Mother | Muse by Clios https://musebyclios.com Discover the latest creative marketing and advertising news. Muse by Clio is the premier news site covering creativity in advertising and beyond. Mon, 29 Jul 2024 22:04:06 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5.5 https://clio-muse-prod-media.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/12035206/cropped-muse_favicon-32x32.png Mother | Muse by Clios https://musebyclios.com 32 32 10 Great Album Covers, Chosen by Jaye Thompson of Mother https://musebyclios.com/art-album/10-great-album-covers-chosen-jaye-thompson-mother/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=10-great-album-covers-chosen-by-jaye-thompson-of-mother https://musebyclios.com/art-album/10-great-album-covers-chosen-jaye-thompson-mother/#respond Mon, 15 Jul 2024 08:00:00 +0000 https://musebyclios.com/uncategorized/10-great-album-covers-chosen-by-jaye-thompson-of-mother/ The qualities that draw me to a piece of art can be summed up by three main characteristics: concept, color and composition. With my background as a designer, I find it inescapable to not evaluate something based on a conceptual narrative or insight. It’s this that brings context and meaning to the work. When a […]

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The qualities that draw me to a piece of art can be summed up by three main characteristics: concept, color and composition. With my background as a designer, I find it inescapable to not evaluate something based on a conceptual narrative or insight. It’s this that brings context and meaning to the work. When a point of view can be represented in a strikingly distinct way that arrests your attention, it’s what I like to describe as “visual crack.”

Part of what makes an album great is not just the ability to execute sonically, but to consider this broader conceptual narrative—everything that surrounds the music. That includes performances, videos, and of course the album artwork. It should all feel like a cohesive world that an artist has shaped—an album is a single planet among the universe of their entire discography.

As I was writing for each album entry, it made me consider how each album has contributed to shaping my musical identity and what influences I unknowingly borrowed from it. For better or worse, these are just a few examples of the music and album artwork that have stuck with me and have remained in my rotation throughout the years.


Kendrick Lamar
To Pimp A Butterfly (2015)

When the cover art for Kendrick Lamar’s second LP was revealed on Instagram in March of 2015, I was stunned by the audacity and absolute unapologeticness of the cover. Executed in a way that is reminiscent of archival imagery, the visual showcases an assembly of Black men flaunting cash, liquor, and gang signs in front of a revered staple of American society. For added emphasis, we see a judge lying on the ground, knocked unconscious in the foreground. The entire composition feels like a metaphorical (and literal) middle finger to a country that so often villainizes and ignores Black men. The narrative of the album pairs perfectly with the content of the cover and showcases Kendrick’s ability to curate such a nuanced and richly layered image. 


Mos Def
Black On Both Sides (1999)

The rawness and vulnerability expressed in this portrait of Yasiin Bey (fka Mos Def) was something I had never seen before of Black men. Quite similar to the indiscernible expression of the Mona Lisa in the Louvre, it’s not quite clear what the subject of the cover is feeling. We see a glimmer in his eyes—is it sadness? Hope? Both? The intense closeness of the portrait forces the viewer to not ignore the man in front of them. The image conveys a sense of silence, but the unignorable close proximity simultaneously makes it feel like it’s shouting —demanding to be seen for who he is.


Danny Brown
Atrocity Exhibition (2016)

Before this album, I wouldn’t have called myself a Danny Brown fan or a casual listener. But as soon as I saw the artwork for this project, I had to know what the music sounded like. The first song off of Atrocity Exhibition is called “Downward Spiral,” a fitting introduction to an album that details the artist’s tormented psyche and internal conflictions. The cover is psychedelically abrasive, as the glitching and fracturing unravel the artist. Vulnerability isn’t always delicate or quiet, sometimes it’s ugly and savage.


Kid Cudi
Man On The Moon: The End of Day (2009)

I hold this album in such high regard that the cover has implicitly become canon for my own personal and artistic aesthetic. The clash of orange and purple hues creates a juxtaposition of melancholy and optimism, alluding to the conflicting dualities Kid Cudi examines about himself throughout the project. This artwork simply captures genuine emotions we all feel at times. Whether it’s that of an outcast who can’t quite seem to fit in or the mindstate of a vivid dreamer with their sights set beyond the stars, it’s a poignant image that has established itself as a fixture in culture.


The Temper Trap
Conditions (2009)

The music from the Melbourne band’s debut album can be simply described as ethereal and softly anthemic. The visual of the little girl shrouded in darkness, with just a few of her facial features peeking out, has always felt like the perfect expression of how the music sounds. A bit somber without coming off as dreary or depressing, with a touch of innocence and honesty revealing itself amidst the cloudy production. Her expression is difficult to gauge—possibly uneasy, but not panicked. It’s always felt like a metaphor for stumbling through the unknown and unilluminated parts of life—we’re never sure where we’re headed, but we keep moving, trying our best to keep our composure and find the light.


