PRIVATE VIEW: Jim Aitchison

Having just written a 500-page book about television commercials, these six spots embody many of the learnings (and warnings) from all my research. The good folk at Dentsu, Tokyo, applied one of Adrian Holmes' classic creative formulae, the "snowball", for their client Midori Bun-En smoke extractors. Holmes, the chief creative officer at Lowe Lintas, told me the secret of taking a fact and making it bigger and bigger - or "snowballing" it. The Midori spot is of this genre. Dentsu took a universal truth, that all Japanese smoke, and "snowballed" it. What if smokers all over the world longed for the freedom that Japanese smokers enjoy, thanks to Midori's smoke extractors? What if smokers from all over the world smuggled themselves into Japan, like refugees, like boat people? My favourite shot is a young American on a dinghy looking up at the featureless Tokyo skyline and crying, "Japan ...", a great switch on the migrant's first glimpse of the Statue of Liberty. I'm an avid Springer & Jacoby fan. I love this Hamburg agency's work, the way it thinks, the way it's organised in autonomous cells. Its Coca-Cola "Car" commercial is brave and outrageous. A man walking his dog in the snow is alarmed to see the door of a snow-covered car suddenly pop open and a naked German git reaches out for two bottles of ice-cold Coke. He is doubly shocked when he catches a glimpse of the git's naked girlfriend in the car. "Try something different ... and Coke at three degrees." Man-with-dog swiftly walks on, clutching his pooch protectively. And yes, while it's funny, it begs two questions. First: how does it build the brand? Secondly, like so many similar one-joke ads, will you bother to watch it on the second screening? Probably not. Technique should serve the idea, not replace it. The Fiat Punto "Volcano" commercial is a dazzling display of Framestore wizardry. The effects are realistic and awesome, but sadly it all tries too hard. In fact, the net result is that you feel cheated and insulted. As Graham Fink told me, too many commercials build you up and up, only to leave you with a weak finish. This ad is no exception. Weetabix vs Bimbobix. The classic "ambush" ad. Full marks to Banks Hoggins O'Shea/FCB London. We think we're watching the usual, insulting rubbish: an impossibly thin girl in a bikini is swimming, while the VO coyly tells us, "Now there's a cereal for the way you live ..." Bimbo steps from the pool and a real-shaped woman (comedian Arabella Weir), munching on her Weetabix, groans: "Oh, please ... All we need to know is that Weetabix Advantage is naturally low in fat, high in fibre, and doesn't taste like a gravel drive." Having established some truth, respect and sanity, Arabella turns to the bix-eating-Bimbo and says, "So, is that your first meal this year, yeah?" At which millions of women all over Britain must have cheered and gone out and bought some. I really like the Mars Starburst proposition: "Get your juices going". It could have developed into some great executions. But it didn't. This commercial is just very average advertising. Stuck for a great idea? Start with the product name. John West, according to Leo Burnett London, is really an intrepid adventurer who fights bears and endures danger to bring us the best fish. This is simple, endearing advertising. It doesn't take itself seriously. And the idea is highly campaignable. Apparently it's spreading like wildfire on the internet, too. Come to think of it, this is pure Burnett's heartland work; old Leo was fond of creating characters like Snap, Crackle and Pop, Tony the Tiger and Morris the Cat. I bet he would have loved John West. 1. MIDORI BUN-EN Project: Smoking Defector Client: Midori Bun-En Brief: A frustrated American, sick of his health-obsessed colleagues, joins a mass exodus to Japan to benefit from Midori's "Bun-en Culture." Agency: Dentsu Japan Creative director: Masaaki Tsuruho Copy writer: Yoichiro Abe Production Company: Tohokushinsha Film Corp 2. COCA-COLA Project: Car Client: Coca-Cola Brief: The tagline is "try something different', 'And Coke at 3 degrees.' Agency: Springer & Jacoby Advertising Germany Creative directors: Hans-Jurgen, Lewandowski, Amir Kassei Art director: Amir Kassei Copy writers: Hans-Jurgen, Lewandowski Production Company: Tempomedia film produktion 3. FIAT PUNTO Project: Volcano Client: Fiat Punto Brief: The ad evokes the "spirito di punto" by means of the car evading lava streams and falling rocks. Agency: D'Arcy UK Creative director: Nick Hestings Art Director: Dave Godfree Copy writer: Mark Waldron Production Company: Stark Films 4. WEETABIX Project: Bikinis Rant Client: Weetabix Brief: A cereal ad Agency: Banks Hoggins O'Shea/ FCB UK Creative directors: Rob Fletcher, Dave Alexander Art Director: Andy Lennard Copy writer: Jason Cascarina Production Company: Tomboy Films 5. MARS STARBURST Project: If Client: Mars Starburst Brief: The ad begins by asking a question. Agency: Grey Worldwide UK Creative director: Rob Baiocco Art Director: Brian Lefkowitz Copy writer: Sean Burns Production Company: The Moving Picture 6. JOHN WEST Project: The Bear Client: John West Brief: It features the story of the John West embroiled in kung-fu-style battles with bears to get the best fish. Agency: Leo Burnett UK Creative directors: Nick Bell, Mark Tutssel Art Director: Paul Silburn Copy writer: Paul Silburn Production Company: Spectre

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