Cool ad from Dutch agency Rich aimed at keeping people from cheerfully diving into a well of debt. The campaign could hardly be more timely. At this time of impending financial doom, people do need every help they can get to stay cool and not get into a “Who cares? Let’s enjoy it while we can” kind of nihilistic spending spree.

It also comes to show (to those who still need proof of this, which by now I hope will be the last members of a pre-modern tribe verging on extinction) that advertising is a tool that can be used in a plethora of situations, not all of them having to do with getting people to spend, spend, spend. And what do you know, it may even serve to counter, not bolster, consumerism.

And while we’re at it, wouldn’t it be great to inject one of this guys into the heads of stock traders and CEOs all over the world? Wouldn’t that be a fresh way to address the financial crisis, to give them a conscience instead of a new pile of money to play with? Just a thought.

Another one. This campaign, promoted by the British Home Office to counter the plague of binge drinking among british youths (some would say children) is really great.
It would be interesting to measure the effects in some time. Will it work?

Great Institutional Ad, working beautifully the aspirational nerves of the target