Lambie-Nairn’s Adrian Burton picks his Desert Island Ads
Adrian Burton is ECD of international branding agency Lambie-Nairn. He has over 20 years of experience in design, starting at Sedley Place (UK and Berlin) where his clients included Volkswagen Group and The Royal Mail. Since moving to Lambie-Nairn in 1997 he has been at the helm of many high profile branding projects including the BBC (Masterbrand, TV, radio and events), 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar, EA Games, FIFA, Sainsbury’s, Direct Gov, Expedia, Telefónica, O2, Al Jazeera and Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee. Burton is a regular judge and speaker in the creative industry including D&AD and the Roses awards.
Desert Island Ads
I’ve always loved advertising. Particularly TV. It’s still the most immediate creative medium. Informing, inspiring and above all entertaining. I love the power it has to truly capture your imagination, make you think really hard and ultimately smile just as hard. Here’s a few that stick in my mind for different reasons…
Meet The Superhumans (2012)
Public Enemy meets Ellie Simmonds. Bang! Probably the single most powerful and uplifting thing I’ve ever seen. It’s all in the edit and that’s harder than you think!
Um Bongo (1985)
I’m fifty and this still pops into my head…
Way down deep in the middle of the Congo,
A hippo took an apricot, a guava and a mango.
He stuck it with the others, and he danced a dainty tango.
The rhino said, “I know, we’ll call it Um Bongo”
PlayStation – Double Life (1999)
Dark, disturbing and utterly compelling. Brilliantly written, perfectly cast. Where can I buy one?
Silk Cut – The Fat Lady Sings (2003)
The end of an advertising era and the perfect way to bow out.
Pepperami – Wimp (1994)
Shockingly original. It is what it is – ‘a bit of an animal.’ It’s just bloody funny.
Kia-Ora – It’s Too Orangey For Crows (1984)
Often cited as slightly controversial. As a kid it just made you smile. It was literally barking mad.
British Heart Foundation – Hard and Fast (2011)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILxjxfB4zNk
Entertaining, memorable and literally life saving….Ah, ha, ha, ha, stayin’ alive, stayin’ alive. The schools version is also great fun.
Hamlet Cigars – Channel 4 (1980s)
One from my old boss Martin. Opportunistic and pure genius.
Lego – What it is is beautiful (1981)
In recognition of the single biggest creative influence in so many people’s lives. Denmark’s gift to the world. It’s a simple ad based on a simple universal truth. One we’ve all shared. “I made it and I’m oh so proud of it.”
Sony Bravia – Balls (2005)
Beautiful and utterly mesmeric. I managed to blag a DVD of the making of it and the beautiful book that accompanied it. I then went straight out and bought the album. Arguably the perfect ad. All hail Fallon.