NewsReel 13/03/08

Remember to keep sending in all your adland news - even if it is just shameless self promotion - and we'll do our best to feature it here. Please send all press releases or anything that could fall under the banner of news to sam@thereel.net.

CORRECTION TO BOOKLET

In the Shorts section of the February Reels the cracking short Bitch was unfortunately credited without a Production Company. The piece was made the by fabulous folk at Mustard, and we apologise profusely for the mistake. To view the short (and you really should 'cause it's great) check out the latest DVD or click here (website subscribers only).

BTAA

The annual BTAA's were held in London last night and adland's hangover is only just relenting. Amongst the big winners were Agency Fallon and Production Company Rattling Stick winning Agency and Production Company of the Year respectively. The Best TV Commercial of the Year went to the mighty Gorilla spot for Cadbury, with executions for Carling, Boots and Levi amongst those scooping up Golds. A full list is featured below, and if any don't ring a bell click here for a
rundown of many Reel featured winners.

Ad of the year: Gorilla

Agency of the year: Fallon

Production Company of the year: Rattling Stick.

Golds:

Alcoholic Drinks - Coors Brewers - Space
Best 30-60 Second Commercial - Skoda - Cake
Best 60-90 Second Commercial - Boots - Moment of Truth
Best 60-90 Second Commercial - Sony - Music Pieces
Best 60-90 Second Commercial - Cadbury - Gorilla
Best 60-90 Second Commercial - Sony - Play-Doh
Best Over 90 Second Commercial - Boots - Here Come The Girls
Clothing - Levi's - Dangerous Liaison
Confectionery and Snacks - Cadbury - Gorilla
European - Skoda - Cake
European - Sony - Play-Doh
Household Appliances - Sony - Music Pieces
Household Appliances - Sony - Play-Doh
International - Proctor & Gamble - Interview
John Webster Award for Best 30 Second Commercial - Skoda - Cake
Retail - Boots - Here Come The Girls
Vehicles - Skoda - Cake

Silvers:

Alcoholic Drinks - Coors Brewers - Out
Best 30-60 Second Commercial - Coors Brewers - Space
Best 30-60 Second Commercial - Sara Lee - Effortless
Best 30-60 Second Commercial - Coors Brewers - Out
Best 30-60 Second Commercial - The Big Yellow Storage Company - Tide
Best 60-90 Second Commercial - Volkswagen - Night Drive
Best 60-90 Second Commercial - Vodafone - Time Theft
Best Over 90 Second Commercial - Vodafone - Cartwheel
Best Over 90 Second Commercial - Vodafone - Time Theft
Best Over 90 Second Commercial - Levi's - Dangerous Liaison
Cinema Advertising - Volkswagen - Toy Story
Cinema Commercials Also Shown on TV - Coors Brewers - Space
Cinema Commercials Also Shown on TV - Levi's - Dangerous Liaison
Cinema Commercials Also Shown on TV - Adidas International - Impossible is Nothing - David Beckham
Confectionery and Snacks - Thorntons - Stuck
European - Levi's - Dangerous Liaison
International Series - Adidas International - Jonah Lomu, David Beckham, Gilbert Arenas
New Advertiser - The Big Yellow Storage Company - Tide
Retail - Boots - Moment Of Truth
Series - Sony - Play-Doh, Experiment, Music Pieces
Telecommunication Services - Vodafone - Cartwheel
Telecommunication Services - Vodafone - Time Theft
Toiletries - Sara Lee - Effortless
TV and Radio Promotions - BBC - Amazing Music - Russell Brand
Vehicles - Volkswagen - Night Drive

Bronze:

