Tomas O'Gorman, Executive Creative Director at Ogilvy Barcelona, shares the top five advertising campaigns that have defined his creative philosophy. With a mix of humor, emotion, and groundbreaking strategies, these campaigns stand out as some of the best in the industry—and Tomas explains why they resonate so deeply with both him and audiences.
Which 5 advertising campaigns (across any medium—print, video, OOH, social, etc.) would you consider your favorites?
1. Sorry I Spent It on Myself (Adam&Eve, for Harvey Nichols)
2. #BradshawStain. By Saatchi & Saatchi, for Tide.
3. 35th Anniversary of the Goal of the Century. By Mercado-McCann, for TyC Sports.
4. The Sound of Death. By Forsman & Bodenfors, for Unicef.
5. Dove Beauty Sketches. By Ogilvy for Dove.
What elements or creative strategies from these top 5 campaigns do you believe set them apart from others in the industry?
1. This campaign stood out because it took a completely new approach with an insight that felt tailor-made for luxury shoppers. It replaced the often-cheesy Christmas warmheartedness with sharp wit. I personally like that it challenged the common bias that consumers of expensive goods lack a sense of humor. It was a thoroughly well-rounded campaign: the products chosen for the collection were hilarious, and the films matched that energy.
2. This blew my mind, because of its clever and entertaining integration across live transmission, social media, and traditional commercial break, and PR. It was fresh, and daring. With a well used celebrity playing a role in a fun engaging story.
3. I could talk about the simple yet powerful storytelling or the impeccable script. I could mention how a humble budget doesn’t have to be a barrier to outstanding work. Or how a brief is not needed when there´s a hungry agency. But for me, this ad serves as reminder that, in the end, emotion always rules. What’s the strategy? How did it cascade into other media? Honestly, who cares? When a story moves you so deeply that, even after watching it over 300 times, it still brings tears to your eyes, it’s clear it has done its job. That´s the brand I love, therefore consciously choose, and won´t forget.
4. I´m not sure if this idea stood out much or was super successful. But I love it, and it always come to my mind. It challenges the tone typically seen in the nonprofit. Nice cast, music, writing and art. It reimagined an innocent concept and turned it into something unsettling. Is it funny? is it wrong? is it shocking me? In a good way, or a bad way? I can´t clearly identify what I´m feeling, but it still gets under my skin, which is precisely why I love it.
5. The all-in mix for outstanding impact: a clear purpose, a killer insight, and the all-important talkability factor. It drew attention to what was, at the time, an unspoken topic (self-criticism) in a way that was extraordinarily well thought out. Intimate and intelligent, it was executed beautifully and with a modern touch. It’s probably the best example I’ve seen of how powerful storytelling can elevate a brand.
Have they influenced your own work? If so, how?
I think all great work influences all creatives—it inspires and makes us jealous. It makes us want to aim higher. It gives us hope that clever, original, innovative stories can still outshine the endless stream of obviously paid people sipping yogurt and grinning to camera. That´s the spirit in Ogilvy Barcelona, that brings to life ideas like this one:
If you had to choose one campaign from your top 5 that you wish you had been part of, which would it be and why? What do you think made it so successful in resonating with audiences?
Sorry I Spent It on Myself. I can only imagine (or maybe romanticize) how much fun the team must have had thinking and developing this campaign.