Why 6? Just ‘cause.

This might just be a symptom of working at a creative agency, but have you ever encountered an advertisement that stops you in your tracks?

An ad that’s so clever or intriguing it makes you think, “Wow, I wonder how they thought of that?”. Or, in our case, “Darn, why couldn’t I have thought of that?”. It’s an industry where no vision is off the table, and where competition to stand out demands constant evolution and divergent thinking. Our peers inspire us and push us to do better. In the spirit of camaraderie, we want to give a little love to our favorite creative agencies in the game right now, and their most notable campaigns.

1. Wildish & Co.

We love: their inclusivity

Based in London, Wildish & Co. is an independent creative agency with loads of whacky karisma. Besides digital design and development, they put an emphasis on video content,  believing it is the most impactful medium on our modern platforms. They tackle each campaign with fresh eyes, never doing the same thing twice. They have a talent in approaching inclusivity holistically, leaving no stone unturned when it comes to representation.

A Letter From… : Member****s of the LGBTQIA+ community tell their stories

A Letter From… was a collaboration between Wild & Co. and the London-based dating app Badoo, who believe “happiness is better shared”. During Pride month, Wild & Co. did a website redesign in tandem with a campaign that told the dating stories of diverse members of the LGBTQIA+ community. Their letter-format stories were presented in stunning visuals, intertwining color blocking inspired by the pride flag. Wildish & Co. leaned into individuality to tell these largely underrepresented first-hand accounts. To further ensure inclusivity, the site was made available in English, French, and Spanish.

 

2. Hello Monday

We love: how they make a difference

Hello Monday is on a mission to make things better, whether it’s dreary Mondays, client/customer experiences, or even the health of the planet as a whole. Part of larger agency DEPT, Hello Monday focuses on digital and branding. Besides killer web design, what stands out most about Hello Monday is their focus on campaigns that spark meaningful social change.

Fingerspelling: Setting parents with deaf or hard-of-hearing children on the pa****th to success

Hello Monday teamed up with the American Society for Deaf Children to close the communication gap between hearing parents and their deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) children. Recognizing the negative effect of early language barriers on DHH children’s long-term language skills, they set out to develop a browser-based application that would help parents learn the basics of ASL. Fingerspelling.xyz is a game that uses webcam and machine learning to track users’ hand motion. A 3d hand presents you with a word, and then teaches you how to sign it letter-by-letter. The app gives you real-time feedback on your hand shape. The effective UX/UI, animation, and game components make the process of learning fingerspelling less overwhelming. Not only is it beautiful creative work, it has the potential to create meaningful change in the lives of the DHH community.

 

3. Colormatics

We love: how they think outside of the box

Headquartered in Washington State, Colormatics is a video production company that leans heavily into strategy. They stand out with an ability to integrate influencer marketing while maintaining an authentic feel. Most notably, however, their range of work reveals an uncanny talent in producing outside-of-the-box solutions.

How to Drive a Roundabout: A creative way to calm culture shock

The people of Montana had some gripes with Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) integrating roundabouts in their state. Roundabouts were too closely associated with urbanization by rural folk, who value their peace and solitude. MDOT turned to Colormatics to produce How to Drive a Roundabout,  a series of instructional safety videos for drivers unfamiliar with roundabouts. There were some challenges to overcome. For one, safety videos are boring by nature, and it was crucial to get people to listen up. Also, they had to reverse the negative perception many Montanans had about roundabouts, explain their benefit and utility, AND communicate this all in a way that would effectively engage their audience. Their solution was ingenious. Put together a mini model of a roundabout in Montana (similar to a toy train set many of us had as kids), complete with toy cars being operated by human hands, and reenact roundabout scenarios. The resulting clips are easy to follow, and align perfectly with the down-to-earth nature of their audience. By considering the needs of both the client and the audience, Colormatics was able to come to a successful resolution.

