Euro RSCG paints a beautiful picture

As a big fan of brands who like to do something a bit different, I've always kept an eye out for the Dulux campaigns.

Not content on just boasting about how well their paint goes up, they've recruited top advertising agencies to tell the strengths of their story more creatively.

For example, I particularly liked the take on Desperate Housewives and Ugly Betty for the campaign created by Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO, 'We Know The Colours That Go' in 2006. This saw different colours take on various personalities and couple-up, becoming much more than just a set of swatches.

In fact, swatch it here www.tellyads.com/show_movie.php?filename=TA0025

When the Dulux brand appointed Euro RSCG in 2009 to handle their global advertising, it was obvious that Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO - Dulux's long-standing agency since 1996 - had left huge cans of paint to fill.

Did this affect them? No chance. If it did, it was a more than positive affect. They started work immediately and the result is their superb 'Let's Colour' campaign.

Along with the agency, a huge team boasting a variety of different characters, from Dulux executives to keen bloggers, travelled the world creating a 'colour movement' that challenged communities to brighten up parts of their cities, everywhere.

Rejuvenating areas of urban decay such as multi-story car parks and other lifeless concrete, locals were partnered and helped to turn depression into beauty. It's such a fantastic and rewarding campaign.

Watch a Director's Cut of the quite moving story here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPpMWaSPt-s&feature=player_embedded

Give this Guy a break!

Every now and again, I decide to explore the internet in search of any talk regarding sequels to films I've enjoyed.

This time in particular, I was on the look out for the second Rocknrolla, dubbed at the end of the first as The Real Rocknrolla.

As luck would have it, the beautiful Thandie Newton had mentioned in an interview that this second installment - of a rumored trilogy - was right around the corner, thanks to the undoubted success of Mr Ritchie's fantastic Sherlock Holmes.

What's more, she hinted that we can indeed expect the return of a great cast including the brilliant Mark Strong, the always impeccable Toby Kebbell and Tom Hardy, as well as Hardy's 'Wild Bunch' boys Gerard Butler and Idris Elba.

So, what's the point I'm trying to make here? Well, I'll tell you.

During my search for information, I came across half-a-dozen blogs addressing the success of Sherlock Holmes and almost starting to discuss the sequel I was trying to hunt down.

But, these blogs also went on to question why Guy Ritchie was "returning to what he knows best" after his Hollywood blockbuster, seeing as he was "back on top form after flops like Swept Away and Revolver".

My point?

This bullsh*t always surfaces before, during and after a new Guy Ritchie film. This time, I had to have my say too.

Whilst Swept Away wasn't the greatest film ever made, it was by no means the worst. Not by a long shot. Or as I like to put it, it was nowhere near a Ghost Rider with Nicolas Cage.

As for Revolver, I thought it was pure art. A fantastically written, shot and delivered picture. As always with Ritchie's films, it boasted a great cast - need I mention Ray Liotta as Dorothy Macha? Brilliant.

I get a bit sick of hearing about how poor Revolver was, and how Guy Ritchie always goes back to doing Brit gangster flicks. The Hard Case was a wonderful twenty-minute short which ultimately lead to bigger things after Sting's wife, Trudie Styler, saw it and went on to invest money in Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels (in which her husband played bar-owner, J.D). Lock, Stock is now - and deservedly so - a cult classic, Snatch holds its flat-capped head high and boasts what I consider to be one of Brad Pitt's finest performances, and Revolver is another great example of Ritchie's skill, style and ability to write and direct.

And...breathe. Ahhh. If nothing else, I feel better now.

I think we're lucky to have a writer/director like Guy Ritchie, and I'm very much looking forward to The Real Rocknrolla. I can't wait - though obviously I'll have to, a little bit longer.

In the meantime, I'm sure I'll be hearing from a good friend of mine who doesn't share my opinion of Revolver! And by the way, you should check him out - www.thehairywriter.co.uk - loves his films, does this guy.

Writing a future that'll live long in the memory

Kick Off.

Just over a year after Nike recruited Guy Ritchie to challenge us to Take It To The Next Level from a player's perspective, they're back.

This time, they are encouraging us to Write The Future.

In what I can only describe as pure genius, the new ad features the usual sponsored suspects like Fabio Cannavaro, Ronaldinho - arguably doing more step-overs in 15 seconds than he's done all season for Milan - Didier Drogba and Cristiano Ronaldo. Though the highlight has to be the clever and creative stand-off between Franck Ribery and our own Wayne Rooney.

The scenario is split two ways.

