The Last Song – Vice Magazine Poland | Clapboard Ad Archive

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The last song - Vice Magazine | Clapboard Ad Archive

Vice Magazine’s The Last Song campaign, launched in Poland with Saatchi & Saatchi in Year 2014, asserted the brand’s unique editorial presence by leveraging the intimacy and depth of the audio medium to deliver a story-driven experience that aligns squarely with Vice’s core proposition as a chronicler of contemporary culture and youth narratives. Within the Media / Entertainment market category, the campaign’s use of narrative audio was a marked departure from the visually led communication strategies typical of mainstream competitors, enabling Vice to anchor itself as a brand for audiences seeking immersive, alternative perspectives rather than generic news or entertainment updates. The creative approach sits squarely in Clapboard’s FORMAT#5—Exemplary Story category, situating Vice as both curator and protagonist within a compelling narrative arc where the brand’s role is essential to the plot’s resolution, reinforcing its identity as a participant, not just an observer, within subcultural movements. In a local landscape dominated by mass media platforms like Onet.pl, Wirtualna Polska, and Gazeta Wyborcza, as well as niche culture-driven titles such as Kulturka, Vice Magazine differentiated itself by privileging the raw, unfiltered, and emotionally resonant moments that shape the stories of its audience, using the audio spot to create an affective listening environment that is as much about the authenticity of the experience as it is about the content itself. This strategic use of sound and storytelling targeted culturally engaged young adults who are disillusioned with formulaic media and instead gravitate toward brands that prize innovation and authenticity, a distinguishing move that reflects both Vice’s editorial ambitions and Saatchi & Saatchi’s capacity to translate brand truth into captivating creative executions. The campaign’s structure—focused and minimal, with a single media asset—underscored the boldness of crafting a standalone audio experience designed to foster brand affinity through emotional engagement rather than frequency or spectacle, reflecting an editorial sensitivity to the audience’s desire for stories that matter. Clapboard rates this 63/100. For an industry grappling with the challenge of capturing cultural attention through ever-more immersive formats, The Last Song signals that audio storytelling, when used purposefully, can be a potent vehicle for brands to deepen engagement and forge lasting connections with communities that value substance and creative risk-taking.

Credits

Client

Vice Magazine

Agency

Saatchi & Saatchi

Creative Director

Piotr Chrobot, Kamil Majewski

Art Director

Piotr Osiński

Producer

Anna Kwiatkowska

Music

Wojtek Urbański / Sound Boom Studio, Krystian Kościjański / Malaga Studio

Vocals

Maria Kozłowska, Krystian Kościjański, Piotr Osiński

Video Documentary

Only Only

Category Mind Map

48%

The campaign "The Last Song" by Vice Magazine, launched in Poland in 2014, positions the brand as a cutting-edge media outlet deeply connected to contemporary culture and storytelling. By leveraging a narrative format in an audio medium, the campaign emphasizes Vice’s commitment to delivering authentic, immersive content that resonates on a personal level with its audience. The brand proposition centers on Vice’s role as a platform that captures and shares meaningful, often unconventional stories that reflect the pulse of youth and subcultural movements, reinforcing its identity as a definitive voice in modern media. Strategically, the campaign targets a niche yet culturally engaged audience in Poland, likely young adults who seek media experiences beyond mainstream offerings. The insight driving the campaign appears to embrace the power of narrative audio to forge an intimate connection, capitalizing on listeners’ emotional engagement through storytelling. This approach distinguishes Vice within the media landscape by highlighting its editorial depth and innovative use of audio as a medium, rather than relying on traditional visual advertising. Furthermore, partnering with Saatchi & Saatchi ensures a high creative standard that aligns with Vice’s edgy, provocative brand personality, appealing to an audience that values both substance and style. The moderate engagement metrics suggest a focused reach within a dedicated segment rather than mass appeal, consistent with Vice's strategy to cultivate a loyal community around niche cultural content.