 

4. Ralph and Co.

We love: how they subvert expectations

Ralph and Co.’s star-studded list of clients speaks for itself, working with huge names like Sony and Netflix. Where they really shine is video production, with a wide resume of music videos, mini-productions, and promos. We admire their ability to create memorable experiences within pop-culture. In today’s vastly overstimulating world, crafting memorability can be extraordinarily difficult. In this following campaign, however, Ralph and Co. came out on top.

Life is Strange: An Open Letter: A different approach to video game advertising

Ralph and Co. was tasked with promoting Life is Strange: Before the Storm, a wildly popular narrative video game in which the plot progresses based on user decisions. The game is best known for its emotional subtext, and sudden plot twists. Ralph and Co. set out to create an advertisement that subverted the expectations of traditional video game advertising. Instead of teasing the game’s graphics or plot, they filmed real people reading emotional letters from their best friend, capturing the essence of friendship Life is Strange embodies. The result is a powerful, memorable campaign that effectively builds anticipation for the game’s release.

 

5. Droga5

We love: how they’re fighting the good fight

Droga5 strives to put creativity towards the betterment of humankind.. They believe “our industry needs to be transformed to create things people actually want and welcome”, and aim to “create work that adds value to people’s lives, not noise”.  They position brand purpose at the heart of all of their operations, and it shows. Their collaboration with the New York Times is especially impactful. With such a broad audience, it is difficult to communicate in a way that will resonate with everyone. However, with careful consideration of tone and strategic channel selection, Droga5 was able to nail it.

The New York Times: The Truth is Hard****: Renewing Trust in a Pillar of Journalism

This campaign came at a time in which trust in journalism was at an all time low, and misinformation was at an all time high. Droga5 was on a mission to garner subscribers while also assuring them that their money was being directed towards dedicated, fact-based reporters. Millions of eyes were on the first TV spot of the campaign, released during the Oscars. Mashed up audio clips of reporting crescendo over minimalist black and white text boldly proclaiming “truths”, finishing with the New York Times logo. The next TV spot documented their reporters traveling to the front lines of humanitarian crisis, putting names and faces to their noble reporters. Thanks to Drago5’s powerful creative work, the campaign resulted in positive public perception of the NYT, as well as an influx in subscribers.

 

6. Design Army

We love: their attention to detail

Based in Washington, D.C., Design Army is a woman-owned force to be reckoned with. Their award-winning repertoire demonstrates a holistic approach to creativity with a fast-paced flair, likely influenced by their location. Their use of vivid color and surrealist imagery really shines through in their collection of work. It was nearly impossible to pick just one stand-out campaign of theirs. However, there is one in particular that epitomizes the full scope of their creative talent.

Our Family Knows Glasses: Putting a new lens on old perceptions

In this campaign, Design Army aimed to modernize a well-established luxury eyewear brand, Georgetown Optician. Drawing inspiration from the family behind the business, the Voorthuis’, “Our Family Knows Glasses” was born. This multi-channel campaign takes a narrative approach, telling the story of a family of expert optometrists. The campaign took on a comedically whimsical tone, weaving absurd visuals with old-money and academia aesthetics. Tongue-in-cheek character names “Isaac”, “Irene”, and “Ivan” (you get the point— they sound like “eye”) reward the viewer for paying attention, and breathe a hilarious life into the campaign. The narrative format also allows for extensions, like their subsequent whodunit-esque video created to introduce a new product. The resulting print and video was released across multiple channels, reinvigorating interest in a decades-old brand. Design Army’s impeccable attention to detail pays off with content that is truly hard to look away from.

In conclusion: teamwork makes the dream work.

To quote John Hegarty, “you cannot create great work unless a little bit of you goes into it, be it your heart, your soul, or your beliefs”. The power of individual creativity is undeniable. However, In an agency setting, the amalgamation of creative minds leads to endless possibilities. We are so lucky to be a part of an industry made up of so many talented individuals, and that’s something that deserves to be celebrated.