It’s been a common belief in advertising that if you really want to grab an audience’s attention, a baby or puppy works like magic. That may very well be true, but there’s another approach that always catches my eye—I’ll call it “human-nature.”

When I was a kid leafing through my mom’s issues of Vogue, I remember seeing a remarkable series of watch ads that featured hands painted as exotic animals—a swan, zebra, flamingo, giraffe—wearing the status timepieces. While I don’t recall the brand (I think it was Omega), I’ve never forgotten the amazing artistry that showcased the products. I recently learned it was the work of Italian painter Guido Daniele.

In trying to find examples of the “vintage” watch ads, I came across a link that featured more recent campaigns (notably for AT&T in 2008 and 2009) using Daniele’s creations. I think it’s safe to say that no baby or puppy could have quite the same effect.

Another great example of humans as nature is this Toyota Prius TV commercial.

I think it’s brilliant. And it’s not just because I’m totally enthralled with my daughter’s class plays of Mother Goose rhymes and tales of the seasons. This concept took the ordinary car commercial template and made it truly unique and memorable.

Heck, even less elaborate applications, like this Jimmy Dean breakfast sandwich spot

make me stop and watch. It’s the natural creativity that gets me.