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
