As Hillgrove is located in what we call the nostalgic part of Hong Kong, it reminds me of the good old days when life was relaxed and beautiful.
And the visuals look too stock-photo (or are they?)
Taipei Bank Lotto: Sorry, I don't agree with the creative platform - Taipei Bank Lotto brings a lot of fun to your life. It sounds too generic and maybe more appropriate for other product categories: fast-food chain, automobile, fashion, films and camera. If I buy a lottery ticket, what I want is a lot of money. Focus on money and you can win people's empathy, especially when the overall economic climate is so bad.
Ruski: The commercials are well executed with a very good cast of talents.
But then they remind me of a classic Levi's commercial: A young man, with a pair of Levi's secretly hidden inside his luggage, returns to Russia from the US. Wherever he goes, he is closely monitored. The camera work and the use of subjective angles are similiar. Both commercials give me the same impression of Russia but the Levi's one is much more powerful.
Foster's: The idea is simple, to the point, and relevant. However, I think the TVC can be greatly improved if it was better executed. For example, use a professional 'hand' talent to do the acting (like what the hands do in the old Chaplin movie Modern Times).
Samsung: The visuals are impactful, especially the one that shows a jumble of cables and wires. And it works cleverly with the headline. The one with the monkey face has a simple twist about irresistible temptation.
But the two ads showing a pair of pants with holes burnt through them are too straight-forward. The ideas need to be pushed further. On top of ideas, I feel the typography needs to be improved, which I guess is the major weakness in Asian print works.
Kasey Lin is the creative partner of MK2
