Ad Digger – 17.10.14
This week’s collection of fun ad synch is full of zest of all kinds, from Gisele Bündchen’s wave-catching elan to Android’s assorted high-connectivity hijinks to Natwest’s barely contained glee in making some overdue goodbyes, aided by pared-down covers of musical numbers, original, slightly off-kilter musical numbers, distinctly wholesome love songs and surprisingly wholesome party songs.
Chanel No. 5 – The One That I Want
Baz Luhrman follows up his never knowingly understated 2004 Chanel confection. Here too there are hi-def tears and sweeping drama aplenty as an extremely bronzed Gisele Bündchen first hangs (perfect) ten on the cerulean waves and then gleams and glitters her way through a swooningly-lit city tableau. The whole handsome thing hangs more-or-less together on singer-songwriter Lo-Fang’s breathy cover of Grease’s catchiest number, and confirms Bündchen’s place as an advertising force to be reckoned with.
Song: You’re the One that I Want
Artist: Lo-Fang
Production: Revolver, Bazmark
Director: Baz Luhrmann
Post Production: The Mill
Natwest – Goodbye, hello
Nicely barbed Britishness and the most wholesome of Rodgers and Hammerstein ditties fuel Natwest’s celebration of welcome farewells. The slightly loopy instrumental trills complement the strained smiles here neatly.
Song: So Long, Farewell
Artist: Rodgers and Hammerstein
Agency: M&C Saatchi
Production: Smuggler
Director: Neil Harris
Argos – Get set go Argos
Bath-based indie rockers The Heavy don’t lack for synch showing – jangly, nose-thumbing neo soul anthem How You Like Me Now has cropped up all over, from Horrible Bosses to Borderlands 2, but it’s interesting to find it soundtracking this unexpected rebrand. The catalogue retail mavens aim for defiant hipness here with a colourful, elaborately wired product catwalk – the Furby ear-dance is a particular highlight, and guaranteed to be a first even for this star synch track.
Song: How You Like Me Now
Artist: The Heavy
Agency: CHI & Partners London
Production: Caviar Content
Director: Fleur and Manu
Vodafone Ireland – Office Romance
Squeaky clean teen heart-throb Frankie Avalon provides the chirpy 1950s crooning on this sweet tale of a smartphone-boosted budding romance, whisking our lightly kooky pair of young lovebirds-to-be through the getting-to-know-you stage with aplomb.
Song: Just Ask Your Heart
Artist: Frankie Avalon
Agency: Grey London
Production: The Mill
Director: Kevin Thomas
Android 5.0 Lollipop OS – And You
Android’s recent push into advertising in earnest shares some similarites with Apple’s recent charm offensive, but where the iPhone brought you sensible exercise tips or a sense of restful security with its quirky workout anthem and sweet indie ditty, this frantic spot does the aural equivalent of showing up with a keg and 50-odd rambunctious guests. That said, in context with the effervescent visuals and message of cheerful non-homogeneity, Andrew W.K. has never sounded so wholesome. If ads must do viral video culture there’s no better brand for it, and it seems the secret might just be to go all-out and open-hearted.
Song: Party Hard
Artist: Andrew W.K.
Agency: Google Creative Lab
