Keepin' It Fresh

Spec commercials tend to be rubbish. Here's a spec commercial from director Eric Sheffield that bucks that trend and even has a good old product benefit at the fart, sorry heart, of the idea. Thanks to Sam Roberts for pinging it our way.

Two Things Today

One. Read this excellent interview with Dave Trott (if you haven't already), he is spot-on about many things including creative awards...

Ad festivals prevent creativity. You’re not doing advertising for six million people in the street anymore, but for ten people on the jury, and for a few clients. You win an award, because then Martin Sorrell will give you a raise, and Martin Sorrell can go and tell Unilever that he won an award, and Unilever will maybe give him another piece of digital business. How has that got anything to do with the job we’re supposed to be doing?

Two. If something does offer a glimmer of hope about creative awards, it's that Apple just won the Cannes Lion outdoor grand prix for their shot on iPhone campaign. Yes, an actual piece of advertising on actual poster sites. Advertising about an actual product, with an actual reason or benefit. We're big fans of this campaign, as you may know (read our post on it here). It's great to see it recognised. Hats off to all involved.

Wha the fu

NEW! From some company or other: Wha

Who said banner ads weren't any good?
(A: Me.)

This Made Me Cry

Yes, actual man-tears. But not because of the feels - oh the feels, them feels, that this tries to prise out of me.

It made me cry out in despair WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK ARE FAIRY DOING?

What makes them think this is a good thing to be doing? Utterly bonkers, it is. You could tack almost any brand on the end and it wouldn't make much difference, all these 'them feels' pieces are just blending in to each other.

So I'm in the supermarket I'm wandering down the isles and I thinking now, what was it that told me what to think about myself, was it a soap, or a cereal? Who told me off for not hugging, was it a biscuit or an air freshener? 

More importantly, I actually feel insulted as a normal human with family members and friends and things, that Fairy – maker of soap and detergent no less – feel like they have some licence to tell me when, where or who to hug. Piss off Fairy. Just piss off.

Whoever decided it was a good idea to make this needs a hug. Then firing.
Then another hug.

PS: I showed this to some other people in Sell! Towers,  a couple wandered off midway through, one stayed till nearly the end, then started walking away with a shake of the head. "Wait," I said "You didn't stay for the brand...".

Eek.

Commercial Considerations Are The Judges, Not A Panel Of Distinguished Gentlemen

“After all, advertisements are purely functional things, and therefore the criterion is their success as advertisements and not as works of art. Commercial considerations are the judges, not a panel of distinguished gentlemen.”

H.R.H. the Duke of Edinburgh, to the jury who selected the Layton Annual Awards for Advertising, in London, 1960.

RIP RIK.

One year ago today Rik Mayall passed away. We still can't quite believe it. 

As a small tribute LettersOfNote posted some of Rik's letters from years gone on twitter.  

I thought I'd share them here for you lot to enjoy as well.

Ego

Look at us.
This is our vision.
This is our purpose.
At [brand], we believe...
We'll tell you how to live your life.
We'll tell you what you're doing wrong.
We'll tell you what wrong with society.
We are a brand.
And we're not afraid to overestimate our importance.

Sausages.

Pete Brown: How Big Lager Lost The Plot

Regular readers will probably know that we're pretty unimpressed with the current state of beer advertising, we've discussed it a few times in the past in Hats Off To Peroni, Where Have All The Great Beer Ads Gone? And Let There Be Beer. Oh Dear.

Ex-adman and ace beer writer Pete Brown has nailed the sorry state of beer advertising in his latest piece How Big Lager Lost The Plot And Developed Narcissistic Personality Disorder.

Here's just a taster:

Before you know it, you turn your brand from the genial bloke at the party into an arrogant, preening narcissist.

It's well worth a read if you're interested in beer, advertising, or beer advertising.

You can find it on his blog here.