The ad, for No Bugs Insect Spray, shows a fly's-eye view of a man with a can of the spray, and features the line "The last thing a fly ever sees". It is similar to a Larson cartoon, which uses the same honeycomb technique to convey a fly's vision and a similar endline.
According to a report in the Australian trade journal B&T Marketing and Media, the ad refers to a "well-known Australian and New Zealand joke", and Grey said that the campaign did not originate with the Larson cartoon. However, others seem less certain.
Jury president Dan Wieden will have to decide if Grey Auckland should keep its Grand Prix for best outdoor campaign. He has not yet made a statement on the matter.
Wieden, chief creative office and CEO of Wieden & Kennedy, will be in the position of having to decide if an ad made by his own agency should be ruled out of contention for the Film Grand Prix for similar reasons.
As has been well documented, W&K's "cog" ad for Honda Accord is accused of drawing heavily on the film by the Swiss artists Peter Fischli and David Weiss' 30-minute film 'Der Lauf Der Dinge' ('The Way Things Go'). While the ad has been hailed as groundbreaking in the field of car advertising, there are questions about its worthiness as a Grand Prix winner.
The ad has been shortlisted for the film awards, due to be handed out on Saturday night.
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