Review
Memorable
Effective
Style
Heart or Humor
Execution
There’s no greater symbol of love than the kiss, and there’s no better inducer of affection than alcohol. Here we evaluate Absolute’s ultra edgy ad, “Equal Love”. We’ll go over the most important parts of this TV commercial and give it scores out of 10 for crucial criteria. The advert was created by the advertising agency Bartle Bogle Hegarty.
Memorability – 8 / 10
The concept is very much in line with the brands’ target market of young adults. It is both a message about the brands’ long established history, as well as a direct reflection of modern nightlife culture. Millennials will relate directly to the images presented and also appreciate the brands tie to freedom, complexity, and behavior that is barely tolerable. Young people will think the ad is brilliant, relatable, highly reflective of modern culture, as well as chat worthy. Those from older generations are likely to scoff at the vulgar insinuations shown.
Effectiveness – 8 / 10
This is a classic brand awareness commercial with no call to actions, no particular product, and very little dialogue, It’s a romantic portrayal of the brands’ story and how it relates to the most important target segments within today’s market. To that end, it is highly effective. The visuals and styling deliver the message without the need for invasive or explanatory dialogue. Actions speak much louder than words and this clip personifies that exact idea.
Style – 8 / 10
The movement of the camera is slow and inviting. The scenes all look very dramatic and follow a hugely relevant vibrant nightlife theme. The soundtrack is the element that adds a humorous backbone to the clip, making it a funny as opposed to overly serious or dramatic. All these elements combine well to create an aesthetic that appeals directly to a young market and oozes the essential message of freedom, living on the edge, and enjoying youth to the fullest extent.
Heart or Humor – 8 / 10
As a romanticized portrayal of modern culture, as well as the story behind the brand, a mix of humor and heart, combine to deliver a striking yet light hearted play on the ideal in question. Equal love is a principle or concept. In this piece, the characters portray a literal take on the phrase. A clever approach that will win the affection of those who can easily relate. It may annoy a lot of people from older generations with different values.
Execution – 9 / 10
An edgy concept that has been embraced full on. It’s an ad that will both offend and please in equal measure. That is perhaps the clips most powerful feature; it is likely to spark some sort of reaction from almost everyone that witnessed it. The Marmite version of a TV advert. It is unignorable and delivers the message with clarity and boldness to stand out in an overcrowded alcohol market. If the most important goal for the ad was to spark discussion as well as resonate strongly with millennials, most would have to agree that this concept looks set to accomplish both objectives with impressive results.