Rihanna
ANTI (2015)

Some images are drenched in symbolism, layered with such multiplicity that they beg to be studied. I believe Rihanna’s magnum opus, ANTI, is one such image. A mesmerizing piece of art to match the music it accompanies. Commissioned by the artist Roy Nachum and part of a series called “Blind,” the images come across as quite enigmatic, conveyed by the dizzying double visual of the figure, the crown that obscures her eyes, and the lone balloon in her hand. The vibrant red against the otherwise monochrome image pierces through almost violently, but paired with the crown it comes across as regal. In addition, the braille messaging relays a poem by Chloë Mitchell, adding even more depth to the artwork. There are just so many different facets to spark conversation around the idea, contributing to making this one of the best albums to come out of the 2010s.


Big KRIT
4eva N a Day (2012)

Some of my favorite works of art explore the moral complexity of characters and situations. This illustrated piece shows a character straddled between a church on his left—symbolizing righteousness—and a strip club on his right, representing one’s vices. A bible and bottle of alcohol are on either side of the character. I think this image is a perfect analogy of the dual forces constantly at work in one’s life, and the decisions we are faced to make. KRIT’s masterfully introspective lyrics provide catharsis as he is figuring out his path as a man presented with the same choices.


The Roots
Undun (2011)

It wasn’t until years after this album came out that I learned about the photographer of this image, Jamel Shabazz. He was a street photographer in New York during the 80s, who was known for taking everyday photos of Black youth. This image feels so nostalgic and harkens back to a time we can all relate to. The moment in which Shabazz captured the young boy in the air, as if he was levitating above the mattress, reminds me of how invincible adolescence felt at one point. So much seemed possible, not yet tainted by the cynicalness of adulthood. Our innocence was still intact. This moment, frozen in time, is like an homage to those summer days spent with friends, using our unbridled imagination to turn the most boring of things into an adventure.


Rhye
Woman (2013)

The debut project from the duo Rhye is a deeply emotive and intimate alt-R&B album that blends atmospheric production with ethereal vocals, creating a dreamlike aesthetic. The expertly composed photo makes the best use of cropping to create a quiet mysteriousness and sensual elegance of a recognizable form that somehow simultaneously feels abstract. It’s something that could stand alone as a single image and still be appreciated.


Amy Winehouse
Back to Black (2006)

It wasn’t until after Amy Winehouse had passed that I started digging into her discography. Listening to her albums with the knowledge of her personal hardships made me receive the music differently. The portrait of Amy sitting forlornly with her hands in her lap staring into the camera looking dejected pulls at the heart. For all of the reasons why this album cover can be viewed as downhearted, I think it’s a beautiful portrayal of a human confronting her flaws, choosing to be vulnerable for the sake of her art.

Art of the Album is a regular feature looking at the craft of album-cover design. If you’d like to write for the series, or learn more about our Clio Music program, please get in touch.

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'Missing Articles' Tell Story of WSJ Reporter Detained in Russia https://musebyclios.com/advertising/missing-articles-tell-story-wsj-reporter-detained-russia/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=missing-articles-tell-story-of-wsj-reporter-detained-in-russia https://musebyclios.com/advertising/missing-articles-tell-story-wsj-reporter-detained-russia/#respond Fri, 29 Mar 2024 14:00:00 +0000 https://musebyclios.com/uncategorized/missing-articles-tell-story-of-wsj-reporter-detained-in-russia/ In the Wall Street Journal today, stark white space helps tell the story of reporter Evan Gershkovich, detained for the past year by Russian security services. Russia has accused Gershkovich of spying, a claim Evan, the WSJ and White House vehemently deny.  Now, Gershkovich’s picture and headlines such as “His Story Should Be Here” top […]

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In the Wall Street Journal today, stark white space helps tell the story of reporter Evan Gershkovich, detained for the past year by Russian security services.

Russia has accused Gershkovich of spying, a claim Evan, the WSJ and White House vehemently deny. 

Now, Gershkovich’s picture and headlines such as “His Story Should Be Here” top otherwise blank columns in print and online, seeking to spotlight the journalist’s plight.

Video Reference
WSJ | Evan Gershkovich

Experts believe Russia snatched Gershkovich in order to eventually swap him for prisoners held by the U.S.

“Through this campaign, the Journal amplifies the conversation around Evan’s unjust detainment and the efforts to bring him home and shares a powerful message about the importance of protecting press freedom around the world,” say the WSJ and creative agency Mother, which helped develop the appeal.

Sadly, the work appears a few days after Russia rounded up six independent journalists. Among them is Antonina Favorskaya. She chronicled the career of opposition leader Alexey Navalny, who died last month in a Siberian prison.

