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Mark, the tousled hero of the Gold Blend ads, looks set to win over

Louise in the eighth and penultimate instalment of the story, which

broke on national TV this week.

The 40-second film, as usual by McCann-Erickson, centres around the

love-triangle of Louise, her pompous fiance, James, and her work

colleague, Mark.

The film opens on a dinner party where James is ushered into the house

by the hostess. She turns to him and says: ’So the wedding’s off.’ James

pulls a face. ’I won’t ask,’ she counters, ’come and meet the rest of my

guests.’ She adds, meaningfully: ’ None of them are off to foreign

parts.’ James strides into the room, catching the eye of a pretty woman

in a black dress.

The scene cuts to Mexico where Louise and Mark, clad in rugged outdoor

kit, are sheltering in a hut. ’We’re off,’ says Mark. ’Where?’ she

asks.

’Got a lift,’ he replies. The pair are soon sitting on the back of a

jeep.

’Wonderful,’ gushes Mark. ’Isn’t this wonderful?’ Louise murmurs her

agreement: ’I could get used to it.’

Later that night, the pair warm themselves by a camp fire, accompanied

by Mexican villagers. Louise reaches for her bag and pulls out a jar of

Gold Blend. ’Now it’s a dinner party,’ says Mark. Drinking his coffee,

he ponders: ’We’ll be home in three days. This is our last Gold Blend

together. Here’s to the wedding.’ Louise looks up at him, clearly about

to reveal the news that she has left James.

The film broke on Wednesday evening on ITV in Coronation Street and on

Channel 4 in ER. The ad is part of a pounds 7 million spend behind the

brand this year. It was written by McCanns’ deputy chairman, Jerry

Green, and art directed by David Lindsay. It was directed by Derek

Coutts through BFCS.