Heathrow Airport brought back its beloved bears, Apple talked about the power of the possible and Good Housekeeping launched its first ever TV spot. It’s certainly been an interesting week in Adland.
But with so many of us leading busy lives, it can be hard to keep up. So, to help you stay up-to-date with all the latest ad activity, each week DAIVID shines a light on some of the highest-performing ads of the week.
Not just the ones making the headlines, but the campaigns that truly move people.
To do this, we used our AI-powered creative testing platform to find the ads that are delivering creative effectiveness. Our AI models are trained to identify ads that not only deliver positive emotional engagement, but also attract high scores for attention, brand recall and inspire action.
So, which ads got our AI purring this week? Well, pull up a chair and relax. We have you covered.
Enjoy!
1. Heathrow Airport: “Heathrow Bears – It Must Be Love”
The Heathrow Bears are back. That’s right, after almost a decade away, Heathrow’s much-loved furry fliers, Edward and Doris, are back on our screens in a charming new spot from St. Luke’s and Academy Films directors Adam Smith and Simon Henwood.
Titled “Must Be Love,” the film follows the bears on another heartwarming adventure, with Edward’s trademark clumsiness threatening to derail their trip before it’s even begun. Luckily, Heathrow’s services keep them on track.
Set to a cover of Madness hit “It Must Be Love” by rising British artist Maius Mollis, the ad captures everything we’ve missed about the Heathrow Bears: warmth, nostalgia and the excitement of getting away.
How did it perform?
It’s a triumphant return for the beloved bears, with the ad swooping into DAIVID’s No.1 spot after scoring well for overall effectiveness. Using our Creative Effectiveness Score – a composite metric that measures overall effectiveness based on a ad’s ability to generate positive emotions, attract attention and score highly for brand recognition – the ad managed to score in the top 17% of ads in our database.
A key part of the ad’s success is its ability to generate strong positive emotions, with intense feelings of nostalgia (+153%), calmness (+77%), warmth (+76%) and adoration (+59%) all well above the industry norm. It packs a powerful emotional punch.
Such strong positivity also meant that people were engaged throughout, with attention levels above the average from the first to last seconds. With Heathrow Airport’s services playing a key role in the narrative, correct brand recall was also 5% above the industry average.
However, one area where the ad slightly fell down on is its ability to inspire people to act, with viewers’ willingness to put their hands in their pockets, share the video or recommend the brand slightly below average. A few tweaks to the messaging could have helped that.
“Must Be Love” – Emotions Map
2. Good Housekeeping: “Good Housekeeping Makes Christmas”
Christmas may still be months away, but Good Housekeeping is getting into the festive spirit early – unveiling its first-ever TV campaign to spotlight its print, membership and live event platforms.
Backed by a £1M investment, the Hearst title is going big this year with a multi-channel push across TV, digital, audio and OOH, celebrating the magazine’s role at the heart of Britain’s Christmas traditions.
How did it perform?
It’s a strong start from the Hearst title – and the data backs it up. Good Housekeeping’s debut TV spot scored an impressive Creative Effectiveness Score of 6.82, placing it in the top 19% of all ads in DAIVID’s database.
The ad’s success lies in its ability to evoke the Christmas spirit – even months ahead of the big day. The gingerbread singers not only captured attention but also sparked strong emotional reactions, with craving levels nearly three times the industry average. Feelings of nostalgia and warmth (classic festive ingredients) were also notably high.
Viewers stayed engaged throughout, with attention levels well above average, and they were 26% more likely to correctly name the brand compared to the industry norm.
Importantly, the ad didn’t just charm – it converted. Audiences were 10% more likely to say they’d spend money with the brand, while intent to share, recommend and search for Good Housekeeping also outperformed benchmarks.
Christmas may still be on the horizon, but it looks like Good Housekeeping has already unwrapped a seasonal success.
“Good Housekeeping Makes Christmas” – Emotions Map
3. Apple: “Great Ideas Start on Mac”
We’ve all stared at that blinking cursor on a blank computer screen – sometimes in sheer frustration, sometimes with the thrill of what could be. Sometimes both.
That moment of possibility sits at the heart of Apple’s new campaign, “Great Ideas Start on Mac”, created by TBWA\Media Arts Lab and voiced by the late Dr. Jane Goodall, who passed away this month at the age of 91.
The film is a quiet, powerful tribute to creativity – and to the humble starting point behind every invention, masterpiece, or idea: the empty page.
How did it perform?
Apple’s latest campaign, “Great Ideas Start on Mac”, is resonating deeply with audiences – scoring higher than 79% of all ads in DAIVID’s database for overall effectiveness.
The ad’s strength lies in its ability to generate intense positive emotions while maintaining attention from start to finish. Viewers were 5% more likely to experience strong emotional responses than the average ad, with hope, entrancement, trust, and gratitude all significantly above benchmark levels.
These emotions translated into engagement: the film was 8% more likely to hold viewers’ attention through to the final seconds. And with the iconic Mac screen serving as its central canvas, it’s no surprise that audiences were 21% more likely to correctly identify Apple as the brand behind the work compared to the industry norm.
The ad is a fitting tribute to creativity – and to the boundless possibility behind every blinking cursor.
“Great Ideas” – Emotions Map
To find out more about DAIVID’s AI-powered creative testing platform, click here.