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Love for Earth, a Swanky Santa and Lessons in Fearless Living https://musebyclios.com/eurovisions/love-earth-swanky-santa-and-lessons-fearless-living/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=love-for-earth-a-swanky-santa-and-lessons-in-fearless-living https://musebyclios.com/eurovisions/love-earth-swanky-santa-and-lessons-fearless-living/#respond Fri, 08 Dec 2023 07:00:00 +0000 https://musebyclios.com/uncategorized/love-for-earth-a-swanky-santa-and-lessons-in-fearless-living/ Our ad of the week hails from the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center Foundation, and was created by Havas Spain. Titled “Sin Miedo a Vivir” (“Without Fear of Living”), it opens with people at various stages of their cancer journeys. A man at a bar suddenly gets onstage to karaoke Rosana’s popular ’90s track, “Sin Miedo.” […]

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Our ad of the week hails from the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center Foundation, and was created by Havas Spain. Titled “Sin Miedo a Vivir” (“Without Fear of Living”), it opens with people at various stages of their cancer journeys. A man at a bar suddenly gets onstage to karaoke Rosana’s popular ’90s track, “Sin Miedo.” His voice is raspy and rich, and he pushes on his throat prosthesis all the while. The work is “Dedicated to the ones that have lost the fear of living.” May we all lose that fear, and be half as brave as those who appear here, resplendent.

In Aldi France’s “Christmas Before Christmas,” TBWAParis gives us a Santa we’ve never seen. He doesn’t live in a palace with elves, perpetually catering to the fantasies of children. This guy has a chic winter home, plays vinyls and doesn’t think about work off the clock. In this tale, he pulls a classic freelancer move, delivering gifts a day early so he can throw a Christmas Eve dinner bash (with ingredients sourced at Aldi). This story continues the brand’s modernized fairy tale vibe and reinforces its “fresh local produce” focus.

For the city of Hamburg, Jung von Matt Sports leveraged live team grouping draws for the UEFA Euro 2024 tournament. (Hamburg is among 10 cities where matches will be held in Germany, the host nation, next year.) Using huge shipping containers, the agency set up a 40-foot-high installation, dubbed “The Final Draw,” that replicated the actual draw in real-time. This required 25 containers, 12 forklifts and 70 port workers to accomplish. It was simulcast at Elbe Philharmonic Hall, and kicked off a larger campaign titled “Hamburg. Great Things Start Here.”

French NGO Terre de Liens depicts a woman living in a space shuttle, eating holographic food. It ends with her finding terra nova: The land we’re still on. Created by agency Strike, “Come Back Down to Earth” is designed to make the world of agriculture more appealing. In France, 200 farms vanish weekly, and 50,000 hectares of fertile land are paved over each year. One in three farmers will retire in 10 years without replacements. The ad marks 20 years of agricultural preservation for Terre de Liens, and arrives in the lee of a new law dubbed PLOAA, designed to trigger generational renewal in agriculture, partly by making sector jobs more attractive.

By now we’ve all heard that Ikea U.K. and Mother London have launched a limited edition turkey-sized meatball, “the ultimate Christmas dinner showstopper.” (It is not mammoth, but rather mostly chicken.) At over 9 pounds, the meatball comes boxed, accompanied by lingonberry jam and creamy sauce. You can either win one on Ikea’s social media or wait until Dec. 11 and hunt one down. For the herbivores (’cause you know this is not what PETA meant when it said “don’t eat turkey”), Ikea’s got a Veggieball Christmas Tree kit, too. 

Lack of dog blood donors is a problem for vets. Who knew? For client Bâtard (yes, “bastard”), a quarterly lifestyle dog-lovers magazine in France, We Are Social launched #BatardDonneur, whose premise is simple: When people Instagram dog-selfies with that hashtag, and include zip codes, local vets seeking blood can add those doggos to a volunteer donor database. 

“Long live the earth.” We hear that, and it’s a restful way to wrap the week. The ad in question, “An Homage to the Soil,” is for Swedish agricultural coop Lantmännen and makes use of BBC Green Planet cameraman Tim Shepherd, whose oeuvre shines here. The campaign acts as a gentle reminder that Earth is our source of food and life, and we need to take care of the soil for future generations. Work by Nord DDB.

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Amica's Film Series Says We're Defined by What We Leave Behind https://musebyclios.com/health/amicas-film-series-says-were-defined-what-we-leave-behind/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=amicas-film-series-says-were-defined-by-what-we-leave-behind https://musebyclios.com/health/amicas-film-series-says-were-defined-what-we-leave-behind/#respond Thu, 19 Oct 2023 06:00:00 +0000 https://musebyclios.com/uncategorized/amicas-film-series-says-were-defined-by-what-we-leave-behind/ We’re told death and taxes are the two certainties everyone must face. Yet, while we come to terms with the IRS every year, we put off thinking about death and postpone end-of-life planning for as long as possible. That dynamic makes marketing life insurance especially challenging; it’s top of mind just before it’s too late. […]

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We’re told death and taxes are the two certainties everyone must face. Yet, while we come to terms with the IRS every year, we put off thinking about death and postpone end-of-life planning for as long as possible.

