±±¾©Èü³µpk10

There used to be a category in the Creative Circle called ’Best

change of direction for an existing campaign’. I always thought it was

an excellent category as it created an opportunity for juries to reward

campaigns that hadn’t started life quite as well as they might but which

had become infinitely better.

If the category does still exist, the new iteration of the Metz campaign

might be a contender for winning it. The original wasn’t really a belter

(you remember, the man in the Hathaway shirt talks about monkeying

around with your periodontal atrium or something). This is very

different and much better.

This time we have the legend of the Judderman, shot in a post-war Polish

film-style. It’s difficult to describe but easy to enjoy and well worth

keeping an eye out for.

On a less happy note, we find a poster for Allders. Allders would like

us to know that, should you find yourself with nothing to wear, you can

furbish yourself with all sorts of designer kit at its place. I won’t

describe the ad as you can see it for yourself. However, it’s difficult

not to observe that it doesn’t need a headline and the art direction is

not very exciting. Still, with 30 logos on offer, at least the client

should be ecstatic.

Next we have three 30-second ads for Eagle Star Insurance. Rather than

give us a generic and meaningless set of images that are meant to

represent life, as is traditional in this category, we instead get some

facts. If you lose your house keys with Eagle Star, it’ll send out a

locksmith.

If you get a puncture and you’re with Eagle Star, it’ll send out a man

to repair your tyre. And, if you’re motoring abroad, you get 90 days

cover - all of which is refreshing. However, the scripts are a bit soft

and passive. They’re not awful but my skirt could have been blown up a

bit higher.

Sport must be one of the most emotive pieces of subject matter to work

with, something that’s borne out by the number of great ads which

include it. Here’s a radio station - talkSPORT - that talks of nothing

else. This, I suspect, is this week’s best brief but it is not this

week’s best campaign. A bit like Eagle Star, it’s not really poor, just

not very exciting. And, given that what this radio station is offering

is meant to be extremely entertaining, that’s a bit disappointing. The

line for the campaign reads: ’If you love sport, we’re on your

wavelength.’ My problem is that I don’t think these messages are on the

consumers’ wavelength.

I think they could be less Trevor Brooking and more Dennis Wise.

Penultimately, it’s the Ken and Frank show. Very soon, Londoners are

going to be asked to vote for a London mayor. The campaign has been

tasked with reminding everybody of this fact. This isn’t necessary

because, unless you’re a resident of Pluto, every newspaper and current

affairs programme put out over the past two months has told you as much.

That notwithstanding, the campaign does its duty fairly adeptly and,

coming from WCRS, it has had a dollop of style ladled on it in terms of

how it looks. Shame that the agency wasn’t allowed to include some of

the issues attached to the announcement as it would have made the

message more interesting.

Finally, as is so often the case, the best has been saved for last. I’ve

long been a fan of the Meat and Livestock Commission campaign and this

latest execution gave me no cause to change my mind. What we have here

are different members of the same family all converging on a house,

hoping to enjoy what we assume is the Sunday joint. Their journey to the

dining room is set to an appropriate track and it’s shot in a

deliberately saccharin style. However, when the dish emerges from the

oven, it’s not the treat we’ve been expecting - rather a broccoli and

cheese flan. Everyone looks pissed off and leaves. A lovely idea,

cleverly shot, plus it is one in the eye for French farmers and vegans

everywhere. Larry, I salute you.

DETR

Project: Election of London mayor and assembly

Client: James Brandon, assistant director of communications

Brief: Encourage Londoners to both register and vote

Agency: WCRS

Writer: Matt Woolner

Art director: Steve Wioland

Typographer: Doug Foreman

Photographer: Monney Photo

Exposure: London press

ALLDERS

Project: Tattoo

Client: Larry Thomson, marketing director

Brief: Raise awareness of the fashion brands available at Allders

Agency: RPM3

Art director: Russell Wailes

Writer: Anna Moult

Photographer: Clive Arrowsmith

Exposure: National 48-sheets and six-sheets

MEAT AND LIVESTOCK COMMISSION

Project: British meat

Client: Chris Lamb, consumer marketing manager

Brief: Remind the nation that a Sunday roast is a catalyst for bringing

people together

Agency: BMP DDB

Writer: John Webster

Art director: John Webster

Director: Peter Webb

Production company: Park Village

Exposure: National TV

EAGLE STAR INSURANCE

Project: Eagle Star

Client: Jane Reed-Thomas, director, corporate communications

Brief: Increase brand empathy among the target markets by showing them

that Eagle Star understands their lifestyle and tailors its product

offering towards their needs

Agency: Ogilvy & Mather

Writer: Patrick Collister

Art director: Patrick Collister

Director: Simon Cheek

Production company: Spirit Films

Exposure: National TV

BACARDI MARTINI

Project: Metz

Client: Charlotte Baker, marketing manager

Brief: Unexpected Schnapps refreshment

Agency: HHCL & Partners

Project team: Ian Williamson, Jonathan Burley, Dominic Stinton, Sid

McGrath, Jason Ayers

Director: Enda McCallion

Production company: Spectre Vision

Exposure: National TV

TALKSPORT

Project: Talk Radio relaunch

Client: Kelvin MacKenzie, chairman and chief executive

Brief: Establish talkSPORT as the number one radio station for live

sport coverage

Agency: Rainey Kelly Campbell Roalfe/Y&R

Writer: Derek Payne

Art director: Richard Dennison

Director: Squid

Production company: Garretts

Exposure: National TV