Work of the Week: Risk

It might have been Del Boy’s catchphrase in the British sitcom Only Fools and Horses , but “He who dares wins” is usually credited to the founder of the SAS, Sir David Stirling.

Yet, this militaristic guiding principle is, in fact, of ancient origin, recorded in Ancient Greece by the Athenian soldier and historian Thucydides in the form of “luck favours the daring”.

In advertising, it is no secret that much of our language also stems from warfare. Campaigns, guerrilla marketing, even propaganda — advertising shares a lot of characteristics with the machinations of war.

With this in mind, it is not unreasonable to assume that lessons can be taken from one and placed neatly into the other.

In this week’s work, there was plenty of evidence of brands taking risks and doing things differently. From the opening of an Ikea store in London, to a technology company collaborating with a fashion house, or agencies changing their own logo to back a cause, the initiatives prove that even small dares can lead to big wins.

And with that said, check out this week’s best creative work.

‘Overload’, Fidelity International and Grey London

When it comes to risk, investing can be one of the most precarious. This campaign by Grey London channels the tepid curiosity that arises when first venturing into investment, putting an emotional spin on what is usually a cold and logical tale.

‘Samsung S22’, Samsung and Mother

To celebrate the launch of the new Samsung Galaxy S22 Series and its enhanced Night Mode, Samsung joined forces with the British Fashion Council and fashion’s king of the night, Charles Jeffrey, to create a film shot entirely at night.

When advertising something as technically complex as a new phone, abstraction can be the best way to convey a product. This spot by Mother, I would argue, does this in spades.

‘Hammersmith’, Ikea and Mother

Sticking with Mother for a moment, this OOH campaign made something big of what otherwise might be construed as something small.

The series showcases giant Ikea products arriving at local landmarks in dramatic fashion, with some eye-catching results.

‘Only On Holiday’ Walkers, Doritos, easyJet and VCCP London

Next week, we will be talking to industry leaders about the power of brands buddying up. For full transparency, that idea was inspired by this piece of creative by VCCP London, which brought not two but three brands together for this inspired spot, ‘Only On Holiday’.

‘#WorldWithoutNature’, WWF and Various

This week featured World Wildlife Day and to lament the increasingly dire state of the natural world, many agencies, brands and sports teams removed any reference to nature from their logos.

The power of distinctive assets is, of course, key here but it’s really encouraging to see brands increasingly acknowledge the growing threats to the environment. More tangible action now, please.