A Creative Review: Kraken Spiced Rum

Welcome back to A Creative Review with James Cooper. Today Coop dives headfirst into a gripping 3D wallscape from Kraken Spiced Rum.

Release the Kraken!

Disclaimer first. I have an affinity for Giant Squids. Just before the holidays I released a kid’s book for the iPad called The Little Giant Squid (it’s free, download it, go on) 

So when I saw this piece for Kraken Spiced Rum, it immediately lept out at me. And I don’t think I’ll be the only one to feel like this. Kraken are doing what every small, challenger brand should do, creating work that stands out. 

Photo credit: ADWEEK

I like the attitude of this wallscapes. You have to be a cold hearted person, or a very, very bleary eyed commuter, not to do a double take when you see this enormous tentacle scooping someone from their window. Whether the name and the product is enough to stand out in a crowded - and well funded - market remains to be seen. But, the ads are doing their job and we can’t say fairer than that. 

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That’s all folks! Want to get involved? Send us the best or worst billboards you’ve seen and we’ll choose one every week. Just email coop@adstruc.com.

A Creative Review: MailChimp

Welcome back to A Creative Review with James Cooper. Today Coop digs into MailChimp’s enigmatic SoHo billboard.

Advertising, Art, or Audacity?

You know what? I actually took a picture of this MailChimp billboard and posted it to Instagram. I’m not lying – look: here. That’s a good thing right?  

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Photo credit: ADstruc

Certainly this is all about the location. Downtown New York is where there are a whole bunch of internet start-ups that are familiar with the MailChimp, er, chimp. And also creative companies that like the idea of an almost non-branded billboard. Not being a MailChimp user myself, I had a feeling that I had seen the image before and couldn’t quite place it, but still thought it interesting enough to snap it. I think a lot of tourists might do the same. Is it an art piece or an ad? 

Sometimes start-ups like MailChimp do things like this, just because they can. It’s a show of strength. It says to potential clients and investors, ‘Our shit is so locked down that we can spend thousands of dollars on a billboard on a prime time New York block and not even put our name on it’.

I have to admit, I kind of like that. Happy New Year everyone!

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That’s all folks! Want to get involved? Send us the best or worst billboards you’ve seen and we’ll choose one every week. Just email coop@adstruc.com.

A Creative Review: Dishonored

Welcome back to A Creative Review with James Cooper. Today Coop tackles an enormous painted wallscape for Arkane Studios’ new first-person adventure: Dishonored.

What’s In a Name?

This wallscape is for a new game called Dishonored. Apparently it’s set in a place called Dunwall, which is some sort of cross between Victorian London and Edinburgh - somewhere dark and damp basically - in the 1800’s in a time where whale oil is used as fuel. 

I mention all this because from the piece alone, you really wouldn’t get any of that. You also wouldn’t know that it features voice talent from the likes of Susan Sarandon and Carrie Fisher, or that despite it being a first person shoot ‘em up - you can actually win the game without killing anyone. 

Photo credit: ADstruc

All of this seems interesting to me. Maybe it would to other people too? Clearly the main the drivers for game purchases today are product reviews and trailers. No amount of amazing advertising is going to persuade you to part with fifty bucks if your gameplay stinks. But, as with movies, I just feel like we could do so much more with this space. 

I get that it’s a reminder and it has to be clear - but if you’re painting the side of a massive building in Manhattan, why not use something more intriguing than game art and a big title? Sorry, don’t send this guy after me!

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That’s all folks! Want to get involved? Send us the best or worst billboards you’ve seen and we’ll choose one every week. Just email coop@adstruc.com.