Alcoholic Drinks - Diageo - Tipping Point
Best 30-60 Second Commercial - Choice FM - Kill The Gun
Best 30-60 Second Commercial - BBC - People Like Us
Best 30-60 Second Commercial - Olympus - Toddler
Best 30-60 Second Commercial - Thorntons - Stuck
Best 30-60 Second Commercial - Volkswagen - Great Pretender
Best 30-60 Second Commercial - Diageo - Sea
Best 30-60 Second Commercial - Diageo - Tipping Point
Branded Content - Vodafone - Sir Percy
Cinema Commercials Also Shown on TV - Vodafone - Time Theft
Cinema Commercials Also Shown on TV - Sony Bravia - Theatre
European - Audi - Construction
International - Heineken - Jamaica
John Webster Award for Best 30 Second Commercial - Olympus - Toddler
Miscellaneous Consumer Products - Sony - Pose
Miscellaneous Consumer Products - Olympus - Toddler
Miscellaneous Consumer Products - BSkyB Ltd - Static
New Advertiser - Choice FM - Kill The Gun
Newspapers and Magazines - Mail On Sunday - Battle
Retail - John Lewis - Shadows
Retail - The Big Yellow Storage Company - Tide
Series - Adidas International - David Beckham, Everest Boys, Gilbert Arenas
Sponsorship Bumpers - Nestle - Hula, Card Trick, Rabbit, Toast, Skip, Basket Ball
TV and Radio Promotions - BBC - Amazing Music - Chris Evans
TV and Radio Promotions - BSkyB Ltd - Static
Vehicles - Audi - Construction
Viral - Coca Cola - Stockport
Web Based Advertising - Freixenet - The Key To Reserva

Qash-back

Home Alone 2: Lost In New York, Babe: Pig In The City, Crocodile Dundee II – popular culture is full of sequels where the little guy makes a mark in the big city. Following on from last year’s masterful ‘Skateboard’ TV spot, TBWA\London and TBWA\G1 have yet again ripped up the metropolis with the flashy Nissan Qashqai. Following on from the original’s playful nature, the new execution sees the city literally coming to life, the buildings becoming frisky titans who launch the vehicle through the streets like a cat toying with a ball of string.

The ad was directed by Rattling Stick helmer (and Reel favourite) Danny Kleinman, bringing the buildings to life with cheeky movements and clever ‘it-looks-like-a-face’ aesthetics. Spanning a mammoth 8-day shoot with a 170-strong crew, the commercial’s production included closing down Avenue Corrientes, one of Buenos Aires’ busiest streets, for a whole weekend. Speaking of the production, Kleinman says, “We used a lot of big effects, big rigs, dropped cars, and tried to do things which looked spectacular – it was quite a challenge; a big, big production. In a way it would have been a lot easier to create everything in CG, but I think you lose a bit of realness, grittiness and excitement if you go down that route.”

"This is an ad that is going to get people talking about it!” adds Steve Henry, Executive Creative Director TBWA\London, “Following on from the launch of QASHQAI, which involved radical TV ads and a massively successful online campaign, this is a piece of work which really brings out the unique nature of the car. The stunts are really impressive, but what makes the ad fascinating is how Danny has given the buildings such great personalities - like cheeky, mischievous schoolboys playing with the car. QASHQAI really is the ultimate Urbanproof car, and the ad shows that off with great personality and style."

Backed by a big media spend, the TV work will be supported by press and outdoor work and will be followed by the second phase of the viral phenomenon, QASHQAI Car Games and a second year of the mountain bike urban freeride tour, Nissan QASHQAI Challenge.

Project: ‘City Living’
Creative Agency: TBWA\London, TBWA\G1
Copywriter: Chiappe & Saunby
Art Director: Chiappe & Saunby
Agency Producer: Emma Rookledge
Agency Planner: Filippo Dell’Osso
Director: Danny Kleinman
Producer: Johnnie Frankel
Production Company: Rattling Stick
Editor & Editing Co.: Steve Gandolfi
Post Production Co.: Framestore CFC
Audio Post Production: Owen Griffith at Jungle

Tip top monkey

The Andrex Puppies, the Dulux Dog, and the new kid on the block, the Cadbury Gorilla - adland loves animal mascots, whether they’re real, puppets, or just Phil Collins in a suit. However, only one brand mascot has successfully crossed over from one brand to another - Britain’s favourite knitted chimp, Monkey. The stuffed simian made his debut in 2001 with the launch of ITV’s ill-fated digital network, and after a long holiday, purportedly strapped to the front of a lorry (see below) but more likely thrown in a cupboard in Mother’s plush East London offices, he made an inspired return with his old mate Johnny Vegas (still bizarrely called Al) for PG Tips in January 2007.

