Creative Corner: Blue Monday, Dry January and Mindless Moments

Creative Corner: Blue Monday, Dry January and Mindless Moments

In true PR style, I hope this column finds you well.

Baby it’s COLD outside and I’m writing this, three blankets deep, too freezing to get up and plug my laptop in so instead we’ll see if I can finish this column before my battery gives out.

Challenge accepted.

Let’s see what’s been happening this week…

Three’s a trend?

An idea so good it’s been done not once, not twice, but THRICE this week, which somehow makes me love it even more. 

Vitamins and supplements brand Solgar, Krispy Kreme, Volkswagen all decided to create SADverts - OOH installations featuring billboards emitting light to combat Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).

I did feel for the Volkswagen press release that said it was the first of its kind…but if an idea is good then it’s good and I really like this.

Timed to hit on Blue Monday (yeah it’s a PR thing blah blah) the billboards popped up around Manchester, Birmingham, London and other major cities around the UK to bring a little sunshine into our lives during these dark and freezing days.

Great work from everyone involved and I’m already looking forward to a special episode on any of the PR/creative/advertising podcasts out there where all three creative teams come together for a Battle Royale to determine who thought of it first.

But seriously, they’re all well-timed, mostly relevant, brilliantly executed pieces of work so congratulations to all for pulling them off, and all getting decent coverage in the same media.

Nommelier? I hardly even know her!

Little drag humour for you there (thanks Michelle Visage for the format) using the latest word in Dry January - Nommelier.

A play on ‘Sommelier’, a fancy person who peddles wine I usually can’t afford at a restaurant I shouldn’t be in, Heineken created the world’s first Nommelier service after realising its No and Low category drinks had increased in popularity.

The service hosted by The Thinking Drinkers, Ben and Tom, in an inspired partnership, held events in Edinburgh and London this week where diners could pair No or Low alcoholic drinks with food from a carefully selected menu.

Lovely stuff from the team at Cow (who we all know I’m a huge fan of anyway) and another creative way for an alcohol brand to take on Dry January.

Mindless Moments

Final one this week from the team at for the curious for Transport For Greater Manchester - thanks to Claire Quansah for sending over!

The Mindless Moments campaign, which features videos and OOH elements, aims to warn people about the dangers of seemingly small distractions while driving, which lead to collisions, injuries and sometimes be fatal.

It’s a serious campaign but the messaging is spot on for me, informative without falling into the OTT scary trap, and the videos are punchy and avoid preaching to make you think.

And that’s it - the battery made it!

TfGM Mindless Moments Football from Digital Team on Vimeo.

If you’re launching anything exciting over the next few weeks or spot a campaign online that you love please send it our way!

Email angharad@weareradioactive.com, tom@weareradioactive.com, and rich@weareradioactive.com or you can find us on Twitter @Welsh_PR, @TomGibbon_, and @RichLeighPR.

Catch you next week.

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