Not for a long time has an ad made me – and many of my most cynical colleagues – laugh as much as Barclaycard’s first spot by Droga5 London. This is the agency and director Jeff Low at their wackiest: a film about two crystal sellers in Kettering who have grown their venture thanks to Barclaycard. It is a refreshing tone of voice for a financial company and the start of what promises to be a long-running creative campaign championing real businesses.
Now to the criticism from some that this is an example of the out-of-touch, London-centric advertising elite ridiculing people they don’t understand. First of all, if only those critics knew the eccentric, crystal-loving team who made this. To me, this ad is an affectionate portrayal of two quirky people who are being celebrated and taken seriously for what makes them unique. That seems as good a purpose as any with which to build a brand.
Brand Barclaycard
Title The Crystal Barn
Agency Droga5 London
Creatives Dan Morris, Charlene Chandrasekaran
Director Jeff Low
Production company Biscuit Filmworks
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