasure seekers”

Discussion

Magnum is using this ad to remind people that they’ve been around for 25 years. This special

anniversary advertisement tells people that they can trust Magnum to continue creating

delicious ice cream because they’ve already been doing it for so long. Because it’s their 25th

anniversary, they also decided to add a hint of fanciness with limited edition Marc de

Champagne. I think they did a good job with making this one stand out from their other

campaigns while still maintaining their style. This ad was also placed well because the

convenience store about five feet away from this bus shelter sells Magnum ice cream bars. If

someone’s waiting for the bus and they want to try this, they can simply go right next door.

Client

Transfer Wise

Agency

Albion Drive

Source

Bus shelter

Strategy

Save money

Target Market

Travelers

Discussion

Transfer Wise compares themselves to other banks and establishes themselves as the “good

guys” in this ad. I like how they only use blue and white. I think it’s good to keep it simple on

some ads, especially when it’s talking about something serious such as finances. The headline

on this digital bus shelter changes from saying “$€ANDAL” to “$CAMM€D.” It’s creative and

intriguing. They used a dollar sign and a pound sign which automatically gets the attention of

American and European travelers. The copy does its job and lets you know that your bank could

be taking money away from you. But if you use Transfer Wise next time you can start saving up

to 90%. This ad made me want to visit their site and hopefully save money on my next

international trip since my bank is one of the ones who overcharges overseas.

Client

Canon

Agency

JWT

Source

Bus shelter

Strategy

Guarantee

Target Market

Photographers of all levels

Discussion

Canon is a well-known electronics brand worldwide and they’re especially popular for

their cameras. The copy reads, “Perfect pictures this summer, whatever happens.” It

also talks about their up to £100 money back guarantee. Even though the pictures of

some of their products are small and the name of the brand isn’t in your face, the ice

cream visual was a good choice. Since it’s all about their guarantee and not being afraid

to capture moments, if your camera falls in the sand or gets destroyed you can still

have peace of mind. Ice cream on the beach is also what pretty much everyone would

rather be enjoying on a hot, summer day than waiting on a bus stop.

Client

Planete Chocolat

Agency

Unknown

Source

Back cover of a magazine for Mini-Europe in Brussels, Belgium

Strategy

Delicious entertainment

Target Market

Tourists

Discussion

Belgium is known for their scrumptious chocolates and this ad definitely plays to that aspect.

This is targeted for tourists because locals would probably not be as interested in paying

someone to show them chocolates they’ve eaten their whole lives. It also has English on it

which shows who they were targeting, Belgium’s two official languages are Deutsch and

French. I think this ad is a little too busy for my taste, but the chocolate visuals did make me

consider going to a show while I was there. I also think it’s interesting how people use the QR

codes here. In the states it would’ve been useless but tourists from other countries will most

likely scan to sign up for a show or get more info.

Client

Chanel

Agency

WPP

Source

Canary Wharf Magazine

Strategy

Luxury

Target Market

High-end fashion lovers

Discussion

Canary Wharf is a very sophisticated area in London and I found this magazine at some

underground shopping mall while I was there. The magazine’s pages are thick and look

expensive which are two ways that this attracts the target market. The ad is simple and

elegant in black and white so the jewelry they’re advertising stands out even more. Like

many other Chanel ads, it has a pretty girl posing with the product which makes others

want to be like her so they buy it. This girl wearing the headband appears to be looking

at the other headband which is subtly saying, “even if you already have one of these,

you can get another one.”

Client

MangaJo

Agency

Pearlfisher and Manchester-based Designbaron

Source

Bus near Business Park

Strategy

MangaJo is the healthy summertime drink.

Target Market

Health enthusiasts

Discussion

Here in London every double-decker bus that I’ve seen has some sort of advertising on

it and in it. This one is about a drink called MangaJo. I’ve never tried it before but it

does look refreshing and anytime that I see an ad that talks about the summertime I

feel like I need a drink like this to keep me cool. In the summer, people also want to be

healthier and fit for the beach so I think they used good copy for this. I could’ve done

without the two random waterfalls of the drink though. It looks like they’re coming from

nowhere. Other than that I like how two different flavors of the drink are shown and

the packaging is appealing.

Client

United Airlines

Agency

McGarryBowen

Source

Front and back pages of the London Evening Standard

Strategy

United Airlines is friendly.

Target Market

Travelers

Discussion

Even though my experience with United wasn’t the best (or friendliest) ads like these

have still encouraged others to continue flying with them. The London Evening

Standard has a circulation of 700,000 so this ad was put in a good place especially

because people have the time to observe it while reading the paper on the tube. The

tagline is “fly the friendly skies” which I think works well with the visual. The

background of Chicago’s skyline made me want to go there and perhaps fly with United

because of the smile going from the words “Chicago” to “friendly.” The copy is also

straight to the point about presenting the new terminal openings in the windy city.

Client

Microsoft Cloud

Agency

Microsoft

Source

The Economist

Strategy

Microsoft cloud is creating groundbreaking technology.

Target Market

People who interested in new technology

Discussion

Many people know that The Economist doesn’t have many advertisements in their

paper so they are very selective with who they decide to let run ads. First of all, The

Economist is one of the most reassuringly expensive, yet forward thinking papers

around. It keeps readers up to date with news in politics, business, and technology.

This ad’s visual makes you want to stop and pay attention to it and even read the copy.

The headline also catches your attention because you ask yourself, “What kind of cloud

cures cancer?” Its purpose seems to be raising awareness of what might be a new

breakthrough in the future for cancer.

Client

Honda Type-R

Agency

Wieden + Kennedy

Source

Time Out Magazine

Strategy

Whip appeal

Target Market

Male car enthusiasts

Discussion

This two page spread is a good use of space for Honda. It is simple and the copy

doesn’t crowd the page. The black space makes me think it would be nice to take a

drive in the new Type-R at night. The car appears to be staring right at the viewer and

the headline, “Men will cry like boys” is humorous. In the car racing world it seems like

drivers are in a cult depending on what make or model they drive so the Honda

restricted label at the bottom may be a tribute to the “Honda drivers only” mentality. I

also think the strategy of marketing towards men can be beneficial to them but red

seems like a car color that more women drive than men.

Client

Austria

Agency

Austrian National Tourist Office London

Source

The Canary Wharf Magazine

Strategy

The perfect getaway

Target Market

Travelers, possibly backpackers

Discussion

At first glance, this ad caught my eye because of the beautiful scenery. The snowcapped

mountains and the natural beauty of the countryside seemed to be calling for my attention.

However, I think the visual would’ve been even better without the people in it that way I could

put myself in the picture a little easier. Also, the smiling face growing out of the grass was

unnecessary. Maybe the face was supposed to be symbolic of finding yourself in Austria but I

didn’t get it at first. The copy was short and simple and I like the idea that you can travel just a

few hours to get to the perfect getaway where it’s nothing like your normal, busy life. I’m not

sure if vacations to Austria are normal for people here in London but if it's as beautiful as it

looks in this ad, I’m sure the amount will go up.