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AGENCIES Which agency has the best ratings when you add 'em all up and average it out?
DIRECTORS And if you do the same thing with directors, who's top of that list?
CREATIVES Are you one of the twenty-five creatives who's won a coveted place on this list?
AGENCY PRODUCERS Or are you one of the most highly regarded agency producers in the UK?
FILM PRODUCERS You may have worked out that there's a bit of a theme developing by now.
BRANDS Mind you, this one's a bit different as it looks at the brands themselves.
FILM PRODUCTION COMPANIES Another company list - is your place of employment one of those on this list? If so, demand a pay rise - you're obviously doing something right.
POST / EDITING / SOUND COMPANIES We've bundled together all the tertiary companies into a single list. There are a few prominent companies on here that don't subscribe to DAVID. The fools.
DIRECTORS OF PHOTOGRAPHY Are you one of the best twenty-five cinematographers working in advertising? You are? Then you should be on this list.
The trend for elaborate squad announcements continues with this stirring piece of work for the Football Association. Press conference junkies might flinch, but the governing body’s faith in director Keane Pearce Shaw and rapper Wretch 32 has paid off.
This is in large part down to the casting, as national spirit is rendered with diversity and personality. Fans use (among other things) spray paint, prosthetic legs, and signet rings to express themselves, while one even has a shrine to the Three Lions. Who could have predicted that after Euro 2016?
Of course, a lot has changed since that infamous defeat to Iceland. Grenfell Tower, Black Lives Matter, and Covid-19 (“I’m self-isolating, but I still feel the community”) have all emphasised the need for harmony, and perhaps Gareth Southgate's twenty-six-man squad can inspire supporters beyond the next few weeks.
CMN PPL FLMS welcome Marta.
Iceland’s Álfheiður Marta has joined the commercial and music video roster at Common People Films.
After working in sales for Bíó Paradís, Iceland's only arthouse cinema, Marta joined Sagafilm as a producer. She then switched to directing and hasn't looked back.
Like most of her contemporaries, Marta has adapted to Covid-secure film shoots and travel restrictions over the last year. After shooting a hopeful piece for Iceland's Department of Civil Protection, she's ready for a change of scenery.
Snapper have signed lauded filmmaker Gurinder Chadha to their roster for commercial representation.
Known for her powerful storytelling and commitment to elevating marginalised stories to a global stage, Chadha is best known for her contributions to British cinema. Features like 'Bend it Like Beckham' and 'Viceroy's House' demonstrate her ability to explore the human stories within cultural connections - witty, painful, and relatable by turns.
Outsider have completed the signing of directing duo Laurens Jans and Herman van den Bosch aka Dr. Bowman.
The Dutch pair named themselves after the protagonist of '2001: A Space Odyssey', though are yet to encounter any murderous supercomputers so far. This gives Dr. Bowman more time (and oxygen) to grow their commercial reel.
Prolific both at home and abroad, the two now have the chance to impress UK brands with the help of executive producer Simon Elborne. "We sign directors based on two very simple criteria - talent and character. As soon as I saw Dr. Bowman's work it was clear they had that special touch."
Adobe continue their journey into the creative mind with another fantastical outing. The latest instalment of their partially animated campaign focuses on the brand's Premiere Pro software, and follows a bloke as he takes a trip into an Alice in Wonderland-style alternate dimension.
Classic rock is still on the menu, as Queen's 'Don't Stop Me Now' takes over from 'She's a Rainbow' by the Rolling Stones. It gives the ad a less dreamy quality than its predecessor, suggesting a world of opportunities rather than a bimble through imagination-land.
With a sense of adventure at the forefront and nimble VFX to back it up, this film encourages creative types to dive in head-first and see what they can come up with... those who can afford the monthly rental fee, at least.
HSBC attempt to address the relentless financial trap of homelessness in this hard-hitting commercial. The film sees a woman bouncing between the same roadblocks over and over again while a cold voiceover narrates the cycle: "No home, no address. No address, no bank account. No bank account, no job. No job, no home."
As fans of 'Hot Fuzz' and riverside walks will attest, swans are fiercely territorial. Sipsmith's Mr. Swan (voiced by Julian Barratt) reckons attack is the best form of defence, turning Wimbledon into "the official tennis" of his distillery. It's sponsorship, Jim, but not as we know it. Another superb outing for the stop-motion bird.
A diabetes diagnosis can feel like being plunged into a world of restrictions, but this entertaining ad for Freestyle suggests help is at hand. The brand's constant blood sugar monitor aims to help the recently diagnosed get to grips with their glucose levels, offering a route through the cacophony of 'no's. Fun and hard-working in equal measure
The trend for elaborate squad announcements continues with this stirring piece of work for the Football Association. Press conference junkies might flinch, but the governing body’s faith in director Keane Pearce Shaw and rapper Wretch 32 has paid off. This is in large part down to the casting, as national spirit is rendered with diversity and personality.
Volkswagen announce their inclusive electric car initiative in this intriguing ad. Directed by Billy Boyd Cape, the film sees the streets awash with cars hidden by sheets - no matter if they're driving, parked, or affixed with disconcerting L-plates. We're pretty sure that's not part of a standard driving test.
'Vikings' meets road safety in this excellent communication from the Danish Ministry of Transport. A self-conscious warrior chieftain is publicly shamed into doing the right thing, as his son insists that he doesn't go off raiding without the proper safety gear. It's an amusing concept which is deftly executed by director Tore Frandsen, who nails the historical drama feel while still ensuring the script's humour shines through.