That dynamic makes marketing life insurance especially challenging; it’s top of mind just before it’s too late.

Amica, however, understands that the number of Americans who believe they are underinsured has more than doubled since 2010. And 53 percent of us are uncertain about how much or what type of coverage to buy.

So, 1) We know we need insurance, but 2) We aren’t sure which kind to purchase, and 3) No one wants to think about it. Now that’s a great brief!

We knew we had to employ Amica’s “Empathy Is Our Best Policy” positioning to tackle these challenges. And the mission required more than traditional ads. After all, the only thing folks avoid more than mulling life insurance is interruptive advertising.

Strong storytelling allows us to connect emotionally. So, we opted for a film series—with entries of about five minutes each—centered around compassion and the human experience. Mother New York took the creative lead with Courageous Studios. Media by Mother implemented a strategy with Warner Bros. Discovery.

Our guiding insight was that taking care of someone after you’re gone is the most meaningful act of empathy. Through that lens, we were able to flip the focus and deemphasize confronting mortality. Death isn’t negotiable. Shaping one’s legacy, on the other hand, is an active choice and one we should ponder.

Our branded series, “What You Leave Behind,” centers on treasured everyday objects left to us—serendipitously or intentionally—by those we loved and lost.

The campaign tells three stories about such items: a drum kit, a camera and a recipe book. Through the words of those who value them most, we learn that such artifacts are the true embodiment of the legacy of their loved ones.

“The Drums,” our first film, tells the story of Chris Lotito and his relationship with his father. After his dad passed, the drums were inadvertently sold, crushing Chris and leading him on a decades-long quest to recover them.

Our second episode, “The Camera,” dropping soon, follows Kwasi Boyd-Boulin, an award-winning photographer who only found his calling after inheriting his father’s camera. Kwasi’s work has been showcased in The New York Times and the National Gallery of Art, furthering his dad’s legacy.

At the end of each narrative, we invite viewers to learn more about Amica and consider what they would leave behind. Such legacies are powerful expressions that can endure long after we’re gone.

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Stella Artois Erects a Naked Mural to Promote Its Unfiltered Beer https://musebyclios.com/advertising/stella-artois-erects-naked-mural-promote-its-unfiltered-beer/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=stella-artois-erects-a-naked-mural-to-promote-its-unfiltered-beer https://musebyclios.com/advertising/stella-artois-erects-naked-mural-promote-its-unfiltered-beer/#respond Mon, 09 Jan 2023 13:45:00 +0000 https://musebyclios.com/uncategorized/stella-artois-erects-a-naked-mural-to-promote-its-unfiltered-beer/ Last year, Mother London used strategically held glasses of Stella Artois as naked beer lovers enjoyed Stella’s unfiltered beer. One week into 2023 and the agency is using ideally placed windows for a building mural of naked people drinking Stella Artois Unfiltered—now available on tap. The cheeky mural took three days to paint, and was […]

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Stella mural

Last year, Mother London used strategically held glasses of Stella Artois as naked beer lovers enjoyed Stella’s unfiltered beer.

One week into 2023 and the agency is using ideally placed windows for a building mural of naked people drinking Stella Artois Unfiltered—now available on tap.

The cheeky mural took three days to paint, and was ultimately placed in the Hoxton neighborhood, near partnering pubs and restaurants. The mural is also short-lived, for it’s coming down this week.

“Our client was keen to continue the playfulness of incidentally covered nudity in higher impact locations, especially in the vicinity of drinking establishments to drive more awareness and talkability around the new launch,” says Anthony Montagne and Oli Rimoldi, creatives at Mother London.

“Similarly to how our barman’s nudity in the TVC was cleverly obscured by the choreography of passing objects and ‘just-in-time’ camera angles, the mural artwork is created to position the characters on the wall so that their modesty seems serendipitously concealed by the building’s windows.”

