Axe Peace: Make Love Not War

When something becomes tired, stale or predictable, it's a sign that a pivot is on order. That's why the new Axe Peace campaign is so incredible - they have completely thrown out the near naked girls and messages around getting laid with a spray in favour of something much more emotive and poignant.

I wonder if Axe has taken a page out of the Old Spice book - if women are actually the ones buying body spray in the supermarket, creating a broader appeal outside of just teenage boys could have a bigger business impact.

Kudos to Axe for trying something bold. 

This is for the Players with Playstation

#4ThePlayers.

Nostalgia can be a powerful storytelling device. Playstation have done a fantastic job of leveraging this in their new #4ThePlayers campaign. 

With the Interactive Games & Entertainment Association highlighting that the average age of the Australian gamer is 32 years old, and over 75% are over the age of 18, it's a pretty safe bet that a lot of them have been using consoles for quite some time.

Cue the clip. Developed out of the UK, the video captures the evolution of the Playstation brand beautifully through the eyes of a pair of friends as they build up to the excitement of playing the new PS4 for the first time.

I'm amazed by the attention to detail throughout, there must have been a fair bit of research involved to pull it off.

Check out our exclusive 'Making Of' right here: http://bit.ly/16sseo5 

Leave the World Behind with Volvo

This is an absolutely fantastic piece of branded content by Volvo.

Traditionally the car brand has had a perception of being very safe, reliable, and quite frankly dull, and associated with a much older demographic. The agency has done a fantastic job of reversing this through the content.

Building upon the brand heritage, the video pairs the members of Swedish House Mafia, set to the breathtaking backdrop of Sweden itself, with audio by Swedish singer Lune and director Adam Berg.

The result is what feels like an utterly authentic, unpretentious and beautiful piece of storytelling, that makes you long to escape the city and genuinely leave the world behind.

I would have never thought about buying a Volvo, but this does a great job of making mereconsider my position. Check it out:

http://leavetheworldbehind.com/

Sound of Honda

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I love this new piece of branded content from Honda.  

In 1989, Ayrton Senna broke the world record on a hot lap on the Japanese F1 circuit. During this drive, Honda recorded data using an on board telemetry system that ultimately changed racing and the sport forever.  

Honda have loving brought this drive back to life, utilising the available data combined with an elaborate light display and sound system to re-create the experience. 

In an age when data visualisation has become such a hot topic, this represents one of the most incredible ways I have seen to bring cold facts and figures to life (and beautifully position Honda as an innovative car company).

Watch the video, and immerse yourself in the feeling of the ghost of a legend come to life.