David Reviews
 Biting the hand that feeds us since 2002.
Latest Work
    • Dominic O’Riordan joins FamiliaFamilia are delighted to add award-winning director Dominic O’Riordan to their roster.
    • Run, Ruud, run.Heineken and Sonny's Fredrik Bond reunite for this 60" foot chase starring Ruud van Nistelrooy.
    • Thoroughly Decent CoffeeThis excellent ad for posh coffee boffins Taylors of Harrogate shows just how much finesse goes into making great coffee.
    • Bang TV sign US director Rudi SchwabBang TV are extremely excited to have added Rudi Schwab to their roster and it's not just because he's "not a car guy".
    • All aboard.Over three years since its launch, the Apple Watch finally makes an impression.
    • He takes a whiskey drink, he takes a lager drinkThis amusing ad announces Canadian Club's launch of their pre-mixed cocktail range Down Under.
    • A New PerspectiveThis striking ad break for Channel 4 - created in association with the RNIB - draws us into a world that is rarely, well, seen.
    • Top of the food chain.The Mayor of New York City may be surprised to learn he doesn’t run the Big Apple - an eighty-something baker called Edna does.
    • Mark Pellington is ready to Rumble.American filmmaker Mark Pellington has joined Rumble Films for UK representation.
    • The De Blinkks head to Colonel BlimpColonel Blimp have signed award winning photographic and filmmaking collective the De Blinkks to their roster.
    • Nexus Studios sign ChromosphereNexus have signed US-based design and animation studio Chromosphere to their roster.
    • Stars of CCTV.The Adidas Tango Squad launch an audacious raid on Real Madrid's training ground.
    • Horses for causes.The Compton Cowboys are a perfect fit for Guinness's 'made of more' campaign and Henry-Alex Rubin has created a lovely film celebrating the unlikely juxtaposition of urban gangs and equestrianism.
    • Seize the night.Absolut Vodka go back to the beginning with this eye-catching commercial.
    • Greater expectations.'Thor' actor Chris Hemsworth ruminates on what separates good from great for Buchanan’s whisky.

THE BLACK BOX

ALICE:

You know how you were going on about nominative determinism yesterday?

JASON:

Yes?

ALICE:

Well, what about Gerry Human? He's a good example, isn't he?

JASON:

So you're saying, he's a human because of his name?

ALICE:

Well... yes.

JASON:

So what do you think he was when he was born?

ALICE:

A baby, I'd imagine.

JASON:

I can't fault your logic.
Dominic O’Riordan joins Familia

Familia are delighted to add award-winning director Dominic O’Riordan to their roster.

The London-based director won Best Video at the 2015 Ibiza Music Video Awards for The Beach's 'From Above' and won a yellow D&AD pencil and a silver Promax for his contribution to 4 Creative's Paralympics campaign.


CLICK HERE TO READ MORE...
Heineken
"Share the Drama"		 60s
20 September 2017

Heineken and Sonny’s Fredrik Bond have good form with on-foot capers. With the Champions League underway again, the two reunite for this 60” foot chase. Former Real Madrid and Manchester United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy summons his inner action hero as he evades capture.

The striker adds some new tricks to his repertoire - including blending in with tourists and chucking newsstands. He may be outnumbered, but van Nistelrooy has his own particular set of skills.

One of three new Heineken films, Bond combines ball skills with cinematic flair - just the kind of spectacle a Champions League night can provide. Meanwhile, the lager reaffirm their commitment to Europe’s elite competition in pacy fashion.
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Taylors of Harrogate
"Coffee"		 30s
19 September 2017

This excellent ad for posh coffee boffins Taylors of Harrogate shows just how much finesse goes into making great coffee... or decent coffee, as the case may be.

We see beans growing into their 'astonishingly magnificent' potential, demonstrated by some great animation and a perfectly over the top voiceover. Images of oozing caramel and sweet berry are equally sleekly shot... which makes the comedy twist all the more amusing.

The self-awareness (that most coffee will be drunk by tired people in their kitchens, rather than nubile young things on stylised Italian streets) plays well for the brand, and stands out in a sea of trope-heavy coffee ads. Standout work from Erik Morales and Lucky Generals.
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Bang TV sign US director Rudi Schwab

Bang TV are extremely excited to have added Rudi Schwab to their roster. The company has forged a reputation for filming to notch car work but their new acquisition marches to the beat of an entirely different drum.

