Google Zeitgeist Looks Back At 2012

New Year's Eve is still weeks away, but already people are looking back at 2012 with fond nostalgia. But as Google's lastest ad shows, it was a a turbulent year around the world.

Zeitgeist 2012 picks up where Zeitgesit 2011 left off. Charting human life over the past year, the Zeitgeist series is like an interactive history book, inviting viewers to explore more about the events they bore witness to.

The Google clip follows the stratospheric highs of Felix Baumgartner's space jump, and the London Olympic Games. It also charts the gut-wrenching lows of a world in conflict, with Greek protests, Russian political prisoners Pussy Riot and civil war in Syria.

Jumping from Gangnam Style star Psy to presidential debates, and then to James Cameron's record breaking submarine dive, the clip captures the most famous faces of the year. It also shows some of the most destructive events, charting the destruction wrought by Hurricane Sandy, floods in the Philippines and the fighting in Gaza.

The year saw some triumphant breakthroughs: the Higgs Boson particle was discovered, a German man was a cured of HIV and China launched its first female astronaut into space.

2012 also saw some tragic losses, with astronauts Neil Armstrong and Sally Ride passing away. Writers Gore Vidal and Maurice Sendak, actor Michael Clarke Duncan and singer Whitney Houston were also lost during the year.

The video shows all these events as told through various Google products. Famous faces appear via Hangouts, YouTube plays footage of raging battles and Earth tracks natural disasters.

With over 1.2 million views since it was launched yesterday, the clip is trending on social media platforms as viewers seek to share their memories of the year just passed. The clip has garnered over 157,000 shares so far and will almost certainly gather many more.

The Zeitgeist series is a memorable and lasting record of the year just gone. Perhaps what we regard as a clip of history-just-gone will appear in future classrooms.

The Britalian Job Sees Minis Race Through London In Olympic Adventure

The stadium is built, the opening ceremony planned and the athletes are ready - it looks like nothing could stop the London Olympic Games. That is unless someone steals all the gold medals. The fiends!

But don't worry, luckily three of Britain's most loved icons are here to save the day. A new campaign from Mini called 'The Britalian Job' has just been released to celebrate the car brand's partnership with Team GB and Paralympics GB.

The new video starts with the winners medals being stolen by a mysterious figure on a motorcycle. Daley Thompson dispatches a crack team to get them back and the trio speed off in their special London 2012 edition Minis to chase down the thief.

After a chase reminiscent of The Italian Job, the team unmask the bike-riding brigand to be... model and car enthusiast Jodie Kidd. But wait, the team reveal themselves to be medal-winning Olympians James Cracknell, Matthew Pinsent and Jonathan Edwards. The best of British recover the stolen gold and ride back to HQ for a celebratory full English breakfast.

The ad was shot by director Phil Churchward, lead director of BBC's Top Gear. With 64,000 views in just 3 days, the film has been quick off the mark, and with nearly 4,000 shares, the clip looks set to become a winner.

The ad may be lacking jokes about blowing the "bloody doors off", but it's certainly blown us away.

Top 20 Most Shared Adverts of 2012

2012 has been a momentous year for social video. It has seen a harrowing 30-minute documentary about an African warlord break sharing records galore. 

It has also seen an quiet square in Belgium become an internet hotspot. But why? Well, it goes without saying that with social media usage growing exponentially. Thanks to newcomers like Pinterest, more people than ever are sharing video content with their networks.

There is also a lot going on in 2012. The Super Bowl, April Fool's Day and Christmas are the usual highlights on advertising calendars, inspiring some of the most popular online ads ever, but this year advertisers have been presented with an embarrassment of riches, thanks to the US presidential election, the Olympic Games and Euro 2012.

However, association with big events alone can’t make an ad popular. As Unruly prepares to discuss the science behind video sharing at Internet Week, we’re looking back at the biggest ads of the year so far.

The most popular ads online are the ones that elicit emotional reactions, whether it be a chuckle at watching TNT's Dramatic Surprise or being moved to tears by P&G's Best Job. 

Strong enough emotional content will even conquer poor production, with a mobile phone video of a cute 2-Year-Old Dancing hot footin’ its way to number two.

With this in mind, let's take a look at the biggest ads of 2012, so far:

20. Brand: Finnair
Shares: 191,725
Views: 4,640,761

Click to read more ...

Proctor And Gamble Says "Thank You Mum" In Global Ad

Thousands of contestants are descending on London to battle it out for gold medal glory this summer.

For many of the athletes taking part, it is the crowning glory of their careers; the climax of a lifetime of exhausting early morning training sessions, lung-bursting workouts and endless hours spent on the practice pitch.   

But aren't we forgetting someone? The person who has been there all the time, supporting them throughout. Mum.

In their first-ever global ad campaign Proctor & Gamble are paying homage to these unsung heroines.

The Hardest Job In The World, celebrates all those early mornings that mums worldwide have put in to help their children train. The ad follows young gymnasts, swimmers, sprinters and volleyball players as they grow from sleepy children to medal-winning champions. All with the help of supportive mums.

The mums prepare nutritious breakfasts, heal injuries and are always there with an encouraging word. While the ad does show cultural differences between the athletes, they all share the unerring support of a loving mother.

P&G, an offical Olympic partner, rolled out the two-minute ad on social media platforms yesterday to mark 100 days until the London 2012 Games. Forming part of their Proud Sponsor Of Mums campaign, the ad represents the company behind Pampers, Ariel and Fairy.

Recut in different languages, the ad has proved a massive hit, earning over 280,000 views in just two days. Produced by Wieden & Kennedy, the ad, which has been shared 188,000 times, has instantly become one of the most popular ads to tie in with London 2012.

Beer Ad Depicts The End Of The World

Some say, that 2012 is supposed to be the year the world ends.  

So, naturally numerous companies are using this as the angle for their latest campaigns. We've already seen the Chevrelot ad, which featured in our Super Bowl 2012 ads chart. 

Now it's the turn of an alcohol brand - Shock Top. Yes, before you start, I had never heard of them either until I wrote this article. They brew Belgian-style wheat ale with orange, lemon, lime peels and coriander. Nice! 

The ad is fronted by the smoothest spokesperson known to man, the ad pans through a terror-stricken city where aliens are running riot on the last day of humanity. 

The ad suggests that the best thing to do should this Doomsday occur is to sit back an enjoy one last beer, not anyone's though, a Shock Top.  

In all honesty, should this scenario come to fruition, there are a hundred other things I would want to do before indulging in a beer, but I'm sure I don't speak for everyone there. 

Take a look at the end of the world through the eyes of a beer brand below.