See the earlier TV spot here:

Video Reference
Stella Artois Unfiltered | Beer, Au Naturel

CREDITS

Client: Stella Artois
Brand: Unfiltered

Creative Agency: Mother London
Creative Director: Mico Toledo
Creatives: Anthony Montagne, Oli Rimoldi
Producer: Hannah Tozer
Production Director: Andy Redpath
Designer: Miguel Sousa, Mina Abdurahman, Charlotte Terry

Mural Creators: Graffiti Life
Photographer of Artwork: Nick Meek (represented by Siobhan Squire)
Blindeye Films (Documented the installation of the mural)

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Mother's 'Gay Blood Collection' Protests Outdated Donation Law https://musebyclios.com/health/mothers-gay-blood-collection-protests-outdated-donation-law/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=mothers-gay-blood-collection-protests-outdated-donation-law https://musebyclios.com/health/mothers-gay-blood-collection-protests-outdated-donation-law/#respond Wed, 21 Sep 2022 13:00:00 +0000 https://musebyclios.com/uncategorized/mothers-gay-blood-collection-protests-outdated-donation-law/ Some situations require a visceral response. To wit: Creative agency Mother is furious about the 39-year-old U.S. prohibition on gay men donating blood, an edict based on outdated fears about HIV and AIDS. To raise awareness and spark protest around the issue, the company created a collection of paints and inks infused with the blood […]

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Some situations require a visceral response.

To wit: Creative agency Mother is furious about the 39-year-old U.S. prohibition on gay men donating blood, an edict based on outdated fears about HIV and AIDS. To raise awareness and spark protest around the issue, the company created a collection of paints and inks infused with the blood of gay men (siphoned from its staffers, in fact).

Timed to New York Fashion Week and developed with artist Stuart Semple, sales from the “Gay Blood Collection” will benefit LGBTQ+ healthcare provider Callen-Lorde. Mother hopes buyers will use the merch to make posters, write letters and create T-shirts hyping the cause.

The public can choose from:

  • Gay Blood Acrylic Paint – $30
  • Gay Blood Fountain Pen – $45
  • Gay Blood Screen Printing Ink – $50
  • Gay Blood Paint Pen – $35
  • Eco-friendly, non-aerosol Gay Blood Spray Paint – $200

Click the images to enlarge and scroll through:

The ban is a deeply felt issue, one that hits especially close to the heart. So, blood seems like the ideal medium for delivering the message. There’s also a sense of inclusion and camaraderie, with Mother inviting like-minded folks to join the fight.

In addition, the agency has asked queer activists and artists Gus Kenworthy, Milan Zrnic, Daniel Ortiz and Mikel Welch to design one-of-a-kind pieces for auction using its “Gay Blood” items.

“We’re in the business of creativity, so a collection of tools designed to encourage action and amplify your activism just felt like the right approach,” Paul Malmstrom, founder and creative director at Mother USA, tells Muse. “Our primary focus is to give tools to folks who are actively working to repeal this archaic and discriminatory law. If used in a big way, hopefully we can inform and influence people who don’t know the law exists.”

The merch is sold under the auspices of Mother Goods, a digital marketplace for socially provocative IP. Other items include bullet-resistant leisurewear supporting gun safety and a gold, handcuff-style phone case skewering the oft-oppressive nature of our always-on world.

Mother has explored such territory before, notably with its 2018 “Blood Is Blood” T-shirt initiative, which also addressed the FDA’s ban on letting men who have sex with men donate blood.

Other work in a similar vein includes an “illegal blood bank” in the U.K. for gay and bisexual men. All told, 26 pints were collected, and many exhibited in outdoor displays across London, including one near the Houses of Parliament. That 2019 effort from publisher Unilad and agency Elvis protested a U.K. statute similar to the U.S. ban.

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Panera's Jaunty Sonic Logo Offers Seconds of Foodie Joy https://musebyclios.com/music/paneras-jaunty-sonic-logo-offers-seconds-foodie-joy/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=paneras-jaunty-sonic-logo-offers-seconds-of-foodie-joy https://musebyclios.com/music/paneras-jaunty-sonic-logo-offers-seconds-foodie-joy/#respond Tue, 02 Aug 2022 15:00:00 +0000 https://musebyclios.com/uncategorized/paneras-jaunty-sonic-logo-offers-seconds-of-foodie-joy/ What does the anticipation and satisfaction derived from a great meal sound like? A 1.5 second burst of horns with a choral flourish, perhaps? Such sounds, designed to distill foodie joy in audio terms, punctuate Panera’s latest ads following a sonic refresh from Made Music Studios. This :15 from agency Mother uses that tag as […]

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Panera

What does the anticipation and satisfaction derived from a great meal sound like? A 1.5 second burst of horns with a choral flourish, perhaps?

Such sounds, designed to distill foodie joy in audio terms, punctuate Panera’s latest ads following a sonic refresh from Made Music Studios.

This :15 from agency Mother uses that tag as the kicker:

Video Reference
New Charged Lemonades From Panera

Does it capture the feeling you get when diving into a bowl of Panera’s Broccoli Cheddar Mac & Cheese? Actually, only Michael Bolton’s powerful pipes can convey the ooey-gooey rapture of that particular culinary experience. But we digress.

The sonic logo accompanies a major marketing reboot led by Panera vice president of brand building Drayton Martin.

