Heineken, the switch

There is no secret that Henieken, is one of my all time best loved brands. From the sophisticated communications of it’s brand theory through to the benefits the actual end product provides, really what’s there not to like. Personally I can drink any beer when needed but when I see that red star flushed against the green stamp my lips get just that little bit more excited than usual. It’s kind of like the difference of dating a stripper to that of Victoria Secret model both do the job in more ways than one, however you would only introduce your mother to one of them. Your father however will be there to give you a high five and all of a sudden make weekly unannounced visits to your bachelor pad.

We have all been in this situation sometime or another in our lives lads.  Where late one night you and a few good mates are looking for a watering hole in an area where you have never been. With no local knowledge you stumble across a the only dodgy bar that you happen to find at ridiculous O’Clock and even though you wouldnt normally dare step foot in it, it’s late your boys have covered the whole damn town and right now your tongue feels like Gandhi flip-flop, you really need that beer. And anyway’s it’s 4 guys what could go wrong? The rest they say is history, think of the Hangover (the film not the day after fool) as those nights are those magical nights that are remembered and told for centuries. If you have never had a night like this then it’s time you switched to Heineken beer and upped your game. Just saying.

Booze has that effect we all know it, so big round of applause for the Dutch Agency TBWA Neboko for the creation of this spot for their local market. Taking over from the prestigious Wieden & Kennedy Amsterdam, I feel they have done a pretty damn fine job in keeping the Heineken image flowing pure. Apparently there was no CGI involved in shooting this making this all live film, brave very brave.

Keep up the great work guys!

Open our worlds.

Nandos vs Santam: are you kidding me

This time last week I posted about South Africa is getting ready for their annual ad awards the Loeries, well it looks like the agencies are trying to push themselves to be in-front of the judging panels. Recently the fast food retail chain spoofed the Santam’s TVC. Firstly let’s be fair this is exactly the kind of behaviour you would expect from Nando’s and Black River FC, Nando’s wicked agency. But then why is a fast food chain taking on a financial services company? Do they have  something against Sir Ben Kingsley or maybe in the past Santam was the bank for Nandos and lost them quite a lot of money of the FTSE, just saying. Well you never know but lets just be safe cause that’s how rumours are started, so please don’t listen to me.

For those who don’t follow South African advertising shame on you because you are missing out on some symbolic radvertising, but I’ll forgive you this time and just because I’m a really really nice guy, I’ve been holding out waiting for Nandos second response before post this because I care about you.

Any how this little gun fight is just far to good to miss out on.

The first symbolic ad by Santam:

 

Then in the traditional Nandos style they got naughty by spoofing the iconic ad.

 

Cheeky very cheeky, but then Santam hit back by dropping the gauntlet with this little number.

 

We love it not only does Santam get cleaver and witty but they also open their hearts to help those in need but seems no one can keep Nandos quite as they were not finished yet.

 

Now that’s what you call giving the bird, how’s that for a great advertising sparring?

Nandos did accept the challenge and they even delivered a day early and then they went a step further, proving they are not chicken. Hold on that can’t be right I thought they were chicken. Ok lets just call them Portuguese chicken, happy?

They delivered the entire order to Johannesburg Children’s Home on Wednesday and not only that but they are going to continue to do so once every month for a year. Touché Nandos, gotta love a man when he admits his loss but is this really a loss?

What would clients pay these days to achieve one of the best  symbolic moving advertising campaign of the year, where the free media and viral WOM out ranks that spent at least 5 fold.

Quentin Cronje, marketing director for Nando’s, told Radio 702′s Bruce Whitfield: it was “nice” to have fun with other brands.

Great stuff by King James and Black River FC, hats off to the teams who worked on this.

Thanks to Pharside and Source from 2 Oceans Vibe

Tastes like AWESOME feels: Doritos Jacked – Joyride

Awesome little spot by Goodby Silverstein for Doritos new range Jacked with flavours like Smoky Chipotle BBQ and Enchilada Supreme.

 

The tagline alone is worth it to try these.

Can’t wait to grab a pack.

Amazeballs.

 

The worlds most downloaded Man

This is for all those who siphon through stock libraries looking for the perfect image and battle with royalty fees.

