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
