Reverse psychology is a powerful persuasion technique. Case in point: Visit Oslo’s tourism ad, which tells people they shouldn’t come to the Norwegian capital. Laced with irony, the spot features an Oslo native who questions if his hometown is even a city, given its small size and accessibility compared to tourist-packed metropolises like Paris and New York. Visit Oslo’s viral ad struck a chord in a season of protests and government crackdowns against over-tourism in popular destinations such as Barcelona and Venice. A low-key, unpretentious getaway like Oslo might be just what a new generation of travelers are seeking. –Brittaney Kiefer
V&A Museum | ‘If You’re Into It, It’s in the V&A’ by adam&eveDDB
The V&A Museum in London invited people on a wild treasure hunt throughout the country. Transcending the borders of a typical marketing campaign, the storied institution and agency adam&eveDDB hid objects in plain sight that catered to a wide array of niche interests: a ceramic pot in an antique shop; an engraved plaque on a theater seat; golf balls at a driving range; customized soccer jerseys at Premier League matches; a silver tankard at a metal detecting hotspot; and many more. The elaborate initiative, many months in the making, appealed to younger generations by highlighting the relevance of the V&A’s collection of more than 2.8 million objects. –Brittaney Kiefer
Bodyform | ‘Never Just a Period’ by AMV BBDO
Since 2017, when it became the first U.K. advertiser to depict real menstrual blood instead of the typical stand-in blue liquid, Essity menstrual care brand Bodyform and longtime agency partner AMV BBDO have a long history of breaking taboos about women’s bodies. Its latest outing, “Never Just a Period,” explores women’s experiences that rarely appear on screen: unexpected discharge smells, getting your period while breastfeeding, having a coil inserted, and so on. There are moments of comedy, joy, and shared pain that aim to educate and resonate with generations of women who may feel overlooked or dismissed. –Brittaney Kiefer