Thursday, December 27, 2007

Review of the Year! - Part One

If I have time I still hope to organise the blogosphere ad awards for 2007 once people are back online, but in the meantime here is my personal review of the year in adland and marketing.

Best ads of the year:

3. Irn Bru - Snowman. Alright, technically it was from last year, but I never saw it; and it is a perfect pastiche in every respect. It commands your attention, and the moment when you hear the music and get the joke is just wonderful.



2. Cadbury's - Gorilla. Ok, I like it more now than I did initially. Having thought about the message hidden away it's cleverer than it appeared. But the real magic is in the CGI, timing, choice of music, and the direction. Admirably subtle, jumping on the 'big ad' wagon whilst keeping a sense of compactness and personality (unlike Guiness Domino for one).



1. Carling - Space / Igloo. This might be controvertial in some circles. But I stand by my comments in campaign. This ad singlehandedly expands the Carling brand without alienating it's core users. It's almost perfectly produced, the atmosphere, the timing, the writing, the way it understands male friendship without being patronising or stereotypical (*cough* Carlsberg). I finally see the distinction between BMB and TBWA under Trevor Beattie, this has the humour and disruption of old, but with a subtlety and message that is significantly better.

6 comments:

Charles Edward Frith said...

I think I enjoy reading your reviews of ads more then any publication or indeed other blogger.

Just to add a comment (because you know I said Gorilla was an ace commercial from the git go) I watched the Carling commercial again and I think it stands higher than before with little touches like the logo at the end. Owning friendship is more important than "make the logo bigger".

Great reviews. Campaign should employ hire you at least for a week to do a review.

I'm looking forward to the rest!

Rob Mortimer (aka Famous Rob) said...

Thanks :)
Is that just because you can only view about 3 blogs now though?!

I didn't dislike Gorilla, I just wasn't mad on it like most of adland was!

When you think about the Carling ad, it's not just implying you should drink Carling, it's implying you AND all your friends should drink Carling... but it does it so well.

Yes, yes they should :D

Thanks Charles :) Hope you had a nice Christmas.

Charles Edward Frith said...

I can actually view most websites with a proxy site called webwarper. I'm not sure about some of the political views espoused there but until I get my moral relativism sorted out its the only way to read yours and a few other plaforms that blog.

Theres an ad waiting for your review over at mine squire!

Age said...

I've never seen that Carling commercial, but it put a massive smile on my face. Totally agree with your review.

Happy new year too!!

Rob Mortimer (aka Famous Rob) said...

Charles - done

Age - Thanks. It's great isn't it. Hopefully no more barrel scraping lowest level humour for Carling.

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