The Musings Of An Opinionated Sod [Help Me Grow!]


The Giving Back Before I Get Fired Post …

I don’t really write much about ads we – as in Wieden – do.

Not because I don’t like them, but because I like them too much.

Of course, there’s been the odd exception where I’ve not been able to stop myself – like one of my all time faves, Born of Fire for Chrysler at the Superbowl a few years back – but all in all, I tend to keep the work we do to myself.

Well, today that changes.

I’ll admit one of the reasons is because I literally don’t know what to write about today and this is my ‘get out of jail card’, but the other reason is there’s been a bunch of work from us recently that I think it just wonderful and I just want to put it out there.

Sure, a couple of the spots are from NIKE … and while many people may think thats easy for us to do, the reality is that when you have worked with a brand for 30 years and manage to still do work that feels fresh and energetic, that’s a testimony to the people involved. From both sides.

But there’s also some work that you may not know of.

Work from Milka, Samsung and Southern Comfort.

Work that covers the whole spectrum of tonality and style.

But there’s two things that unite them all.

The idea. The craft.

When I see this stuff, I get excited. Not just because it’s lovely work, but because standards are being maintained and pushed.

Where many agencies have to resort to scam to get stuff like this out, we make it.

And for the record, I haven’t written this post because my annual review is coming up soon. That’s entirely coincidental. Ha.

So sit back and enjoy some of the work I feel excited to be connected to, even if in some cases, it’s purely because I work for the same company.

Let’s start with an epic singalong for Kobe’s goodbye …

Next up is the charming story of a little boy and a strongman for Milka …

From fairytale we now make turn, what may seem a small, incidental, functional feature into something interesting and – dare I say it – potentially valuable …

… and then we do it again, turning a mobile phone ‘low light camera’ into a badge for a night life well lived. Lovely stuff.

The last 2 – for some reason – I can’t add on the blog, so I’ll just give you the links.

The first is the magically farcical ad we did for Southern Comfort.

Check it out. Seriously, just check it out.

It’s so incredibly mental and I’m so incredibly jealous of it. And it worked its ass off … probably because it’s so ridiculous that it was exciting and refreshing for an audience who are bored to death of being spoken to [or should I say ‘at’] with contrived, patronising and self-serving messages of meaningless blandom.

And the last one is our LunarEpic Flyknit spot for Nike China … even though the link will take you to the English edit of the film.

Of course I’m biased but I love it.

I love it for a whole host of reasons, but most of all because it is something that is visually rich and interesting and feels more like a music video than an ad … and in a world of overly-worthy ‘manifesto’ style communication, it’s refreshing and intriguing – ESPECIALLY as there is some really great insight work that led to this execution.

That’s it … if this post doesn’t keep me in a job then nothing else will.

So enjoy them all and be rest assured, I’ll find something to talk about tomorrow.

[Sorry]


20 Comments so far
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Yeah they’re good. But you’re still a corporate toadie.

Comment by DH

Yes … I know. I feel ashamed of myself.

Comment by Rob

On the bright side, it still won’t affect their opinion of me.

Comment by Rob

someone took a fuckload of drugs for that southern comfort shit. best thing I’ve seen in fucking years. sheer fucking indulgence but fucking worth it. and how come ive seen that luna spot in the states? i fucking swear i have and now i feel fucking sick that i liked it.

Comment by andy@cynic

I know. But isn’t it amazing.

And you would have seen the LunaEpic spot in the US, we did it and then Nike ran it globally.

Comment by Rob

like kobe and milka, nicely fucking put together but the samsung is just blah. better than most of the shit those soulless korean fucks put out and theres a nice idea behind it but its too long and too try hard to make boring sound interesting. better than all the other shit they do but i still would rather eat my own balls than own one of their fucking phones.

Comment by andy@cynic

and i note you didnt put the new p&g mom bollocks. why? didnt you work on that and i hope to fuck you didnt work on that secret shit that had the most fucking big talking pr release about womens rights when its a fucking deodorant.

Comment by andy@cynic

Wasn’t there a thread about the secret deodorant campaign? I am sure I remember one. But it could be the hangover.

Comment by DH

I pre-wrote this before the latest ‘Thank You Mum’ [can’t say ‘Mom’] came out. And we did discuss the ‘Secret’ campaign in one of the comment threads a while back, which means you are officially losing your mind.

Comment by Rob

you think i remember anything on this blog? i do all i fucking can to forget it.

Comment by andy@cynic

The girls love the Milka advertisement. It is very sweet, presumably like the chocolate.

Comment by Mary Bryant

if they like that theyd fucking love the southern comfort spot. show them, you know it makes sense.

Comment by andy@cynic

Thank you for that piece of parenting advice Andrew.

Comment by Mary Bryant

ruining your kids education.

Comment by andy@cynic

No comment.

Comment by George

I see what you mean about the craft.

Comment by John

The most impressive thing about Wieden isn’t their creativity, but their ability to get clients to buy it. The Kobe spot is my favorite.

Comment by Bazza

Funny, because tomorrow I go after all the agencies doing scam for Cannes – especially the multinational companies – though they would argue, they’re just demonstrating how their creativity can help a book shop in Slough reach a massive audience. Or something.

Comment by Rob

WPP’s lawyers are on standby.

Comment by DH




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