Mastering one sport doesn't mean you'll achieve greatness in all areas, according to this entertaining ad for Allianz. The tongue-in-cheek film sees fastest man alive Usain Bolt compete against young up-and-comers across the sporting world, including a wheelchair basketball prodigy and the heir apparent to his sprinting throne.
Just yesterday we drew attention to the emerging theme of this summer's advertising communication – namely, the trepidation of emerging from lockdown. And, having done so, we have now seen the form's apotheosis in this truly lovely commercial for Anheuser-Busch... the brewer that makes Budweiser and other beers in the United States.
A robot reminiscent of Pixar's WALL-E embarks on a crusade to clean up the planet before returning to his home in a dejected state. He reminds us of our own sense of futility at the enormity of the problem… for context, the largest of the floating garbage islands in the Pacific Ocean is currently three times the size of France.
This hopeful Nationwide commercial is as far removed from image rights and European Super Leagues as can be. Despite his tender years, twelve-year-old Finton has already learned plenty about triumph and disaster on the pitch. While some never grow out of mecurial behaviour, Finton was lucky enough to find both the right teammates and the right coaches.
Keen to portray gambling as a social activity rather than a solitary one, William Hill present this lively 90" commercial from directors Michel+Nico. Backed by Neil Diamond’s 'Sweet Caroline', the ad reacquaints viewers with bustling pubs, barbershops, and sports events that have been largely dormant since March 2020.
It doesn't matter how huge Nike become, they will always represent themselves as the nonconformists, and this idea has served them extraordinarily well in the English-speaking world where their rebellious streak is broadly seen as a sly piece of brand positioning, even by those who don't know what 'brand positioning' is.
Those who root for the hare instead of the tortoise will appreciate this 90" commercial for New Balance. "Impatience is a virtue," claims Jaden Smith, a man known for making bold statements. Yet when seventeen-year-old professional tennis player Coco Gauff arrives on-screen, the gambit makes sense.
This beautiful commercial completes the trio of ads directed by Frédéric Planchon for Cadbury which have been on slow release since they were filmed in 2019. This, like the first commercial in the series, hinges on the casting of a child and, once again, Planchon has coaxed an utterly charming performance from his young protagonist.
It's interesting to see which organisations have sustained the pressure which built up a year ago when George Floyd was murdered in plain sight. The initial flurry of performative shock has predictably abated especially in our own industry but, surprisingly, and two leading sport broadcasters have continued to support both the ideas behind Black Lives Matter and, even more surprisingly, the organisation itself.
No-one enjoys a pandemic, per se, but retailer Pets At Home have cause for celebration. £1 billion sales stem from an upsurge in pet ownership, and this 80" film celebrates the deepened bond between humans and animals. Scored by 'It Must Be Love', the ad shows how cats, dogs, lizards, guinea pigs, and fish become part of the family.
This is one of those ideas which works even though you have no idea why. It is very strange to represent the tension of a penalty kick by showing dozens of drummers on the pitch, and hundreds more elsewhere. But the strangeness lands extremely well, and Sam Brown's flair for generating a spectacle enables the creation of a memorable and fun commercial.
Gumtree rejig their proposition with four 20" ads courtesy of director Jim Hosking and agency Wieden & Kennedy. Keen to empower customers and expunge the middleman once and for all, the online marketplace denounce cheap sales tactics like eye candy, empty promises, and, erm, sexy men on rugs. Worse than carpet moths, they are.
This pseudo-documentary trailer from Big Red Button has its tongue jammed firmly in cheek throughout, as it cleverly apes documentary tropes like shadow-hidden interviewees, ambushed scientists, and dramatically scored news footage. There's even the eponymous cork board and string included, as attempts to understand Fanta's latest flavour threaten to drive the country to madness.
H&M preach body positivity in this latest campaign for their range of swimwear. Fronted by plus-sized Instagram model Paloma Elsesser, the film goes underwater as it encourages customers to block out the haters and enjoy all summer has to offer on their own terms. Director Amber Grace Johnson strikes a good balance between aesthetics and message here, as models of all shapes and sizes plunge into the deep and find solace from the day to day noise.
When Apple decided to go to war with Facebook by giving users the option to prevent apps from collecting their data, it provided them with an opportunity to stake a claim on the moral high ground. Apple hasn't wasted any time in marketing themselves as the new guardians of privacy, and they've done it rather brilliantly.
Cheesy and cheerful, this ad for Robinsons brings some vintage fun to the small screen. Directed by Ninian Doff, the film sees a choir of children haunting adults when they least expect it, encouraging them to brighten any unfortunate situation with a glass of grown-up squash. And no, we don't mean wine.
Sergei and Aleksandr suffer from a terminal case of keeping up with the Joneses in their latest outing for Compare the Market. Mustachioed meerkat dandy Antoine D'Orleau has moved in next door, heralding a rapid game of one upmanship from their respective balconies. The "anything you can do, I can do better" vibe is captured playfully here, as each move the perennial spokes-kats make is immediately countered by their new rival.
Released shortly after Stephen Lawrence Day and the trial of Derek Chauvin, this eloquent film features a police interview of a different kind. A serving Black officer answers questions about life on the force, and how more like him are needed to repair decades of mistrust. His interviewer is a former cadet who left over concerns about his appearance and multiple stop-and-search incidents.
Did Chelsea lose a bet with the Test Card Girl? The club's new home kit suggests so, but Nike's blend of zig-zags and squares may also be a tribute to dazzle camouflage used in World War I. Either way, next season's design is not for the faint-sighted. The accompanying launch ad is far more agreeable, with director Harry Cauty evoking 1960s London.
