PRIVATE VIEW: Giles Keeble

What do we mean by an 'idea'? Creative directors and good creative people look for one, but it is not so easy to agree what it means in any given situation. Nevertheless it makes sense to be clear what it is we are looking for from a particular ad to avoid misunderstanding, particularly with our clients. An 'idea' or a 'concept' is something that adds something fresh to a piece of communication - but it has to be added to a clear message. So the starting point for any ad is clarity: there are many ads that don't even get this far; and some that get this far but are boring or insulting or both. I am also conscious, having been a juror at Cannes, that there are cultural differences, but I have yet to be shown that these are not, in general, differences of execution: how you say something more than what you say. Of this issue's batch, there is nothing exceptional, a few things that are OK, one competent and two poor. In reverse order: the Taikoo sugar ads remind me of a criticism John Webster once made about a script: "Bang bang, speaking of guns." In this case: "Surprise surprise, speaking of surprises." The surprise is that Taikoo sugar is not a commodity but a wacky brand that has a range of flavours - chocolate, cinnamon, coffee. The problem is that the commercials have nothing whatever to do with sugar, the surprises aren't very funny (and oh! how they try to be) and then you have to listen very hard to hear the VO which tells you what the surprise is anyway - that is if you think it is much of a surprise in the first place. The commercials for Bundaberg Rum ignore the old warning about working with animals and children: in this case the animal is a cross between theHofmeister and Cresta bears and the kids are the rugby players who have been asked to 'act'. The attempt to do something with sponsorship has to be applauded, but the films themselves are uninspired blokeishness. At least the guy in the bear suit can hide. I'm sure everyone in Oz knows the trademark, but isn't it a bit odd that the symbol for a drink that comes from the Caribbean is an animal that lives in the Arctic? The ads for Jessica tell me there is a magazine called Jessica for stylish women. I just wonder whether these women will be pleased to be told that they "follow". And what does "the woman in you and me" mean exactly? There is nothing much wrong with the print ads for Singapore Zoo, and they have a dash of wit. I'm not sure how hard they will work, though. The Porche print work uses 'that road' in the US. They look good and clean and the message, while not new for performance cars, is pretty clear: in a Porche, such things as humps and corners seem to disappear. I don't think the traffic-light quite works, though, because it seems to say more about the road than the car. Puns, of the visual or verbal variety, are best avoided. As a client once said: "The trouble with a double entendre is that you could get more than one meaning." Amusing, but he had a point. That leaves Sharp as this issue's winner, but only a commendation, I'm afraid. A simple demonstration that is mildly amusing. If you examine it too closely (which I did, but viewers won't), it announces flatness as a virtue, but the guy is making his stomach flat from a different perspective than ours - he wants to impress the girl who we couldn't see because his round belly was obscuring the view. Sharp has flat screens? Mission accomplished. Anything else? No, but I'll settle for that. Giles Keeble is regional creative director of Lowe Lintas & Partners 1 TAIKOO SUGAR Project: Surging/Homecoming/Pick a Winner/Chicken Dance Client: Taikoo Sugar Brief: To surprise Hong Kong with the point that Taikoo Sugar produces and sells a wide variety of sugar products Agency: Saatchi & Saatchi Creative director: Craig Davis Copywriters: Tony Redman, Francis Wee Art directors: Francis Wee, Tony Redman 2 BUNDABERG RUM Project: Bundaberg Rum Rugby campaign Client: Andy Gibson, marketing manager - Bundaberg Rum, United Distillers & Vintners Brief: Leverage Bundy's sponsorship of the Australian Rugby Union Agency: Leo Burnett Connaghan & May Sydney Creative director: Nick Souter Copywriters: Monty Noble, Trent Christie Art director: Katie Manekshaw Director: Josh Frizzell Production house: Eight Productions 3. JESSICA Project: First anniversary celebration price campaign Client: Jessica magazine Brief: To boost the magazine's circulation in Hong Kong Agency: In-house Marketing director: Kitty Wong Director: Mabel Leung Image Director: Tracy On 4. SINGAPORE ZOO Project: The Singapore Zoo Children's Art Festival and The Great Easter Egg only at the Singapore Zoo Client: Singapore Zoological Gardens Brief: To boost visitorship to the zoo's event Agency: Batey Ads Singapore Creative directors: Gary Tranter, Matthew Cullen Copywriter: Andrew Reznik Art director: Darren Hogan 5. PORSCHE Project: "Traffic Light"/"Curve"/"Hump" Client: Stuttgart Auto Brief: Promote the image that the new Porsche 911 is one of the fastest machines on the road Agency: FCB Singapore Creative director: Chris Kyme Copywriter: Robert Gaxiola Art director: Eric Yeo 6. SHARP Project: Washboard Client: Roberto Littaua, assistant manager, Sharp Brief: To take viewing pleasure to greater heights by highlighting the product's no-distortions, no-glare features Agency: Jimenez D'Arcy, Philippines Creative director: Don Sevilla Copywriter: Joey Melliza Production house: Unitel

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