“We were seeking to evoke the visceral and joyful experience of eating a delicious meal,” Martin says. “This included a refresh of our visual branding. We leaned into a refreshed color palette and several design cues including an expressive ‘burst’ element. The sonic branding is the audio companion to our visual expression, and particularly important given the powerful memory cues evoked by sound.”

Below, Martin and Made Music EVP, global brand partnerships John Taite, expand on those efforts:

Muse: What kind of vibe were you going for?

Drayton Martin, Panera: The sonic logo builds tempting anticipation at the outset with a vibrant horns series and then affirms the true joy of a satisfying meal with the choral conclusion. A key part of our brand refresh was to celebrate our core focus on “making the familiar fantastic.” Our new sonic identity needed to capture the lasting joy of a delicious meal you feel great about eating.

Using brand sounds derived from product elements and packaging is a trend. We saw it in Made Music’s work for Tostitos. Why go in a different direction with Panera?

John Taite, Made Music: We could’ve gone that route. Though when we’re creating a sonic identity, we like to think about the emotional experience first and foremost. Think of the physical experience of enjoying chips and salsa—you think of the jars, the crunch, the bag. It’s part of your emotional connection to that brand. With Panera, we wanted to create the feel of going to one of their bakery-cafes. You’re not thinking about the dings of ovens or grills. That emotional experience is about craving and anticipation and good food.

How’d you create the tag?

Taite: The sonic logo is about 1.5 seconds long, and is made up of two distinct parts: horns and a choral “oooh.” We used trumpet, alto sax and baritone sax to create the setup that leads into that payoff note. It’s about anticipating a meal, then taking a delightful first bite, and it pairs very well with the “burst” of the vibrant new visual identity.

Why are sonic logos so hyped today?

Taite: As consumers increasingly move to audio-first platforms, it’s more important than ever for marketers to capture their attention wherever they are. Audio assets are key to differentiation, increasing brand appeal, and standing out in crowded markets.

Apart from your own stuff, which sonic tags do you love? Any you really dislike?

Taite: The best sonic logos are the ones that capture a brand’s essence. They can’t belong to anyone else and they stand the test of time because they connect with customers on an emotional level. Think of Intel or HBO—those stick with you. The worst sonic logos are ones that sound like someone else. There are currently about eight brands in market all using a variation of a doorbell. You can’t cut through the clutter when you are the clutter.

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How Stella Artois Made Its Very Naked New Ad Campaign https://musebyclios.com/advertising/how-stella-artois-made-its-very-naked-new-ad-campaign/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=how-stella-artois-made-its-very-naked-new-ad-campaign https://musebyclios.com/advertising/how-stella-artois-made-its-very-naked-new-ad-campaign/#respond Wed, 08 Jun 2022 14:20:00 +0000 https://musebyclios.com/uncategorized/how-stella-artois-made-its-very-naked-new-ad-campaign/ Filters are everywhere. On the apps we use, and the pictures we post online. The latest Stella Artois campaign is free of filters in every regard. Mother London created a TV, print and OOH campaign to promote the brand’s first unfiltered lager. And since the beer is unfiltered, the people in the campaign are in […]

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How Stella Artois Make Its Very Naked New Ad Campaign

Filters are everywhere. On the apps we use, and the pictures we post online. The latest Stella Artois campaign is free of filters in every regard. Mother London created a TV, print and OOH campaign to promote the brand’s first unfiltered lager. And since the beer is unfiltered, the people in the campaign are in a state of undress.

“Naked has obviously been done many times before in advertising, but not often with elegance or authenticity,” say Oli Rimoldi and Anthony Montagne, creative directors at Mother London. “So, our focus throughout was on the craft, especially the casting—it was so important to everyone involved to represent real people with real bodies.”

Print and OOH ads for “Beer, au naturel” feature residents of a casual European town. Folks gather to play chess, walk the dog and have a drink in the nude. Everyone is happy, comfortable and hopefully applying sunblock often.

Click the images to enlarge:

The TV spot follows a naked bartender carrying a cold chalice of beer to a customer. A newspaper, a ruptured pipe, crates of Stella, a well-positioned peach and a bushy plant keep their modesty under wraps.

Video Reference
Stella Artois Unfiltered | Beer, Au Naturel

“I wasn’t raised to despise my body or anyone else’s, so it was refreshing to be able to cast a kaleidoscope of naturally beautiful actors in this charming commercial,” says director Autumn De Wilde.

Mother London provided us some behind-the-scenes photos from the TV shoot. They’re also unfiltered, FYI.

Click the images to enlarge:

“Interestingly, conversations around wardrobe were very lengthy, despite there seemingly being none,” the creative pair tell Muse. “Never before did we think we’d be discussing the quality of a ‘cock sock.’ The priority was always the comfort of the cast, so an intimacy coordinator was always available on set, and the wardrobe department even had matching robes and slippers to keep them all warm when off camera—yes, it was surprisingly colder than it looks.”

