For this month’s Reel Opinion we’ve enlisted the big brain of Adelphoi Music Head of Production and New Business Paul Reynolds, squeezing in time between preparing for the Adelphoi Music Cannes Party and departing for Geneva to take part in The Fireflies Ride. Phew! Here are his views on five top choices from the May Reel DVDs:
Paul Reynolds
Head of Production and New Business
Adelphoi Music
Coca Cola – Yeah Yeah Yeah, La La La
Agency: Mother London
Production: Blink London
Director: Dougal Wilson
So, for Gremlins, water is bad but Coke is OK. Coke will induce the cute little critters to create a masterful Calvin-Harris-Summertime-Dance-All-Over-The-Countryside-And-Enjoy-Coca-Cola-Smash-Hit-Pop-Tune while water will unleash a horde of malevolently mischievous monsters. I'm all for a bit of ad weirdness (Coke bottles grow on grassy hillsides you know) and the use of real puppets over CGI gives it the 'ahh' factor. Altogether a brave and interesting departure from the Happiness Factory.
Oasis – RubberDuckZilla
Agency: Mother
Production: HSI London
Director: Joseph Kahn
Ok you've got my attention. This is bonkers. Quite a tough job to parody the Japanese Godzilla and Mothra monster movies as they are quite daft already but this does it well for me. I don't know if it will cause a YouTube meltdown as some of the references might completely miss the younger market, but I'm already quaffing my 2nd bottle of Summer Fruits. There's something a bit iffy about the girls on the bed though...
Campbell’s – Fully Loaded
Agency: Clemenger Sydney
Production: Goodoil Films Sydney / Mustard London
Director: Hamish Rothwell
It's another spoof of the real man needing a real man's product theme. Not as infectious as some ads on a similar theme but it's well up there in the daft stakes. Full points for the rock vocals. I never thought I'd hear the words 'vegetables & pasta' sung with such passion. I'd have dropped the plate shots though as it looks like warmed up pavement pizza.
T-Mobile – Singalong
Agency: Saatchi&Saatchi London
Production: Partizan London
Director: Michael Gracey
As an event, this really worked. Thousands of people coming together and singing along, all care of T-Mobile. As an ad, 'Dance' was much better as it was unexpected and created buckets of public interest. I was a bit bored by 60" in and by the time the end of the ad came around I wanted to crawl under my desk and claw my ears out. 'Sing-along' is interesting to all those who were there, and maybe their families, but anyone else?
Toyota Prius – Harmony
Agency: Saatchi&Saatchi LA
Production: The Sweet Shop New York
Director: Mr Hide
The Prius may well turn ashen countryside to lush green, but turn the night to day? Of all the car's gadgets, that surely is the best one anyone's invented for years. It's a good looking commercial and I like the use of real people in costume, although it makes me think of Woody Allen dressed up as a sperm in 'Everything You Wanted To Know About Sex...' I just wonder why 'Let Your Love Flow' was used. It doesn't sync well and feels completely detached from the film.
So there you go! Big cheers to Mr Reynolds for his thoughts. If you fancy giving the man himself a hefty slap on the back (or face) for anything he said, he can be found at the Fireflys send off tonight (Friday 12th June) from 5:30 in Golden Square. If you’re feeling charitable (as well you should be) get your wallet out and stick some money in this direction too - http://www.justgiving.com/fireflypaul.
Good luck to all the Firefly types – whoever you may be!
