I’m not sure I’d last very long on a desert island. I’m not particularly resourceful or practical and attempting DIY projects has been known to reduce me to tears.
Watching some of my favourite ads of all time would be a welcome distraction. With that in mind, many of my choices are nostalgic ones and all of them, like great ads do, stir the emotions. If an ad can make you ‘feel,’ I believe, it’s already over-achieved.
Tango – Howell Henry Chaldecott Lury (HHCL) – 1992
In chronological order then. One of the first ads to break through my consciousness was this absolute classic from Tango. The slap was heard around the UK. There wasn’t a kid who didn’t receive or deliver a slap in the playground in the name of Tango. Irreverent, funny and advertising as entertainment. From this point on, I paid way more attention to TV advertising in the hope of finding an ad that would pierce through culture in the same way.
That all being said, I am not sure it would get through the ASA in 2025.
Honda – The Cog – Wieden+Kennedy – 2003
My mum had a Honda and in my mind they were not cool. That changed in 2003 when they released this masterpiece. I love the cinematic feel of the production, the quiet confidence it oozes – delivered with no voice which was unheard of. The opposite of Tango, yet just as emotive.
This was the type of ad that had you winding up your dial-up internet to find out how it was made and how many takes it took. Two sixty second scenes stitched together taking in 606 takes, in case you are interested.
Channel 4 – Meet The Superhumans – 4Creative – 2012
This is an ad that metaphorically slaps you in the face! And on reflection, it needed to because up until this point the Paralympics had not had the spotlight in the way it deserved. Yet here it was, at our front door in London.
Incredibly inspiring, uplifting and powerful. Filmed and edited like a high octane James Cameron movie with an epic soundtrack that went straight onto my Spotify playlist. I managed to get to the Olympic Stadium for the Paralympics alongside my three month old daughter so my nostalgia levels for this fantastic piece of promotion from Channel 4 are through the roof.
LADBible Group – Trash Isles – AMV BBDO – 2018
For full transparency I used to work at LADbible but joined the year after this fantastic campaign won a Cannes Lions and really challenged perceptions of the LADbible brand. Having spent the past decade or so of my career in social media, I think this is one of the best examples of creativity and impact I’ve seen (particularly on a modest budget) from a publisher. It managed to cut through public apathy and turned ocean plastic into a globally discussed issue.
The Trash Isles shaped the cultural conversation, prompting media, governments and the public to rethink plastic waste backed by high-profile figures like Al Gore. And all the while, it kept that wink and a smile that is unmistakable LADbible, naming Dame Judi Dench the Queen of this new emerging nation.
Ruavieja | Contagious, Tenemos Que Vernos Más” (“We Have To See More Of Each Other”) – Leo Murnett Madrid 2018
For my final choice, I’ve chosen a TV ad that I have never watched on TV. I came across this ad for a Spanish liqueur brand as part of a judging panel and it has stayed with me ever since. The concept is that they calculate how many more times you will see the people you love most in your life. Using real people and real relationships the pain and heartbreak is obvious to see. The idea that if you carry on as is, you may only see your brother, auntie or best friend a handful more times puts life and priorities into perspective.
I don’t know enough about Ruavieja to have an opinion on whether this is a great piece of brand marketing. It is undoubtedly a really moving ad which forces you to re-evaluate your own relationships and priorities.
Sam Coleman is managing director EMEA of creator agency NewGen.
