Reel Opinion: Andy Fowler

This month's Reel Opinion comes courtesy of Andy Fowler, Executive Creative Director at Brothers and Sisters. He's taken a look at five spots which caught our eye for various reasons this month and here's what he had to say:

Andy Fowler
Executive Creative Director
Brothers and Sisters

Carphone Warehouse 'A Brief History'

Agency: CHI & Partners, London

Production: Blinkink, London

Director: Kristofer Strom

I was chuffed when this one popped up first. It’s really caught my attention on air this week.

I think it’s got a lot to do with the music, which appeals to me greatly. The storytelling is clear, well constructed and unusually in this category it actually means something and resonates with my life.

It’s got a lovely feel, and rings true with a rather nice experience I had at Carphone Warehouse last week!

Nokia 'Maps'

Agency: Wieden + Kennedy, London

Production: Partizan, London

Director: Antoine Bardou Jacquet

It’s a decent idea and I can see what they’re getting at, but the execution feels like a global campaign for Benetton circa the early 90’s.

It feels like it's trying to appeal to everyone culturally but ends up appealing to no-one - like it’s set in 'Everywheresville' and therefore 'Nowheresville', if that makes sense. It also hasn’t been shot with much panache or imagination, so it leaves me cold.

British Heart Foundation 'Heart Attack Simulator'

Agency: Grey, London

Production: RSA, London

Director: Brett Foraker

Stephen Berkoff. A pretty good coup to get someone of such acting ability. I’m not sure it’s the best use of his abilities though, I was a teeny bit bored after a minute.

It’s hard to imagine sticking with a story that doesn’t have much of a twist and lacks the shock value it’s going for somehow - basically you know where it’s going after about 20-seconds and there’s not much reason to see it through.

Difficult to see why a 2-minute piece was commissioned, to my mind.

Direct Insurance 'Catastrophe'

There are brave clients and there are clients who’ve lost the plot. This surely falls into the latter category.

Young Murphy (our bumbling Irish anti-hero) has had a shocking life. And now he’s coming to live in Israel.

It’s easy to feel incredulous and entertained when watching the ad, but very hard to imagine the leap of renewing your insurance policy as a result.

But hey, it takes all sorts.

Chupa-Chups 'Girlfriend'

Agency: BBH Asia Pacific, Singapore

Production: Soft Citizen, Toronto

Director: The Perlorian Brothers

I love this. It’s the business. It’s brilliantly shot, with great casting, funny copy and most importantly great comic timing.

From a planning point of view, ‘life less serious’ is a great way of making sucking on a lolly, like some modern day Kojak, feel like the coolest thing on earth.

Right, I’m off to buy a box of Chupa Chups. Happy weekend.