Dan Pitchford of Dinosaur picks his (music-themed) Desert Island Ads

Desert Island Ads

Levi’s – Drugstore

There’s a thread running through the first 3 of my favourite 5 ads… music. Not just as background, but used as a character in its own right. The ads that captured my imagination most were from the golden era of Levi’s by John Hegarty at BBH. It was a time when advertising felt elevated, like art. Each ad was a miniature short film: new characters, different tones, stories and always a killer soundtrack.

They didn’t just sell jeans. They created worlds. Each one felt like an event, the way John Lewis Christmas ads would later but BBH got there first, and with more edge.

It’s hard to pick a single favourite, but Michel Gondry’s Drugstore stands out. It connected all my obsessions: fashion, film, and obscure techno. The moment I heard Biosphere playing on TV, my mind was blown. A dreamy, surreal spot with no dialogue and no need for it. Just attitude, atmosphere, and a perfect track.

Honda – Grrr

While the Levi’s ads first opened my eyes to what advertising could be, it wasn’t until I saw the Honda work that I considered it as a career. Grrr was the moment. I saw it in the cinema and was instantly charmed, the animation, the colour, warmth wit and the super catchy song. Every element worked in harmony to tell a story and land a message, without ever feeling like it was selling something. It was joyful.

I’d seen Cog before and been blown away by the craft and how different it felt for a commercial, but Grrr really stood out. Like the best Levi’s work, it had its own voice, its own world. A car brand being brave enough to truly stand out — and W+K grabbing that opportunity to do something special. Every campaign was distinct, but always captivating.

IKEA – Silence the Critics

IKEA and Mother are another one of those rare client/agency pairings that just works. Time and again, they’ve produced ads that are funny, insightful, and beautifully crafted … proper storytelling in short form.

It’s hard to pick a favourite. Dougal Wilson’s Playin’ With My Friends is right up there. But for sheer joy, IKEA’s first-ever Christmas ad – Silence the Critics, voiced by D Double E… is phenomenal. It’s got everything: charm, wit, insight, emotional truth, and just the right splash of surrealism. IKEA taps into real life with warmth, weirdness, and unmistakable character. Populist, yes but always with a twist.

Macmillan Cancer Support – Whatever It Takes

I’ll never forget the Macmillan Cancer Support ad Whatever It Takes. Created by AMV BBDO and directed by Jonathan Alric, it’s a masterpiece of understated power.

The film follows Macmillan’s frontline staff as they work through the emotional and physical strain of supporting people with cancer during the pandemic. There are no big gestures, just small moments of quiet resilience, compassion, and humanity. It delivers fear, hope, joy – the human experience of cancer from every angle: patient, family, carer, nurse, friend.

It shows staff doing all they can, and how fragile we all are. And yet it never feels manipulative or overdone. It simply reminds you why Macmillan matters, and makes you want to give back. It moved me. Still does. I remember donating and sharing it immediately. Powerful stuff.

Nike – You Can’t Stop Us

The last ad on my list had to be Nike’s You Can’t Stop Us. It’s the one with the incredible split-screen edit — directed by Oscar Hudson for Wieden+Kennedy. I remember watching it and just thinking, how the hell did they put this together? It’s a seamless mix of old and new footage, cut so precisely it looks like one athlete morphs into another. At first I assumed it was CGI, but later saw Hudson’s test shots… it was all done in-camera. Proper editing wizardry, like choreography on screen.

But it’s not just about the craft, it has a message too. Another example of great creativity during the restrictions of Covid.. it came out in 2020, when the world felt like it was falling apart, and somehow it managed to say something hopeful. W+K & Hudson took a technical idea and turned it into something meaningful. That no matter who you are, or where you’re from, we’re all part of something bigger. It’s the perfect way to end this list

Dan Pitchford is creative director of Dinosaur. He has designed album covers for EMI and flyers for Manchester’s sankeys Soap.