FORMAT#5 EXEMPLARY STORY — Tells a story where the product plays a vital role in the plot or resolution. The campaign titled "The last song" for Vice Magazine by Saatchi & Saatchi is described as a Narrative genre audio spot within the Media/Entertainment category, signaling a story-driven structure. There’s no explicit problem-solution, symbolic analogy, parody, comparison, or testimonial hinted in the metadata. Instead, the poetic title and narrative cue strongly suggest a storyline where Vice Magazine (the product) is central—possibly thematically or within the resolution of the plot—as is standard in the exemplary story format, making this the best fit. ADVERTISING FORMATS EXPLAINED: https://www.clapboard.com/blog/branding-and-advertising/brand-strategy/12-advertising-creative-formats

1. Gazeta Wyborcza – Positioned as Poland’s leading liberal daily newspaper, it combines in-depth investigative journalism with a broad cultural and political scope, appealing to urban, educated audiences seeking reliable news and analysis. 2. Onet.pl – As one of Poland’s largest online news portals, Onet offers a wide range of multimedia content, from news to entertainment, leveraging digital innovation to engage a mass audience with timely updates and interactive features. 3. Newsweek Polska – The Polish edition of the international newsweekly focuses on political commentary and current affairs, distinguishing itself through a strong editorial voice and investigative reports targeted at readers interested in global and national issues. 4. Wirtualna Polska (WP) – WP is a leading digital media and internet portal delivering diversified content across news, lifestyle, and entertainment, positioning itself as a comprehensive, user-friendly platform for Poland’s broad online audience. 5. Kulturka – A niche cultural magazine and online platform devoted to youth culture, music, and alternative art scenes, Kulturka differentiates by curating authentic local content that appeals to subcultural and creative urban demographics.

Q: What is The last song about? A: The last song is a 2014 audio campaign created for Vice Magazine by Saatchi & Saatchi in Poland, positioned within the media and entertainment sector. The campaign leverages a narrative-driven audio format to showcase Vice Magazine’s commitment to immersive, culturally relevant storytelling. By focusing on a single, story-led audio asset, the campaign aims to connect with a niche, culturally engaged audience seeking authentic media experiences. The creative team behind the project includes notable figures from both Saatchi & Saatchi and Vice Poland, reflecting a collaborative approach to delivering content that resonates with youth and subcultural movements. Q: What creative device does The last song use? A: The last song employs the Exemplary Story format, classified as Format #5 in Clapboard’s 12-format taxonomy. This approach centers the product—Vice Magazine—as a vital element within the plot or resolution of the narrative, making the brand integral to the story’s unfolding. By structuring the campaign as a narrative audio spot, the creative team crafts an immersive experience that draws listeners into the world of Vice, reinforcing the brand’s editorial depth and its role as a conduit for unconventional, meaningful stories. Q: What is the campaign proposition for The last song? A: The campaign proposition for The last song positions Vice Magazine as a cutting-edge media outlet deeply attuned to contemporary culture and storytelling. Targeting a niche but culturally engaged Polish audience, the campaign underscores Vice’s commitment to delivering authentic, immersive narratives that reflect the pulse of youth and subcultural movements. By leveraging the intimacy of audio storytelling, Vice differentiates itself from mainstream media, reinforcing its identity as a definitive voice in modern media and appealing to young adults who value substance, style, and editorial innovation. Q: How does The last song rank in Clapboard's archive? A: The last song holds a Clapboard Campaign Score of 63/100 in Clapboard’s global ad archive. This score reflects the campaign’s creative ambition, execution quality, and cultural relevance within the media and entertainment category. Q: Who are the competitors in Vice Magazine's category? A: In the Polish media and entertainment landscape, Vice Magazine competes with Gazeta Wyborcza, which is known for its liberal editorial stance and investigative journalism targeting urban, educated readers; Onet.pl, a major online news portal offering a broad mix of news and entertainment for a mass digital audience; Newsweek Polska, which distinguishes itself through political commentary and in-depth reporting for globally minded readers; Wirtualna Polska, a leading internet portal delivering diverse content across news, lifestyle, and entertainment; and Kulturka, a niche cultural magazine focused on youth culture, music, and alternative art scenes, appealing to creative urban demographics.