A Few of My Favourite Things

PSO – Women’s Day 2024

Agency: Synergy Dentsu

What do we love aboutthis campaign, you mightask? EVERYTHING. Fromthe unassuming beginningto the mighty visuals, onecannot help but be in aweof the storytelling. It doesnot showcase women in stereotypical roles but builds on true stories aboutPakistani female truck drivers. Pakistani women are often showcased asmothers, daughters and wives in traditional advertising, but this ad spinsthe narrative and gives us insight into an actual story that would otherwisebe buried deep within our archives. We also love the reveal and the POVshots – not knowing who our protagonist is until the very end. The endframes Shamim Bai, who wrote her own story, and in this way, paves thepath for so many women after her.

Dunkin’ Donuts

Agency: Artists Equity

Premiered duringSuper Bowl LVIII, BenAffleck debuts ‘TheDunKings,’ featuringMatt Damon, TomBrady, Jack Harlow,Jennifer Lopez andFat Joe. What does this campaign have? Good satire – is Ben Affleckmaking fun of himself? Check. Celebrity power couple? Check. Agood bromance? Check. Matt Damon and Ben Affleck are BFF goalsand you can’t tell us otherwise. Pop culture relevance? Check – Imean #Bennifer. Apart from the commercial itself, the build-up wasspectacular, with both Ben Affleck and J Lo posting about it on theirsocial media platforms in the days leading up to the event.

Generation

Agency: In-house.

The campaignfocuses on femalefilmmakers inPakistan, with acast of real-lifefemale filmmakersand a behind-thescenes team representative of them. How often do we see a womanon a dolly with a camera dressed in a spunky shalwar kameez?Generation’s target market mostly consists of college-going girlsand corporate girlies and the ad speaks to them in a way thatfashion usually does not. The campaign highlights that women dothe jobs they want and in style. What we loved about this campaignwas the introduction of the made-up characters, the homage toLollywood posters from the eighties and a nod to all the people whoworked on the project.

CeraVe

Agency: WPP/Ogilvy PRNorth AmericaWhat earns our respect is a brandthat is unafraid to take risks andhave fun. CeraVe is a brand that istraditionally expected to be seriousas a dermatologically tested skincarebrand. However, when the Twitter(sorry X) brigade started a rumour that Michael Cera is actually the founderof CeraVe, the brand decided to run with it. What resulted was this hilariousand engaging campaign that puts Michael Cera at the centre. The humour,satire and creepy yet hilarious voiceover takes us on a journey that highlightsthe moisturiser’s attributes flawlessly. The commercial ends with Michael Cerapitching the video to the actual (very serious) team of dermatologists whoworked on the product; they look unimpressed. This not only made fun of therumour; it also underlined the fact that the product was actually created byscientists who were not afraid to have a laugh.

Zong 4G

Agency: The D’HamidiPartnership

At the beginning of the film, onemight think that this is just oneof those generic commercialsthat have long graced our TVscreens. However, as the storyunfolds, the viewer experiencesan intense wave of nostalgia. One can almost smell the scent of motiathrough the screen, feel the familiar yet uncomfortable feeling of piling upin an old car as a child, and experience the anxiety of running out of inkduring an exam when your best friend next to you comes to the rescue. Butwhat else can we expect from Jami? The maestro that taught us how to feelemotion through a mere minute-long commercial. The script is beautifullycrafted by Sami Qahar, a man of many talents. The concept of sharing isreal, along with the unspoken theme of love and compassion.

TAPAL

AGENCY: IAL Saatchi &Saatchi

A film that tugs at one’sheartstrings whilesimultaneously having adifferent take on the traditionalson-in-law, mother-in-law trope. We are used to seeing a woman tryingto be the peacekeeper in a joint family system, but this film spins thatconcept on its head and showcases the other side of the coin. Youwill need a tissue for this one and maybe a cup of tea afterwards. Theacting is brilliant and what really brings the film together is the musiccomposition – the words make you want to go and hug your mum.Another great aspect of this campaign was the use of Facebook groupmarketing. Tapal collaborated with Soul Sisters Pakistan and startedan engagement campaign asking members to post a picture with afamily member, “Jin se aap rishto ka hisaab nahi kartay” while using thehashtag #RishtonMeinHisaab. The competition blew up with hundredsof entries and thousands of content interactions, making it the mostsuccessful campaign Soul Sisters Pakistan has executed this year.

Pakistan Polio Eradication Programme

AGENCY: Synergy Dentsu

This nationwide campaign is woven together so delicately,highlighting how polio drops are halal and can save our childrenfrom disease. It translates the message through beautifulvisuals, impactful dialogue and a call to action. This campaignis one of the many initiatives the Pakistan Polio EradicationProgramme is currently undertaking to eradicate the diseasefrom the face of our nation once and for all.

International Olympic Committee

Agency: Deloitte Digital Sydney, Australia

A campaign tracking the impact of the firsts that took place at theOlympic and Paralympic Games told through archival footage. In doingso, it has changed the meaning of ‘being the first’ in a competitiveindustry like sports because the word now has infinite possibilities. Beingthe first can mean being the first to try, to fight and to persevere, notnecessarily to win. It is empowering, enabling us to dream and face ourfears when it comes to competing and losing. In a world infected by theneed to win, this social message highlights the importance of trying.

Sarah Saifi is Founder, Drama Queen Productions.
sarah.saifi@yale.com