This story was originally published at an earlier date.
ADWEEK recently crowned its 20 best ads of 2024, but this list is different.
These are ads that flew under the radar or that you may have overlooked – but that doesn’t make their creative quality any less excellent. For the second consecutive year, ADWEEK shines a light on those campaigns that may not have swept industry awards shows or dominated headlines, but still deserve recognition.
Among this group are a self-aware spoof from a luxury fashion house, a comedic road trip from a period care brand, a tourism ad that used reverse psychology, a museum that sent people on a treasure hunt, and much more.
In no particular order, here’s ADWEEK’s list of 2024’s Hidden Gems.
Rainbow Wool | ‘Gay Rams’ by Serviceplan Germany
Supporting the LGBTQ+ community extends to the animal world in a fun and thought-provoking campaign for Rainbow Wool from agency Serviceplan. Since homosexuality remains a crime in 62 countries worldwide, a sheep farm in Germany set out to combat inequality by producing a textile made from the wool of gay rams. Serviceplan helped launch Rainbow Wool’s first fashion collection, featuring Tokio Hotel singer Bill Kaulitz, in a buoyant video that explains the product and the plan. –Kyle O’Brien
Courageous Conversation Global Foundation | ‘America Erased’ by Wieden+Kennedy New York
With diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) issues under continued attack in the U.S., book banning is on the rise. As a result, some painful truths and valuable lessons that shaped the country’s history are being overlooked. That’s why Wieden+Kennedy New York partnered with the Courageous Conversation Global Foundation on “America Erased” to highlight the dangers of bans and censorship, particularly to marginalized communities. Their aim was to spark a movement defending students’ freedom to learn about their country’s complete history. –Kyle O’Brien
