Ads that use references from characters and shows can create an immediate connection with the audience and lend credibility to the product or service being advertised. This type of advertising has been proven effective and will likely continue to be used for many years to come. This type of reference is often used in two ways:
1) to echo the language, behaviour, and tone of the character or show to create a familiar atmosphere, and
2) to utilize the character or show’s celebrity to draw in viewers.
Durex’s latest ad with a twist is simply one of the best representations of riding the wave, which every marketer should aim for. The ad features the Dalgona game, made popular by one of the most famous titles on Netflix, ‘Squid Game’ in September 2021. Dalgona game is an episode from the Netflix series Squid Game, where a deadly version of the Dalgona challenge is the second game played. This challenge involves shaping the Dalgona candy into various shapes like circles, stars, umbrellas, and triangles.
Ads inspired by popular games are a great way to engage audiences and generate interest. The ad creatively uses this concept to portray a Durex logo embedded in candy. The ad begins with showing the candy in a box being opened, which is iconic of the scene in the series itself. The ad goes on to show how someone is trying to get to shape the candy without breaking or cracking it.
This concept relates to how Durex condoms and other products do not break under pressure, and is a direct superimposition of the same. This unique approach to the ad helps stimulate curiosity and creative appreciation among the audience, and also conveys the brand pitch well.
Durex's products are always viewed as respectful, tasteful, and focused on highlighting the product’s features and positive uses. This ad also focuses on the same and tries to garner the attention of the audience and viewers as they use puns and suitable language to communicate ingeniously.