In the first, Rooney faces off against Ribery but comes off second best. This quickly spirals out of control and turns into another national disappointment. The end of poor Wayne's career with our press doing what they do best - destroying him via headlines.

In the next scene he's filmed as a miserable groundsman, and then emerging from his caravan home a la Jason Flemyng in Snatch, out of shape and wearing a vest, with an almost Amish beard not quite hiding his shamed face.

In the second scenario, he makes the tackle that puts an end to Ribery's attack. England subsequently go on to prevail and Rooney is a national hero. This again spirals out of control, to the point where he is Knighted over night, and we see a hospital ward full of newborns, all tagged 'Wayne'.

Half Time.

Of course, there are cameos throughout from superstars including Cesc Fabregas, Landon Donovan and even Kobe Bryant and Roger Federer (being humiliated by Sir Wayne at Table Tennis). I can't be sure but I think Pele may also make an appearance as a security guard near the beginning? However, best of all is undoubtedly the appearance of Homer Simpson being nutmeg'd by Cristiano Ronaldo in his own doorway. D'oh!

There is also a really nice touch just over half way through where we see the ad drumming up hits on YouTube. Inevitable, and brilliantly mimicked.

I'd like to personally thank the always brilliant Wieden+Kennedy Amsterdam, for supplying me with quite possibly the most entertaining 3 minutes I've had this year. And most definitely the stand-out TV ad of 2010 so far.

Enjoy it as much as I did, here http://www.wk.com/campaign/write_the_future

Let's just hope our lads give us a bit longer than 3 memorable minutes in South Africa!

Full Time.

£2.3million?! That'll Hurst your wallet!

Ok so this isn't an overly creative blog content-wise, but news like this can't go under my radar!


For those of you who haven't heard, Sir Geoff Hurst's 1966 World Cup, match-worn, no.10 shirt - in which he scored that unforgettable, winning hat-trick - has been put up for sale by it's owner, property developer Andrew Leslau.


This kind of sports memorabilia could be considered by many, as priceless.


Not so, however.


In an outrageous attempt to alert insanely rich fans with crazy bouts of World Cup fever, Leslau has made it impossible for you and I to bid with his £2.3million asking price.


The current record sale for a football shirt stands at £157,750 - Pele's 1970 Brazil top.


Before Andrew Leslau bought the shirt, it'd had a couple of previous owners. Sir Geoff sold it at an auction in 2000 to a private collector for £91,750. It was then sold on to a West Ham fan - Hurst's former club - before ending up in Leslau's possession in 2008.


Explaining his reasons for such a huge price tag, Andrew Leslau described the shirt as "an iconic image of the greatest moment in this country's football and sporting history".


Agreed.


"What's more, no other player has scored a hat-trick in a World Cup final. Whatever happens in the future, Sir Geoff will be the first".


Correct.


Jack Charlton OBE agrees with the majority of us, that the price is, erm, excessive. He also added that if anybody wanted to buy his, he still has it and would be willing to sell. Well-played, Jack. Nice touch!


While Sir Geoff Hurst himself apparently wasn't available for comment, Jack and I reckon he'd be more than proud that his shirt was held in such high regard.


The priceless-ish shirt will be on display at Harrods in London until June 14. So, get saving I guess!


Oh, and I'd like to finish off by kindly asking Wayne to blast in a hat-trick in the final in South Africa. It's just that I have a Rooney no.9 shirt that I'd consider selling. 

And I could do with the cash.

Google, give yourselves a Pac on the back!

What a weekend! The hottest in Britain since last September. So, what did I spend most of Sunday morning doing? Playing classic Pac-Man on my not-quite-as-retro iBook G4. In bed. With the curtains closed.

Well if nothing else, it stopped me using up a whole bottle of factor-15.

It wasn't just any game of Pac-Man though, oh no. To celebrate the 30th anniversary of the '80s arcade hit, Google had once again adapted the logo on the home page of its search engine to mark the occasion.

Genius.

In what was the first ever interactive doodle that Google had commissioned, web users had 48 hours - which started on Saturday morning - to 'Insert Coin' (the button that temporarily replaced 'I'm Feeling Lucky') and tuck-in to those little dots whilst avoiding ghosts Inky, Blinky, Pinky and of course, Clyde.

Not only that, but if you clicked 'Insert Button' twice...oh yes, two-player Pac-Man!

What a way to relive the nostalgia.

I did eventually make it into the sun after my stint being entertained by the innovation of Google - in this instance paying homage to the innovation of Pac-Man - and I for one cannot wait for the next big calendar event.

And whatever Google come up with then, I really hope the transformation is on a rainy day.