A Common Thread director Eli Green pays tribute to the ingenuity of Subway “sandwich artists” in a funny new spot out of Austin, Texas agency Proof Advertising. Titled Breakthrough, the ad centers on a three-person Subway crew who take on the challenge of fitting the meat from a foot-long into a flavored wrap. They experience setback’s and puzzle over diagrams of the underlying physics, but eventually succeed in producing four perfect Signature Wraps.
Green, who directs with tongue-in-cheek charm, says the ad is meant to remind viewers of what distinguishes Subway from other fast-food chains: sandwich artists who prepare each order by hand. “They’re heroes who help make Subway great,” he says.
Green’s “heroes” are right out of an action film with one acting as the leader, another as the brains and a third as the loveably gung-ho sidekick. “We looked for talent that worked well as an ensemble and felt like a team with a little bit of quirkiness,” he says. “We’re getting back to the positive feelings people have for Subway and the people who make their sandwiches.”
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Sonic Branding For Social Media: Engage, Align, Connect
By Chad Cook -- With more than five billion people accessing social media daily, savvy brands understand the importance of cultivating a strong social identity. They devote massive resources toward brand awareness, audience targeting, content strategy and community engagement. Yet, while they know that social platforms are critical to boosting sales and attracting new customers, many neglect one of the most effective tools for connecting with consumers: sonic branding. Marketers often associate sonic branding with catchy mnemonics used by big brands like McDonald’s, Netflix and Intel in their advertising. But that is a very limited view of what sonic branding is and what it can do. Sonic branding is a way to build awareness and stimulate engagement across all touch points, from advertising to broadcast digital, in-person and social. And it’s not limited to members of the Fortune 500. Brands at all levels can benefit from a sonic identity that is memorable, engaging and reflective of its core values. Sound has been scientifically proven to be deeply tied to memory and emotion. There’s a reason that certain songs stick in your head and bring back memories formed years or even decades earlier. So, it’s surprising that sonic branding is often an afterthought in marketing plans. That is especially true in social media marketing. Faced with tight deadlines and strained budgets, creative teams are often tempted to select music for their content simply because it “fits.” Unfortunately, that may result in content that is in tune with what’s trending but is out of tune with brand identity. Effective sonic branding, by contrast, requires thoughtful strategic planning,... Read More