MANILA, PHILIPPINES – In advertising, the race to stand out never slows down. Brands and creative agencies have been pushing boundaries and finding ways to surprise and connect with its audiences. Just when you think you’ve seen everything, another bold idea is being born to prove that there’s always more room for creativity.
Behind every breakthrough is a team of sleepless creatives, and their efforts are paying off as campaigns are being celebrated and recognized in the international scene.
This September, we’ve rounded up five campaigns that caught our attention for their originality and daring execution. From a Grindr Live Tour activation to mascots going head-to-head in a sumo ring, these are the adobo Picks that remind us why creativity continues to thrive.
Some Nights I Feel Like Walking by Lennon Group, Lunchbox Studios (Philippines)
The general public has grown accustomed to the usual red carpet premieres, mall shows, and media interviews, but entertainment marketing agency LunchBox and creative agency for social impact The Lennon Group took things to a whole new level for the marketing of Petersen Vargas’ Some Nights I Feel Like Walking.
The two agencies combined their creative efforts and produced several unconventional gimmicks ahead of the film’s release. Instead of a mall tour, cast members Miguel Odron, Jomari Angeles, and Tommy Alejandrino participated in a “Grindr Live Tour,” embodying their on-screen personas.
Through the queer dating app Grindr, the characters chatted, flirted, and connected with users while giving away free tickets to the film’s premiere. These weren’t just standard tickets — they came as handwritten invites on receipts, scratch paper, and even tissue paper.
For the premiere night itself, the team broke tradition once more. Instead of a glamorous venue, the event was held at Isetann Recto in Manila, complete with gogo dancers, KTV, massage booths, and a hand-painted film poster — a nod to the venue’s reputation as a familiar spot for queer cruising.
McDonald’s Hong Kong’s 50th Anniversary by DDB Group Hong Kong (Hong Kong)
Time flew quickly as McDonald’s Hong Kong marked its 50th anniversary. Longtime customers often reminisce about what the very first store looked like, but this sense of nostalgia has finally been brought to life through a 10-minute micro-film.
The brand and its creative agency, DDB Group Hong Kong, went all out in recreating the original store, from the design and uniforms to the food packaging, making viewers feel as if they had been transported back to 1975.
The film stars one of Hong Kong’s most iconic actors, Nicholas Tse, as McDonald’s Hong Kong’s first manager, Manager Chu. It features a cast of over 300 actors, including real McDonald’s employees.
To complete the celebration, McDonald’s doubled down on nostalgia by bringing back a fan-favorite menu item, the Bolognese and Fried Egg Angus Burger, along with other special menu offerings curated by Nicholas himself.
Say Heinz Thailand by Shooting Stellar (Thailand)
Heinz has been a household name for decades, distributing millions of bottles worldwide — including in Thailand. But for many Thai consumers, pronouncing the brand’s name has been a challenge, with some even coming up with their own versions such as “Hai,” “Henz,” “Hei-in,” “Hye,” and more.
Instead of correcting them, the brand and its creative partner, Shooting Stellar, launched a clever campaign that embraced the Thai way of pronouncing Heinz, turning it into a cultural celebration.
The campaign, “Say Heinz Thailand,” introduced 57 limited-edition bottles that reimagined the iconic Heinz logo with Thai-inspired pronunciations.
Far from being dismissed, these unique names, immortalized on bottles, became collectible symbols of inclusivity and connection.
Duolingo Sumo Showdown by UltraSuperNew (Japan)
Japanese culture has long been fascinated with sumo wrestling and brand mascots, but what happens when you bring different mascots together in one sumo competition? The result is pure chaos, and a whole lot of fun.
In a campaign by language learning app Duolingo and independent creative agency UltraSuperNew, some of Japan’s most beloved mascots — including Sonic, Pac-Man, Bub, Ponta, Apitan, Donpen, ZAQ, and Duo the Owl — battled it out in the sumo ring for the title of the country’s first-ever Mascot Yokozuna (champion).
The campaign aimed to raise the app’s profile in the Japanese market. It kicked off on social media with Duo sending out invites to his opponents, followed by lighthearted content showing the mascots training for the big match. The excitement culminated in a live activation: a real sumo wrestling competition featuring the mascots, witnessed by 125 selected Duolingo learners, media, and key opinion leaders.
RetireMentors by UniSuper and ATime&Place (Australia)
Most of the time, we imagine retirement as a period of travel or simply staying at home after decades of hard work. But UniSuper’s latest campaign flips the script, showing that retirement can also be a time to explore hobbies and passions once left behind.
In the campaign titled “RetireMentors,” developed with independent creative agency ATime&Place, retired Australians were featured embracing new chapters in life after putting their careers to rest.
From a school principal turned toy maker, to a teacher who now trains ducks, to a PhD scientist playing bass in a rock band, the series highlights the many surprising ways people continue to live fully even in retirement.
The six-part campaign, now live across social media platforms, encourages Australians to start planning for life beyond work — emphasizing the importance of receiving the right advice to make those plans possible.
