The fragility and fantastic possibilities of the brain are explored in this polished commercial for Netherlands-based charity Brain Foundation. The film uses a split-screen technique to good effect, as the tops of people's heads are replaced with various spherical images - the sun, a disco ball, and, most notably, a bubble which pops unexpectedly.

It's an effective visual metaphor for the sorts of cerebral crises which can strike without warning, and reminds viewers that awareness of such possibilities is vital. Director Wouter Stoter strikes a poignant tone without being alarmist here, celebrating the good alongside acknowledging the potential devastation that could occur.

The word 'top' lost all meaning when TopCashback last appeared on our screens in 2017. Four years later, the brand return with a near-wordless piece of stop-motion animation that introduces the Hmmm…ingbird to one unsuspecting internet shopper.

Before she can buy a new pair of sneakers, the woman is distracted by a quibbling, fluttering sound. She's then locked in a cinematic staredown with the bird, who - thanks to some crafty sleight of wing - opens the advertised reward website on her laptop.

Cheery art direction creates a bright and airy atmosphere, which also lets the bird's homespun design stand out. The sudden shift to reproach and then understanding is also well done, offering a likeable spin on the "a little bird told me" meme.

It's still generally true that the best TV advertising outcomes are brought about when a brand employs an advertising agency to commission a film production company to make a commercial. But not always. In the dynamic landscape of 2021, there are a variety of different models available, and while, once upon a time, it was almost always true that advertising made outside of the traditional model was inferior, that's no longer the case, and hasn't been for a while.

A commercial like this is a shot across the bows of the traditional model. Arguably it's an epoch-changing moment for the advertising industry because, after watching it, no one could possibly claim that the involvement of an advertising agency is a necessary component in the creation of a brilliant and effective commercial. It's a game changer. It doesn't signal the end of the traditional model, but it makes it clearer than ever that you don't have to compromise when you step outside of it.

It's also a film which reinforces Megaforce's position at the very top of the directing tree. It's visually stunning, but it's the restraint that really makes it stand out. It's rare that something so striking can also feel understated, but that's been achieved here, and it amplifies the power of the film. It's also a film that really connects the advertised brand with an advertising proposition... the very thing that's often been absent when there is no advertising agency involved.

Megaforce have hit that level where every piece of work is outstanding. We love it when that happens and - no pressure - but we can't wait to see what comes next!