5 Things That Caught Our Eye This Week – 4th February 2021

You know, sometimes this stuff writes itself? Matt Hancock has admitted that the government’s vaccine response was partly based on the Matt Damon film ‘Contagion’. What can you even say to that?! Where does the government get their economic ideas from? The Big Short? Perhaps the defence policy comes from Dad’s Army?

This week’s adverts are a little hot and cold/ calm and racy. On the one hand you have the fevered machinations of a woman lusting after her Alexa in the advert ‘Alexa’s Body’ by Lucky Generals. Then the sisters are doing it for themselves in all kinds of windy situations in ‘Love Your Passion’ by My Perfect Cousin

To counterbalance this, there is the warm comfortable sweater that Atomic London created for Union Coffee, and the clean cut advert by Studio of Art & Commerce for Weleda. Finally, there is this year’s Red Nose Day advert that features Judi Dench and Benedict Cumberbach, enough said.

1. Union Coffee – “Create Your Perfect Union- Afternoon Break” by Atomic London

I liked the relaxed vibes of the Union Coffee advert by Atomic London, I instantly felt calmer after watching it. I was transported to a sunny late afternoon in my favourite artisanal coffee shop. There was no lockdown, no need for masks, no stress and perhaps more pleasingly, there wasn’t a hipster beard writing a novel anywhere to be seen. A true sense of urban serenity.

Client: Union Coffee
Agency: Atomic London

2. Comic Relief – “Funny is Power” by Pablo

Judi Dench sucks face with Benedict Cumberbach in this year’s Red Nose Day advert by Pablo London. I’ll just let that mental image rest there for a few seconds… I do of course mean she hoovered his face.

To be honest, I feared the worst when the advert started. I’ve recently become agonised by the sheer amount of crap poetry that seems to have proliferated UK advertising. You know the ones I mean? Earnest young people stringing together loosely connected phrases over montages of saccharine images, whilst the fine print at the bottom of the screen explains that your house will be used as collateral…

Well as Dame Jude launched into her monologue I thought ‘here we go again’, but my cynicism was interrupted with a timely twist, touché Pablo.

Client: Comic Relief
Agency: Pablo

3. Alexa – “Alexa’s Body” – by Lucky Generals

I must be getting old because when I saw that Michael Jordan was the eye candy in Amazon’s advert for Alexa, my first thought was that he must nearly be a fossil at this point. Then I came to the more logical conclusion that there is more than one Michael Jordan (The letter ‘B’ hasn’t been this important since Prince William applied to St Andrews). The MJ in this advert attends (see I can do double entendres too!) to the main female lead’s every need, much to the increasing chagrin of her husband.

Client: Amazon
Agency: Lucky Generals

4. Weleda- “The Open Garden” by Studio of Art and Commerce by Weleda

Hayfever sufferers your time has come! Put down the Piriton and fire up your computer screens, you can take a nature walk without leaving your front room. This advert by Studio of Art & Commerce for Weleda creates a soothing and (if you’ll allow me) clinical atmosphere. It is like I am being transported from the garden into a laboratory and back again, which is a pleasing contrast.

Client: Weleda
Agency: Studio of Art and Commerce

5. Bluebella – “Love your passion” by My Perfect Cousin

What can I say about ‘Love your Passion’ by My Perfect Cousin (that has to be a Fergal Sharkey reference!)? My husband hated it as he surreptitiously watched it over my shoulder. Those ladies have a confidence that I envy (I get changed under a towel behind a locked door in the swimming baths). I’m a bit of an adrenaline junky though and I have always wanted to try base jumping, but the thought of doing it in my undercrackers is just a step too far, think of the wind!

Client: Bluebella
Agency: My Perfect Cousin