Carpe diem
By Tanvi Akkaraju
Every year, advertising students and professionals wait for Christmas ads to be released. That is a topical ad. Topical ads are creative pieces of advertising made based on what is currently relevant. It can range from mundane topics like the weather to more interesting topics trending on the news. Opportunity for a topical is everywhere so, seize it.
The rules to make a topical ad:
- Be memorable by either invoking laughter or fear
- Be authentic and credible to the brand’s tone of voice
I’ve decided to make my own, show you why it works, and compare it to why it doesn’t work if a brand just posts greetings for Christmas off of Google.
| Why it works |
| – Authentic to the brand’s tone of voice – Credible for a brand like WWF – Makes it memorable by invoking fear |
| Why it doesn’t work |
| – Not the brand colours – Not credible for a brand like Nike – Not memorable in any way |