As you'll notice when you watch the films we've included below, Schwab has a real flair for creating short, perfectly-formed slices of life with real emotional punch.
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Apple Watch
"Roll"		 60s
19 September 2017

Since its 2015 launch, the Apple Watch has struggled to justify its existence. Forgettable advertising hasn’t helped matters. Launched during Sunday’s Emmy Awards, this 60” commercial bucks the trend.

While Labrinth’s ‘Misbehavin’ plays through Kilian Martin’s AirPods, the Spaniard turns this train station into a skate park. As Martin fills his trick meter, newsstands and even commuters are drawn to his orbit.

Apple’s spin on the skater film is unsurprisingly slick. Gravity-defying flourishes augment Martin’s impressive board work, while the thud which accompanies Martin’s landing provides a satisfying mic drop.

With Apple fans reeling over the iPhone X's price tag, this gives the third-generation timepiece a boost. Aligning it with the brand’s wireless earbuds also strengthens the product’s worth - and not before time.
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On This Day
Orange
"Brazilian Street Cleaner"		 60s
22 Sep 2005
This film advocates spontaneity as it tells the story of a Brazilian street cleaner called Renato who became a national hero after he began dancing during the Rio carnival. If you feel like saying something then just say it and preferably on an Orange phone (though not if it expresses desire for farmyard animals).
Pepsi
"Christina Aguilera"		 60s
22 Sep 2006
Christina Aguilera is magically moved to various global locations after she takes a slug of Pepsi from her can. She doesn't allow herself to be distracted from the singing of her song. In her delightfully slutty motif, Aguilera even manages to stir the loins of Ozzy Osbourne, long thought comatose through drug use.
MasterCard
"You're Fired"		 40s
22 Sep 2007
A beautiful idea which has been beautifully made in this campaign which quietly throws up more excellent commercials than just about any other. Here, a succession of children tell their parents they are 'fired' because they have been neglected in favour of work. One Dad teetering on the brink redeems himself.
Santander
"Rory's Pie"		 30s
22 Sep 2013
The second round of Santander's sports celebrity campaign is really getting into its stride and now that it's the sports celebrities who are being nonplussed by the actors rather than the other way round... the commercials are much more successful.
Gatorade
"Derek Jeter"		 90s
22 Sep 2014
We've already seen one commercial marking Derek Jeter's retirement this year and it's a measure of his impact on baseball that this second epic also plays fulsome tribute to the star. Much of this was filmed candidly as Jeter walked among his fans and director Henry-Alex Rubin appears to have captured the honest reactions of New Yorkers as they suddenly realise their hero is among them.
McDonald's
"Shake ’em Up"		 40s
22 Sep 2014
This US spot for McDonalds leaves us shaken and stirred. Not only is it a lovely, dynamic piece of filming for the brand, but it communicates the "shake 'em up" message in an extremely memorable way. When a young man takes a running jump off the edge of a building we certainly aren't expecting him to reappear as he does.
NHS Blood and Transplant
"Bleed For England"		 30s
22 Sep 2015
The stakes in the Rugby World Cup are high, but this impressive NHS ad argues that the stakes are even higher when it comes to our blood levels. A symbol sure to be worn on the chests of thousands of England fans at the moment, an English rose is shown to be a dark shadow of itself. Only a drop of blood can return it to its vivid best.
H & M
"Beckham Meets Hart"		 30s
22 Sep 2015
It's time to scrap the 'golden rule' when it comes to working with David Beckham which was - as many of you will probably remember - whatever you do, don't give him a line. In this teaser for H&M, Beckham puts in such a naturalistic performance that it's hard to imagine acting has ever been a problem for him and much of the credit for that has to go to director Fredrik Bond.
Honda
"Paper"		 2 mins
22 Sep 2015
This animated commercial depicting Honda's history is an epic triumph... but what else would you expect from PES? Months of work have gone into creating this film using a technique that must require quite unbelievable levels of patience and dedication but prove entirely worth it. Even though it mines a familiar seam for the Japanese car maker, it feels completely fresh.
British Gas
"Warm And Working"		 60s
22 Sep 2015
Building on the 'No Place Like Home' concept launched in the previous commercial, this beautifully-realised spot follows a little penguin all buttoned up against the cold. Finding himself in the terrain of humans, he clambers through a catflap and explores the wonders of the house that lies behind; full of the wonders that warmth provides.
Lurpak
"Game On, Cooks"		 60s
