Fake news has become a major issue worldwide. It’s capable of driving nations’ political paths and influencing elections.

And to help fight this phenomenon, Brazilian agency Artplan and Metro Newspaper turned to technology.

We all know captcha, that tool designed to check if you are a robot. But, at Metro’s website, it was redesigned. Instead of selecting random images, the user must select which image has a piece of fake news. After the answer, a brief explanation with the true fact appears and the user can move on to comment. Every day, a different piece of fake news was shown, keeping readers up to date.

“Journalism is the true guardian of the truth. And everything that can be done to fight fake news is important” says Cláudio Bianchini, Brazil’s Metro president. Zico Farina, Artplan’s creative Director adds that “using technology is the best way to fight fake news. And being able to redesign a tool like captcha is a way to use the system at our favor.”

World Oceans Day 2019 is June 8 and Brooklyn-based Conquistadors, on behalf of client Ocean52, is fighting to raise awareness about the horrific state of the world’s oceans.

Every day, approximately 8m pieces of plastic pollution end up in our oceans. The United Nations General Assembly designated June 8 as World Oceans Day in 2008 to raise awareness of the detrimental state of the seas and unite world citizens to change the tide.

In 2052 Surfers, a trio desperate to catch a wave call up the plastic report of the day on their car windshield – it’s 2052, remember – while they look for a place to surf. Attracted to the south swell on Ocean Beach, it quickly becomes clear that the surfers can’t go there as 3,000 plastic bottles are floating around. Turns out Pacifica is also off limits as there’s double the amount of plastic debris there. Things are no better at Rodeo Beach or Half Moon Bay, where microplastics and synthetic fibers abound. As one dejected surfer tries to coax his friends into the water saying they’ve surfed amid pollution in the past, the others insist they just don’t want to get sick… again.

“Statistics about ocean pollution are just numbers,” said Conquistadors Founder and Executive Creative Director Mauricio Alarcon. “We wanted to translate the facts into a relatable moment that will resonate with the crusaders of today we hope will influence the crusaders of tomorrow and drive change."

The short film will premiere at the Barcelona Surf Festival June 7. The online film and teaser ads will live on YouTube and be shared through surfing influencer magazines, blogs, and the social feeds of the global surfing community that that is more than 21 million strong.

Barcelona-based Ocean52 – which devotes a 52 percent of its profits to ocean protection – also teamed with Conquistadors to launch a new water that fights against the “plastification” of the oceans right at the point of sale. No Plastic Water was conceived with a minimal design and a bold name that gives a clear call to action, transforming each can into a sign of protest.

In addition to ensuring that the cans were made of material that would not be toxic for the environment and oceans, the copy on the back of the cans encourages people to drink tap water when possible. “But when tap water is not an option, No Plastic Water is the next best sustainable option,” added Mier.

The brand’s efforts are clearly working. Since Ocean52 launched a year ago, it has organized more than 50 beach clean ups with 750 volunteers and has been recognized by leading organizations like InnoBev for its social responsibility efforts.

The music in the film was composed and performed by Ocean52 ambassador Lee-Ann Curren – the daughter of surfing legend Tom Curren – and her band Betty the Shark. 

Apple’s new film 'Voice Control' debuted on television during the NBA finals. 

Last week at the World Wide Developers Conference, Apple introduced Voice Control, a new accessibility feature coming this Fall for iOS 13, iPad OS and MacOS that enables users to control their devices hands-free.

To present the feature, Apple shared a moving film that takes viewers inside a day in the life of Ian Macakay, an advocate for accessibility. With a simple command of his voice, Ian is able to navigate his devices in a whole new way. From a text conversation to image sharing to location mapping, his voice controls his Mac and iPhone seamlessly. It shows him doing so as he goes to meet his friend, who is biking along the Washington coast.

Apple believes that technology is most powerful when it empowers everyone. 

While rotating favorites from around the world are often on the menu at McDonald’s global headquarters restaurant in Chicago’s West Loop, the Worldwide Favorites campaign marks the first time selected favorites can be found on US menus nationwide at participating restaurants. Burger specials from Canada and Spain, Australia’s Cheesy Bacon Fries and the Dutch Stroopwafel McFlurry are the items on offer in June. What was to be found only around the world, can now be found around the corner.

