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The arrival of Howell Henry Chaldecott Lury on the UK ad scene 19 years ago introduced an unconventional approach to creativity that was irreverent, different and never easy to ignore.

Its multi award-winning spot for Hitachi’s Maxell tapes brand was a great example of HHCL’s iconoclastic approach and a sharp contrast to previous tape ads that were obsessed with technical features.

The idea was based on a tendency for pop lyrics to be unintelligible and comically misunderstood.

Desmond Dekker’s Israelites provides the soundtrack while a reggae fan holds up board on which the misheard lyrics are written. For "The Israelites" the board reads "Me ears are alight".

The endline reads "At least I think that’s what he said – but I need to hear it on a Maxell".

This ad was taken from the . The archive, administered by the History of Advertising Trust, is composed of all ads nominated for the British Television Advertising Awards since 1977.