Creative Corner: Squid Game bonanza, transported through Black history and Nightmare on Phyllis’ Street
Hello friends!
A shorter Creative Corner this week as we’re all heading to the cinema to enjoy a private showing (fancy!) of No Time to Die soon but there have been some lovely nuggets of creativity spotted this week so let’s get into it.
Squid game bonanza
It’s EVERYWHERE and while I have yet to see it (thank God I’m used to being wildly uncool) the brand activations off the back of the most watched Netflix show ever (sorry Bridgerton) have been coming thick and fast.
Such is the power of the Squid that even Thames Valley Police had to allay people’s fears that one of their road signs wasn’t diverting people to play the game earlier this week.
Among the brands jumping on the bandwagon (of which there have been MANY) one stood out for all the right reasons - American debt management app Relief. With agency Wunder, Relief posted 10,000 Squid Game-inspired cards to people in the US that owe money.
The simple phrasing ‘There’s a better way to get out of debt’ on the back of the card with Relief’s details is perfect, and it’s a really great example of something being topical, timely, and relevant.
Love, love, love it!
This is absolutely brilliant, aiming to reach Americans in debt (spotted by @Welsh_PR)https://t.co/KIei52wBLj
— Rich Leigh (@RichLeighPR) October 14, 2021
Transported through Black history
TfL chose to take a deep dive into the past and redesigned its Tube map to mark Black History Month this week.
All 272 stations were renamed for the campaign (no small task I’m sure!) and includes figures dating from pre-Tudor times to the present day, including the first Black woman to serve in the Royal Navy and a Victorian circus owner immortalised by The Beatles. More modern names like author Andrea Levy, singer Errol Brown and footballer Justin Fashanu also feature.
I love a Tube map story - always visually gorgeous and this is a great way to highlight people that have been influential in shaping British history from the Black community, some of whom are named after what is or would have been their local Tube station.
You can order your own copy via the London Transport Museum or Black Cultural Archives in Brixton.
Nightmare on Phyllis’ Street
An American Office throwback is ALWAYS going to get my attention so this Halloween campaign from Joanns Fabrics featuring none other than Phyllis Smith from the beloved TV show is a winner this week.
The webisode, filmed in the same documentary style as The Office, sees Phyllis having a nightmare while trying to make her boss’ daughter’s Halloween costume. She pairs up with DIY fashion influencer April Yang (@coolirpa), who comes to Phyllis’ rescue despite being her crafting nemesis.
Created by Where Eagles Dare, it was released last month in the US but I’ve only seen it this week so I’m being cheeky and including it! Fans of The Office will love the video, and it forms the centrepiece of Joanns Fabrics’ Halloween 2021 campaign.
And that’s it!
We’ll be back with a bumper edition next week as more Halloween, Bonfire Night, and (dare I say it?) Christmas campaigns start dropping.
As ever, if you spot anything please send it our (@RichLeighPR and @Welsh_PR on Twitter) way - we’ll always credit those that do!
If you’ve seen or worked on something each week that you think deserves to be celebrated, get in touch!
Angharad Planells / Head of business development and culture, RadioactivePR.com, Twitter: @Welsh_PR
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