But the Stroopwafel McFlurry was not the only thing McDonald’s brought from The Netherlands. Dutch food director Olaf van Gerwen, who was already well known to the McDonald’s team in the Netherlands, having directed their food films for the last few years, was invited to join the campaign as well. 

“My production partner in the US, Canteen, brought the Dutch films to the attention of We Are Unlimited,” said van Gerwen. Executive producer Elyse Sara commented that “Olaf brings in that distinct European flavor that is so fitting for this campaign.”

The films will be shown in stores and on TV screens nationwide in time for the campaign’s launch.

Marcus Thomas has planned and executed TourismOhio’s largest media plan since introducing its new brand, ‘Ohio. Find It Here’. The campaign aims to boost road trip tourism to various Ohio cities. 

TourismOhio partnered with blog Full-Time Travel, which will visit each city, post on Instagram and FTT’s website, promote the road rally to its readers, and most importantly give TourismOhio full usage and rights to the video captured at each city, which will be used to create assets for digital media.

Each day has a full itinerary of photography and interviews at multiple stops within each city, which were selected based on the ability to illustrate and bring to life the unique character of the city. The five city partners on the tour are Cincinnati, Dayton, Columbus, Akron and Cleveland to see the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame.

The agency also helped TourismOhio facilitate a partnership with Midwest Living magazine, which includes a feature story, a 12-page insert featuring additional road trip worthy destinations in Ohio and online promotion in the 2019 July/August issue of Midwest Living.

All media efforts will drive travelers to sroadtrips.ohio.org/trips, which was created and developed by customer activation agency, Scoppechio, in order to promote the experience and inspire road trips throughout the state. 

While Scoppechio is responsible for the creative, Marcus Thomas took a leadership role in recommending the type of ads best suited to promote the road trips.

Road trip themes were selected based on what travelers enjoy most about Ohio and what they look to experience. One theme, ‘To The Moon and Back’, was developed in celebration of the 50th anniversary of Neil Armstrong’s first walk on the moon. The trail highlights Ohio’s leadership in US air and space travel.

There will be eight more road trips throughout the rest of the year to round out the offering. 

For over 20 years, Tim Hortons has sponsored the only NBA team in Canada – the Toronto Raptors, who are now in the finals against the Golden State Warriors. This dedication to the team is only outshone by Raptors Superfan, Nav Bhatia, who has had his courtside seat – A12 – for 24 years.

Just in time for game six of the NBA Finals, Bhatia has partnered with Tim Hortons to share his story – one of passion, inclusivity and Canadian spirit. 

In ‘Courtside Seat A12’, Nav Bhatia guides the viewers through his journey from 24 years ago to where he is today, showing how his seat represents far more than just a place to watch a basketball game, but the touching story of people who move to Canada and embrace a life focused on hard work and success.

In a video filmed by Gut for Tim Hortons, Nav takes the viewer through his journey and explains why Seat A12 is so important to him. “The whole world is looking at the seat,” he says. “Some see Indian. Some see Canadian. Some see both. Some see a turban. I hope they see diversity and loyalty. I hope they see why Canada is so special.”

World Pride Month is meant to celebrate the progress made in promoting acceptance, inclusion and community. That includes highlighting what connects people through commonalities, like experiencing and enjoying life together. That’s the idea behind the first-ever television campaign for Gay Beer.

For the brew’s first ad, created by Brooklyn-based independent agency Quirk Creative, they decided to show what appears at first to be a normal working-class relationship scene. A guy returns from a workout and flops on the sofa. He calls out: “Hey babe, the game’s starting. Could you grab me a beer?” When the beer enters, it’s being delivered by the man’s boyfriend, who plants a kiss before sitting and enjoying the beer and game. The tagline states: “Brewed this way.” The ad is meant to be taken that life’s enjoyable moments are not exclusive to one community of people.