 

ESPN: Michael Jordan

Imagine having the name of a famous celebrity or sports star, yeah you’ve already dreamed of living the life of your favourite sportsman or actor haven’t you. You would think sharing the name of someone like Michael Jordan would be a life filled with benefit’s which I’m sure it does such as making that restaurant booking so much easier, but then there is also the down side

 

It must suck sharing the name of Michael Jordan if you’re an ordinary middle aged white guy. Cheeky little spot for ESPN’s it’s not crazy it’s sport campaign.

You have to feel for the poor fella.

Audi vs Merc: Battle of ze Germans

Recently both Mercedes and Audi launched their new brand campaigns and we loved them both so much that we will let you be the judge.

 

Nice little touch experience where the audience dive into an exciting and emotional journey which the brand represents to the heart of the Mercedes star.  Great work by CLM BBDO Paris.

 

If you never knew what Vorsprung durch Technik stood for Audi, well now you do. While they focus on what makes them so driven to find the best possible means to solve lightweight technology to produce more efficient and more powerful cars. Work done by Kempertrautmann.

Both the adverts finishing touches and production were done really well however we just feel that Merc takes this by a nose hair.

But we will let you be the judge?

Levi Roots’ Reggae Reggae Sauce: First campaign

A Jamaican born Rasta, Levi Roots‘ has had a bit of a rollercoaster ride with his career and come from strength to strength ever since his appearance on Dragon’s Den way back in January 2007. Where he was successful in signing not one but two dragons, with the likes of both Peter Jones and Richard Farleigh, as investors by singing his pitch. He sold 40% of the company for a mere £50k but the investors did quite a bit more than just help with cash they also aided him get into stores and to where he is today.  The company produces and sells a few variety of sauce’s which has twist of a Jamaican flavour, which he learned the recipes from his Grandmother. Gotta’ love Grandmothers.

Today Levi is basically the face of Reggae Reggae after all he is the perfect personification for the brand very much like Branson is for Virgin. So the obviously solution for the advertising is to make him the brand personality and to follow this through with every touch point in all communications. Keeping to the Jamaican rasta roots will inevitably be the largest POD as well as the simplest to succumbed successfully, yes there is direct competition and well done to you if any come’s straight to mind because basically Levi has created his own product category amongst the sauces. In the end Levi also basically did the job for the agency well at least made their lives that much simpler to do. If it is ever that simple, which we doubt.

 

JWT London was responsible for bringing Levi Roots to life, using the same production treatment to that of the British favourite Wallace & Gromit and you already have a winner. Then add Levi singing reggae to his BBQ food, while slightly adding in a touch of product information and their benefits amongst a catchy track. Finish off with the strap line, “Put some music in your food” and there my friends you have an ad straight from the advertising handbook for dummies. Before you judge let’s be honest now because this is simply is the best and only way in which you can advertise Reggae Reggae Sauce because if it were anything different it wouldn’t be on brand and even though it is the obvious it’s still a great piece of creative. Just goes to show sometimes the simpler is the best solution.

Well done JWT we likes.

Monday Madness: Charlie Sheen is reborn

Have you ever heard such bollocks in your life before? Surely the man Charlie Sheen, predominantly known for winning and basically single handily ruining his career on numerous occasions. Is due to make a comeback surely it’s an impossible feat let alone totally mind blowing to even try to attempt a comeback from all the negative publicity he received just last year. Yes I agree he did have to stoop down to commercial level but then again why the hell effing not? He is Charlie Sheen after all and he always does what he want’s with minimal respect to the ordinary norm’s in today’s society and simple general laws, he would part the sea’s and name himself Moses if it were humanly possible so if anyone can make a comeback it’s Charlie Sheen. Because no matter how hard you can try he will find you, simply because he’s Charlie Sheen and he is winning.

