Dicos Chicken: First of all, compliments to the creation of the new-flavoured Dicos Deep Fried Chicken - Lemon, Coconut and Chilli (Sichuan-style).The commercial uses the unique Chinese Na Han (shouting) style, whereby consumers are bombarded with high-pitched voice-overs and cliched images of women in association with the flavours. The message is clear in communicating the new-flavoured chicken.
The Times of India: The three 'Trimmed to Perfection' ads in the same campaign delivered a single minded message - The Times of India has a new look, the new international format. The first ad with trimmed hair is eye-catching, especially when it's associated with The Times of India Group of newspapers, and not a hair-related product. The other ads are a clever use of celebrity, for free again. I like Hardy's trimmed figure as well as Einstein's British Cut. The message is clear - the Group's papers are now in the new format. Slimmer, slicker, sexier. Relatively speaking.
Haveron: There is a drama in this commercial that grabs your attention.
In a restaurant, a man is waiting for his dream girl. Instead of the conventional presenter and voice-over, a mimicked Stephen Chiao Sing-chi style narration delivers man's admiration and expectation of an ideal woman's hair. The narrator cares so much about the woman's hair that he offers her Haveron - a newly formulated herbal hair lotion. It is a nice drama to end this 'problem and-solution' message. The voiceover and the cinematography, however, could do with better synchronisation.
Samsung Digital: Product demonstration with the fashion and cosmetic approach makes a boring ad more attractive and sexier. The whole story is 'TV never looked so good, inside the beauty there's brain'. Cliche, but I must say Samsung Flat Panels gives you state-of-the-art invention.
Sometimes a beautiful woman does the sales job better.
HK Standard: Where are the dotcommunists? Who pays for free trade?
PRC or PLC? Who raises China's interest rates? Owen, Henry, Crepso -who will win the Golden Boot? The visual is arresting with its bold headline against The Standard's blue background. Advertisements without visuals are not necessarily a disadvantage. I like the questions since I do not know any of the answers. That's why I am constantly reminded I am not up to par and need to raise my standard. Simple, direct, intriguing and, hopefully, an effective campaign.
1. HMV
Project: Buy two Get one Free
Client: HMV
Brief: To promote the HMV 'buy two get one free' campaign
Agency: A'Darcy
Creative director: Marc Lucas
Art director: Sam Martin
Copywriter: Jason Aspes
2. DICOS CHICKEN
Project: Magic Nugget Launch
Client: Dicos Food Development Company
Brief: New product variant launch
Agency: Euro RSCG Partnership
Creative director: Jonathan Hsu
Art director: Ann Li
Copywriter: Wendy Guan
3. THE TIMES OF INDIA
Project: The Times of India - Trimmed to Perfection
Client: The Times of India
Brief: To communicate the reduction in column size that makes a
newspaper that is smarter and sexier
Agency: Enterprise Nexus, Mumbai
Creative directors: V. Ramnathkar, Mohammad Khan
Art director: Ajay Borle
Copywriters: Amish Mehta, Tina Midha, Ajay Borle, Neel F.
4. HAVERON/PURAPHARM
Project: Haveron Woman
Client: PuraPharm International
Brief: Promote PuraPharm's hair rejuvenating supplement, Haveron.
Agency: Interface Creative director: Man Cheung, Titania Yuen
Art director: Man Cheung
Copywriter: Dilys Siu
5. SAMSUNG DIGITAL TV
Project: Digital TV
Client: Samsung
Brief: Promote Samsung's range of digital TVs.
Agency: Cheil Communications America
Creative director: Jorge Abascal
Art director: Ron Herzig
Copywriter: Ann Suh
6. HK STANDARD
Project: Raise your standard
Client: Sing Tao Group - The Standard
Brief: To draw the public's attention to the relaunch of The Standard
Agency: M&C Saatchi
Creative director: Tan Khiang
Art director: Jeanie Tan
Copywriter: Keiron Simpson
Interested in having your campaigns reviewed? Send submissions to Alfred Hille in the form of trims, transparencies or video printouts for TVCs plus the TVC itself, and proofs for print ads and posters.
Please send all material to media, 28/F, Dorset House, 979 King's Road, Quarry Bay, Hong Kong.
