First of all, a massive congrats to anyone that makes it up here on bestadsontv. No mean feat. The whole world sees and loves this platform of weekly curiosity and it's not easy being the week's best. Hats, shoes and jackets all off to you all. However there has to be winners and losers in life, and here's what I reckon was the best of the bestadsontvandradioandoutdoorandprintandinteractive.
BEST TVI have to be honest, the TV category were a mostly slim pickings in terms of really really excellent work but thankfully when I saw the title
Relax, It's an iPhone ad, I did exactly that. An unquestionable winner. I think the whole industry is consistently thankful for the stellar raft of product demo ads oozing out of Apple HQ. Last year's 'Detectives' was a particular favourite and of course I still can't stop thinking about why Kim Gehrig's 'Greatest' tour de force didn't pick up the Grand Prix at Cannes. Anyway, back to today. The simplicity of the idea, the immaculate execution. The casting, the perfect music, which in samples alone, must have cost a small fortune, was nothing short of immaculate. Oh, and the fact that we don't even need to know why it's a pumpkin, it's just perfect.
A salute and cap off to
TheFork spot from Droga London, but it's Wyoming Department of Health's '
Hairy Times' that takes the no 2 spot. In a world where ideas are all too often rammed down viewers throats until everyone is left gagging on the overexplained, this simple spot leaves just enough thinking for the viewer to do. Well timed direction, note perfect casting, with a pleasant waft of vintage Levi's. It's wonderfully restrained. That said, I will never now go to Wyoming, or shave my beard.
BEST OUTDOOR Clothing Please's '
ClothingFans' pips all the others to pole in Outdoor. I wondered where the fuck it was going, then kicked myself for not making the connection to the title 'clothing please' while the case study very clearly teed up the controversy around the semi naked Only Fans lady. Funny and clever misdirect. I'm sure the Wildlings will be donning their posh frocks in the Aussies awards circuit, and so they should. Nicely done.
FIAT's '
Operation No Grey'. A simple and solid runner up in outdoor. In a less than colourful reference, I couldn't help but wonder whether this ad was a dark homage to one of the final scenes of Sorrentino's Consequences of Love where the film's protagonist is lowered into a vat of concrete. The choice of camera shots were way too close for it not to be. Despite that though, I enjoyed this and its Top Gear grade tomfoolery.
Thumbs up emoji also to the team who put The Big Issue '
The Street is My Store' piece together. Acutely on-brand and cutely executed.
BEST PRINTNothing truly stood out in the print category. I'm really sorry folks. So I don't think there's a best of the best. Anyway, so that no one feels hard done by, let's just say you're all winners, or at least runners up. Well done.
BEST RADIOThe Wildlings are back with another winner, this time in radio for their
Cold Calling, Winter Appeal spot. The idea is simple and engaging, commands your attention and left me wondering if someone cold-called me in the street, how I would react. A tough subject, and this does a great job of making you think for longer than you ever would about a subject that sadly needs to beg for our attention.
Second in line to the throne for radio is the
Invisible Hazards campaign for Auckland Transport. Admittedly, it uses a similar "but did you notice" technique to the excellent Transport for London campaign from several years ago, but it still packs a pocket full of punch. Guaranteed to get you interacting with it every time you hear it on the wireless. Which is no mean feat for a radio spot. Talking of interacting...
BEST INTERACTIVEIs there a better Interactive brand experience in the world this week than
KFC's Chef Sanders Street Fighter 6 idea? Actually, yes, but in terms of gaming this crackles like freshly dunked batter. Who wouldn't want to smash opponents in the virtual face in the name of fried chicken. The Kentucky Fried Fuel of gamers the world over just got even more finger licking good and not since Gus Fring has there been better chicken themed expediter of violence. Beefcake meets chicken drumsticks. However, the best interactive piece for me this week is something that reduces peoples interaction with online advertising in the name of saving lives. The top applause emoji goes to Pague Menos '
No Ad'. An idea that not only needs to exist but should be an instruction manual for SEO. Dr Youtube anyone? An idea that talks about eliminating advertising for the good of the world. Surely there's a bigger idea here. And on that nugget of nonsense, I shall bid you all a lovely week.
This week's guest judge is Dave Monk, executive creative director, Publicis Poke, London.
Dave started his career at BBH in 1904 as a workhouse child. He spent his early years working on Lynx, Levi's, Audi and Johnnie Walker and after ninety years worked his way up to polished shoes and became a board director. He then upped sticks and moved to Grey London, spending several years helping build the agency into one of the UK's best creative agencies, and picked up one of D&AD's agency of the year titles for work on the Times and Sunday Times. Dave then bought a posh jacket and picked up the executive creative director reins at Publicis London leading the agency to fill its shelves with a shiny metal lumps, most notably Tourism Ireland. After a merger with a digital hotshop Poke in 2018, Dave was asked to lead this newly formed Publicis Poke outfit. Which he is doing right now. Dave works mostly barefoot to remind him of those early days as a workhouse scoundrel.
