Live-in novels, brainwaves and a branded Berlin Wall: marketers’ dream ad formats

But the trend towards bigger formats isn’t seasonally isolated. Recently, The Drum reported from the frontier of long-form advertising. And it gets bigger – last year’s Barbie movie was an Oscar-winning triumph, yes, but also an enormous ad for the world’s most famous toy (and such a successful one that Mattel has reportedly greenlit a raft more movies for properties like Barney and Polly Pocket).

Even space, the final frontier, has already been breached, by stunts like Elon Musk’s Space Roadster (now five years on, it’s probably pretty burnt-up and might crash back down to earth – entirely unlike the fate of Musk’s Twitter/X, of course).

We’re already edging into science fiction territory with the ads we’re making, in other words. But what ads would the industry’s creative make if all of the parameters that keep their work on the ground were evaporated? If money, client expectations, and material scarcity were no object? We asked 7 top brains from The Drum Network to open their minds, abandon their credulity, and dream big.

(Fair warning: you’ll want your Irony Detectors set to sensitive for some of these).

Jamie Klingler, chief communications officer, Tomorrow Group: “How about, for addictive television that viewers are watching collectively, like Love Island or the Great British Bake Off or Line of Duty. a personalized choose-your-own-adventure ad format. It could become as newsworthy as the programming itself. Harnessing AI production abilities and ramping up personalization (tied to viewers’ profiles), we could have viewers starring in their very own episodic story line with relevant product placement and situational choices – like ‘quit your job and hop on a plane to Bali to train as a yoga instructor’ or ‘take the plunge and say yes to a promotion and a puppy’ or ‘train for a marathon’. These Sliding Doors ads would in turn tell advertisers a lot about consumers’ ambitions, inspirations and preferences.”

Ian Flynn, EMEA Head of Creative, PMG: “I wonder if you could sponsor a moment in time. They’re pretty memorable, and context is king. The fall of the Berlin Wall, sponsored by B&Q. The Cold War, sponsored by Thermos. JUST THINK OF THE BRAND EQUITY. It’s a flawless idea. Very attainable. OK, a bit attainable. We just need a time machine, a good brief and a solid media plan. Easy.”

Dan Fryer, creative director, VaynerMedia EMEA: “If given an endless budget, perfect clients, and production timelines, I would make an open-world computer game for a brand. Think Fallout, GTA, or World of Warcraft. Whole TV series? Drone shows? Brands are already doing those things, but these games cost more to make than the biggest-budget movies or TV shows. If you did it right, people would immerse themselves in these worlds for hours or even days at a time. With the best writers, animators, and programmers, you could make a world so compelling that consumers would spend their leisure time interacting with your brand. If it went well, you’d create a fandom of loyal customers. If it went really well, you could turn your game into an e-sport. Top players would become athletes and brand ambassadors, making a whole new revenue stream. Now that’s an ad I'd love to make.”

Ross McAlpine, senior creative director, MG Empower: “In this advertising reality, feelings can be transmitted through brain wave stimulations (bear with me). What better way to influence a decision than play with cravings, satisfaction, pure happiness. You look at fast food content and suddenly feel pure euphoria of that first bite of a Big Mac after a big night out, the satisfaction of an ice-cold drink on a Summer day, the cozy warm of that amazing bed at that hotel you once stayed at. If real, unfiltered feelings would be transmitted through ads, served at the right time in the right place, it would be hard to turn down that reaction.”

Kali Heitholt, group creative director, Jack Morton: “I’m an immersive experiences gal. The more we can use escapism and hyper-personalization, the better the outcome. One idea I always come back to is how to better market upcoming releases from book publishers (or even the studios). Books are turned into movies all the time, but imagine stepping into the world of the book and living the story through an immersive extension of the narrative. I’m not talking about a fleeting walkthrough experience, rather a multiday sleepaway takeover where attendees become characters amongst talent driving the story. The more fantastical the better. A few years ago, a book called The Ghost Network by Catie Disabato inspired this idea. It’s the tale of a missing popstar that may have joined an underground secret society based in the abandoned train stations of Chicago. Imagine starting the experience with a concert with a well-known popstar, but then having to solve her disappearance through clues, just like in the book. Having guests explore and uncover the mystery for themselves. Secret societies! Underground lairs! Romance! A magical place where you experience the story in a new way, beyond just reading or watching, creating lasting memories and fandom.”

Angharad Salazar Llewellyn, editorial director, Dept: “A dream campaign as a futurist digital-native storyteller would be creating a ground-breaking activation that defines what it means to create rich narratives and immersive experiences in online spaces in the future. One that creates and enhances meaningful connections and brings communities together in digital worlds. One potential execution: a mixed reality interface, bridging the gap between the virtual world and IRL. Imagine making dinner in the evening and having the ingredients list and cooking instructions illuminate right before your eyes. Or: you’re running for a train and the times pop up as you race to get to your carriage with the right platform and departure time. Entertainment is enhanced through cross reality where you are immersed in interactive experiences, and connect with your community in virtual environments. The true metaverse will be an interface that links to reality and is useful.... An enhanced reality.”

Justin Blyth, executive creative director, Ambassadors: “What’s most exciting to me now is real-time workflows. We’re not only dreaming of, but testing worlds with characters, creatures and talent all together in CG environments, in real time. This allows us to sidestep traditional methods and render times in order to animate or even act out scenes in a digital environment. It’s such a different process and result… We can change lighting, depth of field, our virtual camera – and when things don’t turn out right, we just try again until we’re happy. It opens up a whole new realm of creative possibilities.”