22 Sep 2016
Has cooking become too much of a spectator sport? Lurpak thinks so, and the brand makes a bold move by telling viewers to switch their attention from telly to belly. Lurpak being Lurpak, they've done a first-rate job. Somesuch's Daniel Wolfe meets this campaign's exacting standards head on with a brilliant execution. Once the game begins, it's something to behold.
Virgin Radio
"Big Star"		 30s
22 Sep 2006
Mouthy radio DJ Christian O'Connell takes to the streets to persuade people to listen to his radio show which is offering a big prize in a competition. O'Connell refuses to disclose the amount that can be won even when pressed by former frontman of Madness, "Quote Me Happy" Suggs.
Channel 4
"Twenty-five Years"		 40s
22 Sep 2007
To celebrate Channel 4's twenty-fifth birthday, there is to be a series of programmes on More 4. Here a number of iconic moments from their past have been put together as a montage. Food for thought is provided by the fact that almost every bit is from the station's earliest years.
Littlewoods
"Tribal Dance"		 30s
22 Sep 2008
More amiable jungle nonsense on behalf of the clothing retailer. A collection of women in various winter fashions do a rain dance so they can take full advantage of the protective qualities of their fashionable threads. They could have tried them out by jumping aboard a train to Glasgow instead.
Pringles
"Footballers"		 30s
22 Sep 2008
Footballers including Thierry Henry and Michael Owen are beamed down into a strange animated landscape where they demonstrate that they can be as nifty with a tube of cardboardy snacks as they are with a football. They then look impressed as a competition winner struts his stuff. There's no va va voom here.
Audi Quattro
"Grip"		 40s
22 Sep 2008
There's a celebration of 'grip' in this attractive film for Audi. We're reminded about the delicacy of our own sense of grip as a variety of objects are shown in human hands and Simon Callow opines about its nature. Apparently, the Audi Quattro possesses the automotive equivalent.
Orange
"Anjelica Houston"		 60s
22 Sep 2008
Anjelica Houston becomes the latest Hollywood star to subject herself to the ritualised humiliation of Orange's cinema advertising. Houston sends up her image as a kook assisted by the campaign regulars who provide their own brand of mockery in typically irreverent fashion.
NSPCC
"Butterflies"		 30s
22 Sep 2008
In this touching film for the charity, the openness of children is represented by butterflies in this ad which shows the insects fluttering freely around children whose voices are heard but cut off from a boy who is in need of help. We can help all children to be heard by giving money to the NSPCC.
Temperley
"Zoetrope Portrait"		 2 mins 10s
22 Sep 2009
This intriguing American film for fashion label Temperley uses a zoetrope to highlight their 2010 collection. Apparently, production company Legs constructed a twelve foot high zoetrope which was unveiled at New York Fashion Week and it's now been moved to London.
Audi
"Do Your Part"		 30s
22 Sep 2009
This American ad flaunting the environmental credentials of the advertised car shows various people trying to do their bit for the planet. None of them are having as much fun as the Audi driver who is able to speed past a Volvo powered by vegetable oil.
Las Vegas
"Les Trois Chinchillas"		 60s
22 Sep 2009
A man asks his boss for a day off so he can celebrate Chinchilla Day. He then spins an elaborate yarn about the origin of the festivities before explaining that his people like to mark the occasion by "partying in Vegas". Nicely judged silliness.
Kellogg's Coco Pops
"Bowling"		 30s
22 Sep 2009
Inside your bowl of Kellogg's Coco Pops there's double the excitement because some of the cereal is crunchy and some is soft. The same effect can be achieved with any cereal if you don't fold the inner wrapping and leave the box open.
Scratch Perverts
"Neurosonics Audiomedical Laboratories"		 2 mins 45s
22 Sep 2009
A bizarre but fun piece for turntablist DJs, Scratch Perverts. The DJs experiment with various mixes using what appear to be live human heads in place of discs and drums. The effect is a good deal more mesmerising than the music.
Pure Blonde
"Dove Love"		 30s
22 Sep 2009
A man rehabilitates a fallen dove in this Australian ad which manages the rare feat of being sincere and tongue-in-cheek at the same time. His efforts to make the bird happy are pretty hilarious but will it all be in vain?
Tesco
"Synchronisation"		 40s
22 Sep 2010
The best use yet of Fay Ripley and Mark Addy has them demonstrating one of the dilemmas of modern living as they are required to unleash a military style operation to ensure that all of their children's many obligations are met. The theme music from The Professionals is used to underline the level of difficulty that needs to be overcome.
On This Day
David Reviews - Lovely Lenzie Ltd, Woodbourne House, Seven Sisters, Lenzie, G66 3AW. Telephone: +44 141 776 7766. Editor: Jason Stone.