Upwork | This Is How We Work Now – Director’s Cut

In this ad, Upwork highlights the modern shift in work culture, focusing on how the platform empowers businesses to hire top talent from anywhere in the world. With a playful tone, the commercial shows the flexibility of remote work and how it allows professionals to thrive in various work environments, both professional and unconventional.

The Formula (That Works at Any Budget):

Exaggerated Pain Points = Instant Engagement – The ad amplifies the struggles of traditional office life, showcasing the discomfort and limitations of in-person work, such as stiff office chairs and long commutes.
Lesson: Start by highlighting your audience’s pain points in an exaggerated, relatable way to create an immediate connection.

Humor Through Absurdity – The ad includes humor by showing absurd scenarios, like working in unconventional locations or dealing with the chaos of office life, positioning Upwork’s remote work solution as the ideal alternative.
Lesson: Use playful exaggerations to make your solution seem both necessary and fun.

Contrast = Powerful Message – By contrasting the stiff, old-school office life with the free, flexible nature of remote work on Upwork, the ad strongly communicates the benefit of working with global talent through the platform.
Lesson: Use contrast to show the improvement your product brings over traditional methods.

Humor Breakdown:

Exaggerated Situations – The humor comes from showing the stark contrast between traditional office life and the freedom of remote work. The “Director’s Cut” tag plays on the idea of an exaggerated version of the workday, making the audience chuckle at the over-the-top portrayal of office life.
Situational Humor – Remote work challenges like trying to work from a busy home or a crowded coffee shop add a layer of relatability and fun.
Light-Hearted Absurdity – The commercial keeps the tone upbeat, focusing on how Upwork makes remote work easier, more comfortable, and more efficient.

Final Verdict:

Upwork’s ad creatively highlights the appeal of remote work by using humor and contrast to emphasize the convenience and flexibility of their platform. It’s a fun, engaging, and effective way to promote Upwork’s services to companies seeking global talent and workers looking for more freedom in their careers.

Brave-o-meter score: 

B-9 | R-9 | A-8 | V-8 | E-9

BRAVE – 9/10

Watch the full ad & learn more:
Website: Upwork
LinkedIn: Upwork LinkedIn Page

(See what BRAVE means in our collection)

Understanding the B.R.A.V.E. Scoring System

The B.R.A.V.E. scoring system uses AI to deliver an unbiased evaluation of top-of-the-funnel B2B brand ads. It measures potential impact, memorability, and effectiveness by assessing five key components of a video ad or commercial. This system gauges an ad's capacity to drive brand recall and enhance salience, ensuring that creative work not only captures attention but also leaves a lasting impression.

What B.R.A.V.E. Stands For:

Each letter represents a key factor in determining an ad’s success:

  • BBoldness: Is the ad original, creative, or daring? Does it break away from generic B2B marketing, or is it just another forgettable corporate video?
  • RRelevance: Does it connect with a real buyer pain point? Is it addressing a specific frustration or need, or just listing product features?
  • AAttention: Does it grab and hold attention in the first few seconds? Is it visually or tonally engaging, or easy to skip?
  • VVibe: Does it create an emotional response—laughter, recognition, or surprise? Or does it feel like just another corporate info dump?
  • EEffectiveness: Will buyers remember the brand when they need a solution? Does the ad make an impact that lasts beyond the moment?

How It’s Applied to B2B Video Rating

Each video is scored 1 to 10 in all five categories, based on how well it meets the criteria. The total score (out of 50) is then divided by 5 to give a final B.R.A.V.E. score out of 10.

For example:

  • An ad scoring B-8 | R-9 | A-7 | V-6 | E-8 has a total of 38/50.
  • The final B.R.A.V.E. score is 7.6/10.

Why It Matters

B2B ads often struggle with being bland, forgettable, or ineffective. The B.R.A.V.E. system ensures they are judged by their ability to break through, connect with buyers, and drive action.

Simply put: If your ad isn’t B.R.A.V.E., it’s invisible.

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