CREDITS

Client: Stella Artois
Campaign: Beer, au naturel
Creative: Mother
Strategy: Mother
Production Company: Anonymous Content
Director: Autumn de Wilde
D.O.P: Jamie Feliu Torres
EP: Victoria Fitzwilliams
Head of Production: Shion Hayasaka
Producer: Juliet Naylor
Production Manager: Sera Bal
Local Service Company: 24/7
24/7 EP: Richard Webb

Edit House: Marshall Street Editors
Editor: Tim Thornton-Allan
Assistant Editor – Alex Djain

Post House: BlackKite
Post Producer: Tamara Mennell
VFX Supervisor/Lead: Johnny Freeman

Color: Company3
Colourist: Yoomin Lee
EP: Ellora Soret

Sound: No8 London
Sound Producer: Karen Noden
Sound Engineer: Sam Robinson

Music: Leland
Music Supervisor: Toby Williams

Print:
Photographer: Nick Meek
Photographer’s Agent: Siobhan Squire

PR:
The Romans

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Woolmark's Wool Is So Natural, They Gave It to Birds for Their Nests https://musebyclios.com/environment/woolmarks-wool-so-natural-they-gave-it-birds-their-nests/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=woolmarks-wool-is-so-natural-they-gave-it-to-birds-for-their-nests https://musebyclios.com/environment/woolmarks-wool-so-natural-they-gave-it-birds-their-nests/#respond Wed, 04 May 2022 14:00:00 +0000 https://musebyclios.com/uncategorized/woolmarks-wool-is-so-natural-they-gave-it-to-birds-for-their-nests/ Laojun Mountain in Yunnan, China, is home to more than 194 species of birds. Coinciding with nesting season and Earth Day, the Woolmark Company gave our feathered friends a leg up on nest building with an art installation that also showcased the sustainability of Merino wool. “Nest Starter” is the first work from Mother Shanghai […]

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Laojun Mountain in Yunnan, China, is home to more than 194 species of birds. Coinciding with nesting season and Earth Day, the Woolmark Company gave our feathered friends a leg up on nest building with an art installation that also showcased the sustainability of Merino wool.

“Nest Starter” is the first work from Mother Shanghai for the brand’s “Merino Wool. Live with Nature” platform in China. Each installation—there are six—looks like an oversized mushroom head and meshes well with nature, as shown in the video below.

Video Reference
The Woolmark Company | Nest Starter

Local weavers created the installations using 69 pounds of pure, raw, unwashed Merino wool that birds can peck away at to create nests. Mother Shanghai notes that the wool went “straight from sheep to installation.”

The video will run across owned and paid channels in China.

Per Mother Shanghai, Laojun Mountain was the ideal location, as “it’s the home to over 194 species of birds. Aside from their stunning beauty with regard to the landscape, the site was selected based on a set of carefully considered conditions: feasibility of putting up the installation without damaging the woods; species of birds; the density of nesting bird community in spring; filming possibility.”

The agency says the challenges came “less from the creation of the installation but more on putting them in place high up on Laojun Mountain—from a last-minute transportation travel ban (due to Covid) to stringing them at 3,860 meters above sea level. Plus, the inability to predict weather conditions.”

The film crew had to leave within certain time parameters due to weather conditions and a high altitude. When the weather is warmer, and travel restrictions are lifted (Shanghai is currently in Covid lockdown), they plan to shoot updated video of the installations post-wool removal.

“Most birds are incredibly skilled at building nests without any help from people,” says Mother Shanghai, “But often, the fluff they gather contains traces of synthetics, and we wouldn’t recommend that.”

CREDITS

Client: The Woolmark Company 
Agency: Mother Shanghai 
Creative: Mother Shanghai 
Strategy: Mother Shanghai 
Director: H. Stanley
Assistant Director: L.C Xu
Director of Photography: Nick Yang
Set Designer: Miga Liang 
Music Composer: Kuniyuki Takahashi a.k.a Koss
SFX: Mix Studio
Production Company: PLAYFilms Shanghai
Visual Effects: Tao&Jill
Production Company: Twinkle Lab
Photography: Scott Lee
Typographer: HeFan

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Eva Lazarus Headlines One of the Coolest Femtech Ads We've Seen https://musebyclios.com/music/eva-lazarus-headlines-one-coolest-femtech-ads-weve-seen/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=eva-lazarus-headlines-one-of-the-coolest-femtech-ads-weve-seen https://musebyclios.com/music/eva-lazarus-headlines-one-coolest-femtech-ads-weve-seen/#respond Tue, 15 Mar 2022 12:30:00 +0000 https://musebyclios.com/uncategorized/eva-lazarus-headlines-one-of-the-coolest-femtech-ads-weve-seen/ We haven’t felt this excited about a musical ad since “Viva La Vulva.” But Elvie’s “Smart Bodies,” created by Mother London, isn’t specifically about celebrating what’s under the hood. In a larger sense, it’s really about how amazing women’s bodies are overall—something that, culturally, is especially underestimated when those bodies make life. Eva Lazarus, an […]

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We haven’t felt this excited about a musical ad since “Viva La Vulva.”

