A decent staple is the Selfridges ad, one of those where they show vignettes of people doing the same incongruous thing and reveal at the end how the product, or lack of it, is responsible (like the deodorant commercial where nobody raises their arms above the elbow, or the one where people's ears are missing). In this one, everyone has one arm frozen in a pointing gesture and we discover they are all local to the new Birmingham Selfridges with its amazing building. Indeed, when the store is revealed in the packshot, you want to see much more of it. Whether this is negligent or clever of them, I'll leave you to decide.
The Army recruitment ads are not as compelling as the "What would you do?" campaign, but are an interesting glimpse into the post-war soul of the MoD. Far less macho than previous ads, these three all weave a soldier's civilian life into his story, giving girlfriends, babies and workmates equal billing with blackened faces, night-sights and rumbling tanks. It feels as much a PR job, supporting our noble lads, as a drive to sign more of them up.
With the fighting man now reduced to a simpering baby-bather, the baton of manliness has been passed to the players in the forthcoming Rugby World Cup. The Adidas print campaign is full of tough talk about applying pressure, runaway trains and hitting 'em hard, standard fare you might think. But at least these have attempted to heave themselves from the ruck by using an original illustration style.
It has a splattery look, presumably to echo the behaviour of your head when Danny Grewcock lands on it.
In the unpromising setting of a catwalk, second only to a wedding as an advertising cliche, Clarks has created a simple, enjoyable ad. Retaining the line, "Life's a catwalk", it shows ordinary people in Clarks shoes doing normal things, such as buying a round and watching the football, but on a catwalk, surrounded by the hysterical witches of the fashion world. It's very good.
The hype around the rebranding of Abbey National as Abbey might leave it vulnerable to a gleeful kicking from the likes of Private Eye, but it's too early to tell whether something substantial will emerge from the relaunch. The first ad itself doesn't inspire huge confidence, being, as it is, a pun about turning banking upside down made flesh, but let's be fair and wait and see.
We end with a jolly piece of ornithological cruelty from Ford. A shiny, black Ka is parked in a suburban street and a pigeon flies down to take a closer look. Just as the wretched bird is about to land on the bonnet, it pings open and smacks him over the roof and on to the road in a flurry of feathers.
We're told this is the new Sportka, Ka's evil twin. We're also told it's a "viral", a term now denoting an ad that the BACC won't let you run. It's very well done and I'm glad they bothered.
FORD
Project: Sportka
Client: Usha Raghavachnari, brand specialist, small cars
Brief: Encourage younger men to consider buying a Sportka
Agency: Ogilvy & Mather
Writer: Mike Crowe
Art director: Rob Messeter
Director: Henry Littlechild
Production company: The Viral Factory
Exposure: Internet
ABBEY
Project: Abbey
Client: Angus Porter, customer propositions director
Brief: Communicate that Abbey is turning banking on its head
Agency: TBWA\London
Writer: Tim Hearn
Art director: Graham Cappi
Director: Kevin Thomas
Production company: Thomas Thomas
Exposure: National TV
CLARKS
Project: Clarks brand campaign
Client: Ted Hart, communications manager
Brief: Position Clarks as an everyday fashion brand
Agency: St Luke's
Writers: Jules Chalkey, Nick Simons
Art directors: Jules Chalkey, Nick Simons
Director: Paul Hunter
Production company: Exposure Films
Exposure: National TV
ADIDAS
Project: Adidas Rugby World Cup
Client: Indy Saha, European advertising manager
Brief: Create an impact around the Rugby World Cup 2003
Agency: 180 Amsterdam
Writers: Peter McHugh, Giles Montgomery, Brad Roseberry
Typographer: Stuart Brown
Illustration: Stuart Brown
Exposure: Global print, outdoor, internet and art exhibitions
SELFRIDGES
Project: Launch of the new Selfridges store in Birmingham
Client: James Bidwell, marketing director
Brief: Announce that the store is now open
Agency: Mother
Writer: Mother
Art director: Mother
Director: Maggie Zackhiem
Production company: Indpendent Films
Exposure: Regional TV and cinema
ARMY
Project: Army recruitment TV
Client: Mark Bainbridge, marketing director
Brief: Increase recruitment levels for the regular Army and TA and
reposition the TA as an integral part of the British Army
Agency: Publicis
Writer: Ross Jameson
Art director: Stephen Pipe
Director: Antony Easton
Production company: Spectre (now Large Corp)
Exposure: National TV