That was over a year ago and in the interim Monkey has embarked on a career as a movie star (apparently without Al – no sign of the nation’s favourite salad dodger in the trailer). His first appearance on the silver screen comes in a five-minute whistle-stop history of tea that premières in cinemas across the UK from Friday 21 March to Thursday 10 April. Showing a versatility not seen since Eddie Murphy in ‘Nutty Professor 2: The Klumps’, and without the need for prosthetics we must add, Monkey takes the role of Shennong, legendary Emperor of China; a captain of a tea clipper, an intrepid jungle explorer...and the majority of other roles. The film encompasses the history of tea from ancient China, right up to the Rainforest Alliance Certification of PG Tips' tea suppliers.

To catch what is sure to be the beginning of a long and illustrious career in film, take your family to any of the following films between 21 March and 10 April (and if you don’t have a family, borrow one - just like Suggs did for Birdseye): ‘The Spiderwick Chronicles’, ‘Horton Hears A Who’, ‘Gameplan’ and ‘Hannah Montana’. See below for a sneak preview of the film, entitled 'A Tale of Two Continents'.

NewsReel 06/03/08

Remember to keep sending in all your adland news - even if it is just shameless self promotion - and we'll do our best to feature it here. Please send all press releases or anything that could fall under the banner of news to sam@thereel.net.

Johnny gets Jerwood
Former RCA student, and currently on Nexus’ roster, Johnny Kelly was one of three winners announced at the recent inaugural Jerwood Moving Image Awards. The director won for his ‘Procrastination’ short, which was featured in last October’s Reel. The Jerwood Charitable Foundation set up the awards to offer a platform to debate the present state and future prospects of the ‘digital moving image’ artform. What’s he going to do with the £10,000 prize money? ‘…invested straight into my next film. And also a pair of badly needed glasses.’ Aaawww. To view all the winners click here.

Wave
Regularly featured in the Reel, Wave Recording Studios have opened their 6th and 7th studios, to house more long-term and experimental work, captained by an award-winning team of sound designers: Joe Mount and Ashley Smith. Wave’s co-owner and creative director, Warren Hamilton, said: ‘With the continuing arrival of new digital formats and new technologies, we are working in interesting times. We wanted to make the most of these opportunities by opening two new studios dedicated to creating more diverse and flexible work. The result is that studios 6 & 7 offer an alternative way to design and mix sound without compromising audio quality, creativity or Wave’s exceptionally high standards of service.’

Poynton points to the exit
Malcolm Poynton, executive creative director of Ogilvy London since 2003, is expected to leave the agency shortly. Poynton is rumoured to have disagreed with CEO Gary Leih and Managing Director Guy Lambert following their re-structuring to a creative partner system of dedicated client service teams.

Kit wins Gold at Creative Circle Awards
Kit Lynch-Robinson has won Gold for Best Microsite at the Creative Circle Awards last night. The site featuring the 14 hours and 40 minute exploits of Fernando talking non-stop for Emirates has been submitted to the Guinness Book of Records for the accolade as ‘longest commercial in history’ and the highlights were featured in November’s Reel.

Short and Sweet
Next week sees the second installment in Short & Sweet’s BAFTA nominations night. Directors and producers will once again be present. Last week saw the screening of the following films:

'Dog Altogether' - Paddy Considine
The Crumblegiant - John McCloskey
'Head over Heels' - Osbert Parker
'The one and only Herb McGwyer plays Wallis Island' - James Griffiths

Short and Sweet continues to be at t he usual times and the usual places:

MONDAY: Cafe 1001, 91 Brick Lane

TUESDAY: AKA Bar, 18 west central street

TIME: 19h00 both nights

Colette Crespin goes to The Guild
One of our favourite director's reps, Colette Crespin, is now Down Under and has landed firmly on her feet as the new Director's Rep / PR / New Business Manager at Guild Films in Melbourne. Check out what they’re doing on the other side of the world here.

Should Kanye have used this one?

This little piece of marker-on-hands and editing magic had our faces lit up with glee this morning.

