It’s not every day you see a marathon advertised on TV in such a dramatic way. In this article, we’re looking at the new advert for Íslandsbanki’s Reykjavík City Marathon, a commercial created by the advertising agency Brandenburg, Iceland. We’ll give this piece of advertising scores out of 10 for memorability, effectiveness, style, heart, and execution. Have a read through to see if you agree with our scores.
Memorability – 7 / 10
The ad starts with a dramatic action inspired scene and doesn’t let up for the entire clip. The two main characters are bubbly and normal looking, so they bring a decent amount of lure to the concept. A lot of people will be thinking, “what the heck is this about” throughout pretty much the entire clip until the fine scene. Great cinematics, a clever final line, and a catchy soundtrack make it hard to forget.
Effectiveness – 7 / 10
The Reykjavík City Marathon is about raising money, elite athletics, and having a good time. The funny thing about this concept is that it stands for none of these themes in an obvious way. It’s pure humor and memorability make it catchy, but is it purposeful? It should be inspiring volumes of people to be a part of the event, but instead, it simply aims to make us chuckle. Not a bad tactic if your only objective is to raise short-term awareness, let’s hope this is what they had in mind.
Style – 8 / 10
The advert looks fantastic. All the scenes are captivating and dramatic with a slight hint of comedic value to them. None of the different scenes are too long or boring, the visuals are dark and crisp, and the dialogue at the end has a deep cinematic tone which is added to the humor.
Heart or Humor – 8 / 10
The best part of the ad is the level of fun that courses through it. It’s rare for such a large event to use a concept that is so edgy and clever. The main objective here was clearly to make an impact that stands out from past campaigns. What takes it to the next level is the quality of the production value, the convincing performances by the cast to show sheer fear, and the clarity of the concepts key message. It’s everybody’s responsibility to run, not a privilege. Underneath the obvious hysterical and dramatic scenes on screen, the ad does an interesting job of reminding viewers that the Marathon is about survival, action, and having a bit of a laugh.
Execution – 8 / 10
It’s hard to think of another large sports event that has been marketed with this kind of daring manner. The concept it so dramatic yet very simple in nature. Fun scenes and a catchy punch line combine to deliver an ad that gets us thinking of the event in a very positive light. Great cinematography and clever casting ensure the ad stays relevant and easy to watch over and over. Do we think this concept with lead to a spike in attendance? It certainly has the potential to get people talking, which is half the battle.
Credits
Advertising Agency: Brandenburg, Iceland
Creative Directors: Jón Ari Helgason, Hrafn Gunnarsson
Associate Creative Director: Högni Valur Högnason
Art Director: Dóra Haraldsdóttir
Copywriters: Bragi Valdimar Skúlason, Guðlaugur Aðalsteinsson
Account Executives: Sigríður Theódóra Pétursdóttir, Ragnar Gunnarsson
Production Company: Skot Production / Iceland
Executive Producers: Hlynur Sigurðsson, Inga Lind Karlsdóttir
Producer: Andri Omarsson
DOP: Ottar Gudnason
Editor: Gunnar Pall Olafsson
VFX: Kontrast
Colour Correction: Seamus O’Kane / The Mill London
Online: Trickshot
Sound Design: Gunnar Arnason
Directors: Samuel & Gunnar
Synopsys:
Íslandsbanki’s Reykjavík City Marathon is an annual charity event, where people can sign up to run between 3 and 42 K in support of a charity of their own choosing. The fundraising itself is based on a simple pledge system, where others can pledge to donate an amount of their choice in support of their favorite runners or causes.
20 famous Icelandic actors teamed up and wanted to donate their time and raise money for a good cause through the Reykjavík City Marathon. When we were asked to come up with an idea for the campaign we started thinking about what makes people run. Some people run to get in shape, to feel good, look good or to share on social media. But what makes actors run? They run towards adventure, away from bad stepmoms, out of sheer joy and of course away from explosions. You better run — for a good cause!
