Nicky Bullard, chairwoman and chief creative officer, MRM
So (at time of writing) the masks are off. Now, anyone who knows me, knows I don't by nature hide my feelings. I pretty much lay myself bare at work (obviously not literally, people need to eat). But wearing my mask has become a little like wearing my glasses. Glasses cover up my dark circles and dodgy mascara application. And masks, well, you can't see a downturned smile, disappointment or a sarcastic smirk right? So I will judge the following either as mask on, or mask off.
Formula E "No turning back" by Uncommon Creative Studio
I love the title of this although don't quite understand it. And I think that's important. It does not matter. Because this spot is all about how it makes you feel. It's exhilarating, nuts, beautiful. And as delicious as the visual feast is, for me, it's the sound design that nails it. Mask off and thrown over my shoulder.
Disney+ "Stories you'd expect + stories you wouldn't" by Leo Burnett
A great title this. Disney is so much more than many expect. A neat CGI-packed film travelling through different apartments to showcase the different content you'll find on the platform. I guess the only thing that didn't really excite me was the music. But that is so subjective. Mask still off, loop hanging on my ear.
BBC "Extreme by nature" by BBC Creative
I found this rather captivating and applaud the team for not doing the expected. The little snow guy on the bobsleigh who also whizzes down the mountain – well I could watch him all day long. I thought the ice cube was interesting. But it all felt a bit contained and, for me, wasn't landing the extreme. Extreme makes me think of sports that put your very bones or even life at risk. I certainly felt nervous watching real humans on the downhill in China (not so much the curling). I'm just not sure the animation made me nervous enough to capture that extreme spirit. But still, mask off for the little snow guy.
CALM "DanTDM" by Recipe
Whilst not as strong in my opinion as the Unseen Opponent, the last film I reviewed from Calm, I do think that reaching young men via gaming, or who are watching others game, is bang on. It's at a time when they may be on their own, escaping, when their only trusted community may be the one they are interacting with via their headset. I just feel like this is a bit of a gimmick (let's hide a message in the timeline) and I'm not sure who it's really aimed at. Or if it will reach them and make a difference. I so hope they have some great results – I wonder how would you measure anyway – and prove me wrong.
Mask resting under chin.
Amazon "Mind reader" by Lucky Generals
I love celebs taking the mick out of themselves. Scarlet is pretty good too. And there's some funny stuff in this. Funny doesn't always have to have any logic to it but I think any kind of marketing does need some reason for being. Ah, so that's pretty clever. It's just a brilliant demo. Der. I was a bit slow there. Is it also a little risky to talk about Alexa reading minds when not everyone trusts listening tech? Just putting that out there. And that's so picky. I'll shut up, I'm just jealous of the incredible Scarlet. Mask is off as this is pretty good.
BT "Hate has no place in any game" by Saatchi & Saatchi
Very direct. But I kept my mask on.
Relate "Lips, mouth, finger" by Ogilvy UK
"Gifts don't make relationships. Conversations do" is the payoff for this cheeky campaign. But as the headlines were so full of innuendo, I thought the point might have been that sex is not the only thing that makes a great relationship. It felt for me that "Gifts" was added to make it Valentine's related. So a simple striking campaign that feels like it's been fiddled with (no innuendo meant there btw). Mask half on.
Heinz "This is ridiculous" by Wunderman Thompson Spain
Actually, this isn't ridiculous at all. It's actually a solid bit of work with a sweet idea. Not sure if it does enough to make me want to try the pasta sauce though. Mask off.
Overall, not bad at all and the bar was set pretty darned high with the Formula E work. Better go and sort my mascara out.
Rich Denney, executive creative director, St Luke's
I'm really excited to review this latest set of work. So much so I'm going to spend every single word allowed in the wordcount from the lovely folk at 北京赛车pk10 on it. With the exception of 39 words.
Formula E "No turning back" by Uncommon Creative Studio
Sam Walker's vision for this adrenaline-fuelled mini epic is next level. It's more of a short film than a three-minute ad and will certainly give Formula One a run for its money. If this doesn't ignite a curiosity into the world of electric-powered sports then I don't know what you need to do. There are some clever touches in it, too. I particularly like the nod to their previous ad with the policeman on the horse.
Disney+ "Stories you'd expect + stories you wouldn't" by Leo Burnett
Disney throws huge money on creating cinema-worthy content. The production of the Mandalorian comes to mind. The concept of the "House of Disney" is clever and the craft values are great. But the story is more expected than I would have liked it. I'm sure my kids will still love it though.
BBC "Extreme by nature" by BBC Creative
I love the work BBC Creative do. The craft is always exceptional and this latest offering only adds to their amazing output. But forgive me as I don't think it's a patch on the incredible film that came out for the Winter Olympic Committee. The strategy and execution behind that film is gold, in fact, I'd go as far as saying it's worthy of "ad of the year". But let's get back to the BBC. It's absolutely medal worthy. Just not first on the podium.
CALM "DanTDM" by Recipe
It's great seeing influencers playing their part online to help others beyond sales. Lauren Luke, the YouTube makeup star, comes to mind for Domestic Violence. That online ad is still as relevant and fresh as it was back then and seeing the incredible charity CALM join forces with YouTuber DanTDM is another clever use of media and a great idea. As a parent of teenagers who game, this leaves me feeling better knowing there are good people out there in the digital world. Is it as original as some of CALM's previous work? Probably not, but I don't care, it's great and I hope it works.
Amazon "Mind reader" by Lucky Generals
Like most of us, when the Super Bowl drops I can't wait to see the ads. Lucky Generals are a regular game player with Amazon and although it's not my winner of the Super Bowl, it does bring a smile to my face and made me think a bit more about Alexa's skills. In fact, I asked her to read my mind. Sadly it wasn't as funny as this. Perhaps a missed opportunity to link the two for further reach?
BT "Hate has no place in any game" by Saatchi & Saatchi
There have been a ton of partnerships between brands and online gaming platforms over the past few years and some real belters too. I think this latest online offering is another good example. Encouraging users to wear the colours of Hope United is simple and clever. We are stronger when we stand together, after all. I do hope it works and, if they are not already doing this, the gaming platforms should be banning these vile online racists like clubs try do in the real world. There is no excuse. The big tech players need to be playing their part too, which they clearly are not doing.
Relate "Lips, mouth, finger" by Ogilvy UK
I really loved the last campaign from Relate. This new work once again looks great, but I do find the messaging rather confusing. The description alongside this campaign explains that the best way to build healthy relationships is to share feelings and problems rather than bottle them up or paper over the cracks. Which is a strong brief and an interesting tension for Valentine's Day. Perhaps it's only me, but I am struggling to see this in these executions. Zoom hasn't been kind on the eyes.
Heinz "This is ridiculous" by Wunderman Thompson Spain
This 10" spot tells me that Heinz has been growing tomatoes for 150 years. And I agree that it's crazy they haven't made a pasta sauce. So this ad works and tells me something new from Heinz. Hey, I might even go all out and buy a jar thanks to this spot. It's just a shame it's more functional than fun. The ketchup puzzle comes to mind.