Ad peeps and Promo Directors take out your note pads and start writing ‘ideas and treatments’ immediately…




Oh... and here is a little history lesson…

Long live the spoof

As you are probably aware, the TV ad game is a pretty sophisticated beast these days. Viewers are expected to interact, follow intricate treasure hunts, recognise ongoing themes and narrative structures, press the red button and then at least go to the website. The days of viewers being expected to swallow piece-to-camera testimonials and comparison tests are long dead and buried, however there is one TV ad trend that has stood the test of time and still strides on healthily even now - the good old fashioned spoof.

From narratives, to generic conventions, famous movie scenes to other TVC’s – the spoof ad has targeted everything and conquered them all with a big fat tongue lodged in its cheek.

Even the mighty Superbowl wasn’t safe this year...

In fact, it’s become apparent in the ad world that you haven’t really made a spectacular execution until it has been spoofed by someone else.

But it appears that it’s not just the big-player major league ads that are targeted by sarcastic creatives out there… In an act that echoes the big school bully having a pop at the quiet geek - the little league infomercial minnows are subjected to bigger brands having a pop at their hopelessness.

But lucky for you guys, we have been spending a lot of time with part-time comedian Jimmy Carr, and a bunch of channel 4 Z-list celebs (take a bow Alex Zane) recounting our favorite ad-spoofs. This inspired us to put together our top ten spoof-classics from the Reel Vaults – click here to enjoy.
(And what’s even better, the list is without any of the pointless celebrity “insight” and them talking about why it made them laugh. Or not.)

NewsReel 28/02/08

Remember to keep sending in all your adland news - even if it is just shameless self promotion - and we'll do our best to feature it here. Please send all press releases or anything that could fall under the banner of news to sam@thereel.net.

Ahoy! It’s Coy!
Mark Denton achieved a lot through Therapy – shooting a multitude of commercials, publishing a magazine, and a book, founding an award-winning design company and masterminding the re-launch of the Creative Circle – but the time has come for him to be discharged and go all Coy!, so he has founded Coy! Communications along with long-term producer Sara Cummins, after an amicable split with Therapy Films other partners Malcolm Venville and Guy Manwaring.

Ex-Therapy directors Simon Levene and Michael Baldwin kick-off the directorial roster of the new company and Kelly Cook joins as Head of Sales & Marketing.

Focus on VW’s new website

Prime Focus have proudly announced the completion of nearly a year’s work on the new Volkswagen UK website. The London post-production house has finally delivered the astonishing 16,000 individual CGI assets which have been used by Tribal DDB to build the new site. The end result of this highly complicated and too-lengthy-to-fully-discuss-here process is an attractive, cutting-edge and actually quite fun website that allows customers to select and view 17 different Volkswagen models, and then to specify each model with all of its available variations, bringing web design and moving-image post-production yet another step closer together.

A Mars a day...
We at The Reel, like a lot of you guys, get nostalgic about old ads, strap lines and jingles, so we thought it was worth a mention that Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO is bringing back the old ‘A Mars a day helps you work, rest and play' strap line which was pulled in 1995. It has, however, been given a noughties twist; now a new generation will simply be saying ‘work, rest, play’ as they tuck into the first bite of the chocolate, nougat and caramel goodness. The new spot, featuring monks dancing to House of Pain’s ‘Jump Around’ will air on 2nd March, so look out for it on The Reel soon. For fellow fans of the old campaign, see below:



Mad Cow
Terence Stevens-Prior has joined Mad Cow’s roster for worldwide representation. Stevens-Prior has been a director since 1996, when he moved over from his previous incarnate as an agency creative. The New Zealand-born helmer left Mustard for Mad Cow, and has previously shot ads for clients such as Pepsi, Carlsberg and Toyota.

Lion's New Den
Only recently established, London-based production company Red Lion have made the bold move of opening up their very own art department. The new division called Agitate will pave the way for filmmaking artists to move into the big bad world of commercials production. The opening line-up consists of Jordan Baseman, who has exhibited his work at the Serpentine Gallery, Austrian Goldsmiths, RCA and Vienna Academy of Fine Art graduate Ursula Meyer, Emily Richardson, who has created a series of 'time lapse portraits' that question our relationship to the landscape; CG specialist Claude Chabot, and toy-filmer Stuart Croft.