Verizon is partnering with PFLAG, the nation’s largest organization uniting families and allies with people who are LGBTQ, for a campaign that shows stories of real families that have been torn apart and reunited through better communication and understanding.

PFLAG and Verizon enlisted director and LGBTQ supporter, Lee Hirsch, of the award-winning documentary, Bully for a campaign that showcases how a bad first call doesn’t have to be the last. They connected real people and their families and gave them a second chance for loved ones to express their support.

In the film, ‘Love Calls Back,’ LGBTQ people tell their stories of how their families either didn’t understand their orientations or how they reacted poorly to learning their brothers, sisters, sons and daughters were LGBTQ. The touching stories show very real calls of those family members who reacted badly called their estranged family and had heart-to-heart talks with them, proving that love can ‘call back’ and help heal old wounds.

One of the participants is Tashan Lovemore. He grew up in a religious, Jamaican-American family who was not very supportive of alternate lifestyles. He came out as bisexual when he was younger and his family didn’t support him right away. When he came out as trans, his family mostly accepted him – except for his brother Estebon. ‘Love Calls Back’ shows the tearful call between the two and how Estebon apologizes and says how he will always be there for Tashan. Lovemore is now an outreach worker for the LGBTQ community in New York.

Verizon will also be making a monetary donation to PFLAG, as it did last year, when it donated $250,000.

Darren Criss has cemented his post-Glee and American Crime Story fame with a starring role in Taco Bell’s ‘Chasing Gold,’ a film trailer and song professing love for Nacho Fries.

The Nacho Fries, now on menus nationwide for a limited time, are a fan-favorite item. The brand’s Live Más Productions decided to put people’s obsession with the spiced fries with nacho cheese into a film trailer and song sung by Criss.

The plot of the trailer shows Criss as singer Zack Collins, who passionately sings about his love for Nacho Fries and is discovered by a talent scout, played by Chris Diamantopoulos, who makes him a star. It follows the emotional journey Collins endures when he realizes that sometimes love, like Nacho Fries, only lasts for a limited time. There are broken televisions and a burning piano to drive home the drama.

The song is a cheesy power love ballad.

Unilever’s 'United We Stand,' claims to be a first-of-its-kind Pride campaign.

Partnering with agency RanaVerse, Unilever saw the opportunity to turn over the status of being an “official WorldPride sponsor” to six grassroots organizations, which otherwise would not have had access to a corporate Pride sponsorship.  

As part of the campaign, Unilever and RanaVerse created films for each organization, each featuring a different ambassador. The films are directed by Tourmaline, a passionate advocate for the trans community.

Dove is working with Aaron Philip to bring awareness to experiences of those who are underrepresented in media and advertising and show the world that beauty isn’t binary. Aaron and Dove have partnered with the Audre Lorde Project- a New York based organization which focuses on supporting organizing campaigns that work on healing justice, trans justice, community building and volunteering - to make the fashion and beauty industries more diverse, inclusive, and accessible. 

Schmidt’s Naturals is teaming up with Lachlan Watson and the Trans Justice Funding Project to elevate the critical role that self-care, community, and wellness play in the trans and non-binary community.

Shea Moisture, a brand that believes that economic empowerment is essential for people to thrive, is partnering with Big Freedia to support the work of Destination Tomorrow.

Axe, a brand that aims to tackle toxic behaviors associated with traditional masculinity, is working with Tommy Dorfman and the Anti-Violence Project - a leading New York based charity founded to offer on the ground support and counseling services to LGBTQIA+ peoples who experience hate crimes and/or violence - to create world where LGBTQIA+ people are safe, respected, and live free from violence.

Vaseline, a brand that believes in the power of healing both physically and emotionally, is teaming up with Titus Burgess and New Alternatives - an organization dedicated to the care and well-being of young people in the LGBTQIA+ community - to underscore the need for a place that helps LGBTQIA+ youth feel accepted and empowered on their road to self-sufficiency. 

Suave, a brand that has valued the importance of family for over 80 years, is teaming up with Amiyah Scott and PFLAG to create awareness around the importance of family support and acceptance within the LGBTQIA+ community.