But Elvie’s “Smart Bodies,” created by Mother London, isn’t specifically about celebrating what’s under the hood. In a larger sense, it’s really about how amazing women’s bodies are overall—something that, culturally, is especially underestimated when those bodies make life.

Eva Lazarus, an artist and current breastfeeding mother, headlines the spot and flows about just how amazing our bodies are. We can make life, and nutrient-rich milk! We can even make breast pumps fashionable.

Video Reference
Elvie: Smart tech for smart bodies

The undercurrent of the work is, basically, don’t we deserve awesome technology to match our awesome technology? The energy is in-your-face, slathered in swagger and gold.

“I wanted to get involved with Elvie on this new project because of the fears I had prior to becoming a mother,” said Lazarus. “Normalizing all of the associated experiences of womanhood/motherhood are so important, and as a new mum I found it liberating to celebrate how inspiring it is that our bodies are undeniably smart and strong. I would love women to take that away from this campaign and feel emboldened. We are magnificent!”

Any ad that makes us feel good about our bodies, which are otherwise tacitly measured against all sorts of other cultural messages, is a plus in our view. But the technology that interacts intimately with our bodies matters, too. How good it feels, how well-designed for our particular needs, sends a powerful, and physical, message about the level to which we’re considered (and valued) in the larger market.

The first time I saw someone use a breast pump, I was confused and a little alarmed. I walked into an empty women’s room and found a woman pumping away. She looked up, equally surprised, and not in a happy way. The image it left me with was sci-fi while feeling hospitalish. Alone in a drab corporate restroom, her clothes half off, attached to this noisy, tentacled machine, it must have been worse for her, especially given how I reacted. I ran away.

This is something that will bother me forever. In addition to what she was already managing, she didn’t need that. Thankfully I now know what breast pumps are. But the fact that this technology has, for so long, been cumbersome, unpleasant to tote around, and mostly hidden from public view, has bothered me since. 

A few things have changed since then. In 2019, Katia Beauchamp, CEO of Birchbox, starred in an ad where, among other things, she was shown using a breast pump while in a hotel room, meaningfully highlighting what it is to be a busy working professional while also needing to physically provide food to a baby with your own body.

But “Smart Bodies” isn’t just about celebrating our life-giving machinery, or raising awareness for the fact that breast pumping is a thing. Rather, it does what Method did for cleaning products: It says products should work for you, down to the tiniest details. They shouldn’t be ugly or a pain to use. Given that breast pumps are designed for people who can’t be physically attached to a suckling baby at all hours, they should be easy to move with, and ideally not force you to take time out of your day, seeking places to set up shop in peace.

Elvie’s breast pump is cordless and wearable; you can literally tuck it into your bra. The ad also showcases Elvie’s Kegel trainer, which helps women, postpartum or not, strengthen their pelvic floors. This is tech that seems to talk from a woman’s perspective—functional, pleasing, designed for lives taking place on multiple stages. They feel like power.

It’s the desirable smartphone equivalent for femtech. As Lazarus says, “My body’s smart, give me the tools!”

Lazarus co-wrote the lyrics of this anthem alongside Mother. “Smart Bodies” will run across social networks, and via on-demand video, across multiple markets. It follows Mother’s previous work for the brand, “Pumping Unplugged,” which focused more on the breast pump.

“Elvie continues to hear from women that they want respect and recognition for their bodies no matter their size, shape or stage of life—and don’t want to be held to societal standards,” said Aoife Nally, chief marketing officer of Elvie. “As we celebrate International Women’s Day, it’s time we bust long-standing taboos and create tech that women deserve. Our goal is to empower and enable women to achieve everything their bodies are capable of.”

Last year, Elvie received Time’s Best Invention Award for its Elvie Stride, as well as two Good Design Awards from the Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and Design, for its Elvie Curve and Elvie Catch products.

A behind-the-scenes video appears below.

Video Reference
Elvie — Smart body behind-the-scenes

CREDITS

Agency: Mother
Creative: Mother
Strategy: Mother
Production Company: Mother Studios
Director: Olivia Rose 
Casting – Jinjo
Music Supervision – David Bass @ Wake the Town
Publisher – Wake the Town
Artist – Eva Lazarus
Colorist – Jason Wallis 
Post-Production – Electric Theatre Company

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