Your daily dose of advertising awesomeness from around the world!

Today’s pick:

• Agency: Barton F. Graf 9000
• Location: New York, NY
• Client: Ragu Pasta Sauce
• Name: “Long Day of Childhood”
• Category: Film

Why I like it: This commercial manages to be funny, sweet, cheeky, innocent, all at once. I’m fascinated by how they really took the road less traveled in the creative process. They didn’t go for the usual pasta sauce story of wholesome ingredients flying into the pot, lovingly stirred by an Italian chef, overlooking a Tuscan vineyard. They started with a pretty interesting insight about those childhood moments when…you just need a break. But they didn’t rest on this and merely reflect it, they then took it to a whole other level, and this is what made all the difference!. Absolutely terrific casting, great pacing, a genius use of soundtrack (non-Americans might not get the same effect, but the country music-with-a-twist touch is just great), amazing lyrics, and expert branding that fits right in and doesn’t get in the way. Very nicely done, the kind of ad that stands out in a crowd. What a way to kick off year 2 of Ad of the Day!

Bonus: Here is the second ad of the campaign. Can’t decide which one I like better.

Bonus #2: I love the name of this agency, it really caught my eye. And, sure enough, the story behind it is doubly great. Check it out on this link taken from their site.http://www.bartonfgraf9000.com/about