Part One of...

Do you know when you see and ad, right, and it's kind of average, yeah, but then there's, like, a flash of brilliance?

Well, I do. And certainly more often than not.

So to show my appreciation to these bits of brilliance, I thought I'd introduce this new feature to my blog - starting with a couple of campaigns that just about caught my eye.

The first is the TV spot for Anchor's 'Made by Cows' campaign, by agency Clemmow Hornby Inge Ltd.

Why do I think it's average? To be honest, it's really well put together and superbly directed, but nothing we haven't seen before. Animals replacing humans in the work force. However, about half way through this ad, Clemmow Hornby Inge Ltd absolutely nailed it. What wasn't overly unique became creative genius in a split second.

As the Anchor cows 'worked their shifts', one cow ventured over to a vending machine on its break, selecting a snack from the choices of grass turf. As it dropped off the shelf, I thought 'bang!' Brilliant.

Spot it here http://www.visit4info.com/advert/Cows-To-Work-Anchor-Butter-Range/84196

The second average ad with a brilliant bit is again a TV spot, this time for I Can't Believe It's Not Butter's 'Now Even More Buttery' campaign.

Oi, Rob, why is this average? I'll tell you why.

It's kind of predictable and straight forward, but at the same time, quite nicely done. It didn't make me think, "wow, that's a really well-worked piece of advertising", though it did raise a smile.

The idea? 'I Can't Believe I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Is Better' - a possible new, longer name for the product which, in turn, makes other things associated with the brand appear 'longer' than they originally were. For example, a delivery van becomes a longer delivery van, POS becomes a bigger POS etc, etc.

The bit of brilliance was another example of this exaggerated approach. As a team of footballers begin to make their way from the tunnel to the pitch, the manager is making them untuck their shirts, so that the sponsor can be seen in full.

The sponsor, I Can't Believe I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Is Better, is too long to fit on their chests, so they end up struggling to run as their shirts are literally down to their ankles.

I thought this was a bit different to the obvious exaggerations, and a really nice inclusion.

Try it on here http://www.visit4info.com/advert/Now-Even-More-Buttery-I-Cant-Believe-Its-Not-Butter/84789

So there you have it, the first of my new Average Ads with Brilliant Bits features. Of course, feel free to suggest any more examples of this that you may come across

Until next time, enjoy the commercial breaks!

Cheers, Adam & Eve!

G'day!

We've seen some bonza campaigns for the Foster's brand in recent years - more notably M&C Saatchi's 'Super Chilled' executions - and the new 'Good Call' campaign is no exception.

After beating previous incumbent M&C Saatchi and one of my favourtite agencies, Fallon, to the £7m account in April, 'Good Call' is the first execution from winners Adam & Eve.

Perhaps predictably, this new campaign plays on the so-well-documented, assumed Australian 'laid back' attitude to life, but approaches it in such a way that it instantly stands out as classic Foster's advertising, instead of more of the same.

Not an easy thing to achieve, but Adam & Eve have really delivered.

We are introduced to Dan and Brad. Two chilled-out Aussie blokes relaxing in their beach shack, giving advice to callers in the UK who have found themselves in social dilemmas.

In this particular 'dilemma', the caller is concerned that his girlfriend may end up looking like her mum. He is quickly calmed down and assured that while this could be the case, it's important not to worry about the future and he should just enjoy 'the now'.

Great advice, added to by suggesting that there's always a chance she could "turn out to be a Vorderman".

The caller soon cheers up and stops panicking. No worries.

Get it down you here http://www.visit4info.com/advert/Good-Call-for-Beach-Advice-Fosters-Lager/85130

I can't wait to see what Adam & Eve come up with for the next installment of this campaign.

If this is anything to go by, it'll be a ripper!

There is paintball...and there is PAINTBALL!

Splat! What an ad.

When I first saw EuroMillions 'Paintball', the new National Lottery campaign by Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO, I thought it looked pretty good - a nice approach, like the Lotto ads by Aegis Group dedicated to 'those who would rather give it a go'.

However, now I've seen it more than a dozen times in just a few days, I thinks it's fantastic. There are literally millions of ways that winners could enjoy the money, but Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO went for a Rambo-style, extreme paintball circuit.

The idea is an evolution of the more tactical jackpot-focused and EuroMillions 'Pinball' ads - and really starts to open up the imagination as to what could be possible if you won the jackpot.

What's also nice about the approach of this new campaign is that the emphasis is not just on the huge jackpots, but encouraging winners to share it amongst friends too.

http://www.campaignlive.co.uk/thework/news/1010792/EuroMillions-paintball-Abbott-Mead-Vickers-BBDO/

I'd love to have been on this tropical set - and took part in the game!

The campaign launched with a 40-second TV spot, followed up by this 60-second version (link above) shown on cinema screens. Other supporting media includes press, radio and online.

The 60-second cinema version is especially refreshing if you're about to sit through 90 minutes of predictable love story, just so that you're allowed to watch a World Cup game as a reward!