Being known for pure enjoyment for a good time, over indulging with booze; beautiful women by the handful and constantly being intoxicated with various illegal narcotics. Charlie Sheen has basically done it all, he has been in rehab so many times that they have even given him an honorary lifetime loyalty membership card which is virtually impossible to achieve as most candidates usually overdose and die, before being awarded into the exclusive club.  If you don’t realise this membership package has boundless benefits, not only is he able to attend any sharing meetings that he wishes including the sex addicts classes but more importantly also it gives him the ability to hear writers and directors ideas way before anyone else in the industry. However the key advantage of this is the ability to form close and loyal relationships with various people high within the film industry and everyone know’s what the benefits of knowing people can result to. Not only that it is after all, a well-known fact that rehab is one of the best excuses for a simple PR stint for jump starting anyone’s career, just look at Lohan, Baldwin, David Bowie, Gerard Butler, Demi Moore and Seann William Scott careers for example. Which have all been influenced either positively or negatively by visiting rehab some way or another. Sure it’s a gamble it’s like rolling the dice with their careers and sometimes with their lives like Amy Winehouse and Britney Spears, rest their souls and no one like’s negative publicity but sometimes and only sometimes negative publicity does have its positives none the less. Now I’m not saying drugs are good in fact I’m a huge fan of giving hugs and not drugs and I’m definitely not a tree hugger. It’s simply just the lifestyle in which high end celebrities live where they are suffer from copious amounts of pure pressure, let alone stress and free time and don’t forget shit loads of money. I feel sorry for them because it’s bound to catch them sooner or later and it would happen to even the best of us. And I say BIG up’s to those who have the balls to stand up and challenge their addictions and none is better at that than the man Sheen.

Ok back on topic Charlie Sheen has recently appeared in an various campaigns including the Fiat Abrath which we posted here as well guest starring in a spot for DirectTV:

 

Did you enjoy that?

And now he stars in a Dutch ad campaign for a Bavaria beer campaign, don’t worry people it’s an alcohol free beer but this last ad is by far my favourite out of the three.  Ok maybe it doesn’t beat role playing some scenes from Platoon with Sheen while being totally sauced, which personally I think would kick the arse out of eating a kebab at 3am.  This last campaign almost gives Sheen a good boy rep away from all the sex, drugs and booze personification and let alone because the strategy and this creative is perfectly spot on.

 

What a cheekily honest way to advertise 0.0% alcohol free beer, great work by the local agency Selmore and even better work by the man Charlie Sheen for being the first person for making our Monday Madness category twice as well as for his latest comeback. He is truly winning, watch out world Charlie Sheen is coming back.

 

Mastering the single take shot: State Insurance

Being given a story board that has only one take is any directors’ dream come true. The amount of difficulties in mastering a single take shot, add up to nothing short of a mountain full of technical problems and complete pure patience. In order to get everything just right to ensure that it’s flowing freely and in perfect sequence requires a little sprinkle of fairy dust and pure lady luck. When it does pull off however the final outcome will always be worth it, you all remember the Honda Cog ad, click here if you don’t and don’t come back. That spot took only 4.5 months and a little more than 606 takes through pure trial and error, to complete just a single take. All of that for a perfect 2 minutes of film.

Now imagine the difficulties when there are more factors involved such as a cast of about 30, singing, freaking chickens, rotating angles, explosions and that’s only 26’’ in. So have a little look at this and imagine the difficulties in getting this shot just right and if that’s not enough they use the track, Ain’t nothing gonna break my stride. Cheeky and witty now that’s gold.

 

Huge respect for Colenso BBDO New Zealand and director Nathan Price for this little master piece, we like.

 

A summer to remember: Marks & Spencer

Lovely feel good campaign for Marks & Spencer celebrating the upcoming summer and we all know that there is nothing more in which the British welcome with open arms. Try and see how many celeb’s you can find in the below TVC.

 

Quite a few returns from their past spokes models don’t you say. Including Gary Barlow, Noemie Lenoir, sweet Mylene Klaas, the lovely Dannii Minogue, the man Jamie Redknapp (even though I need to keep him as far away from my lady as possible) to re-join Madam Twiggy. M&S putting their money where their mouth is, nice.

To be honest at first glance I honestly thought this was another Tommy Hilfiger ad and can you blame me have a look at the below 2010 Fall campaign by Tommy and please tell me you don’t agree?

 

Told you, how similar are they? they almost have the same tone and feel don’t they?

Well at least M&S can pull it off.

Well done RKCR/Y&R.

Come on Summer..