5 Things That Caught Our Eye This Week – 8th April 2021

Spring is in the air and I can feel a real sense of renewal as lockdown ends for (hopefully!) the last time.  When I walk through town I can see that shop staff are preparing their wares for the grand reopening.  It is funny how you adapt to life.  I walked past a bus sign with biohazard warnings, if you had told me this would have happened a couple of years ago, I wouldn’t have believed you.  Just like I wouldn’t have believe Boris Johnson would be prime minister and Britain would actually be stupid enough to leave the EU.  The world has definitely become a strange place…

This week, Karmarama attempt to make the British Army a ‘safe space’, VMLY&R attempt to save the world, one bowl of cereal at a time. Speaking of cereal, Publicis Poke bring a ‘kind of magic’ to breakfast time in their advert for Kelloggs. Not quite flying pigs, but porcines are certainly involved in Creature’s advert for *ahem* Moonpig. Finally, Quiet Storm  make me almost sentimental for lockdown.

1. Kelloggs  – “Start the Magic” by Publicis Poke

Matilda? Harry Potter? Step aside! Publicis have a kid that can turn milk chocolatey here, presumably the other ‘magic’ might extend to making cups of tea or burning toast.  I suppose Coco the monkey becomes Dumbudore in this situation?  Anyway, I’ll stop torturing the comparison.  Stimulating interest over the breakfast table is a thankless task, most people I know haven’t woken up before at least two coffees and a walk/sprint to the bus.  Introducing whimsy is a smart way to go.

Client: Kelloggs

Agency: Publicis Poke

2.  Moonpig-  “ The moonpigs have landed” by Creature

Creature seem to be trying to channel psychedelia in their advert for Moonpig, sadly no green fairies or melting clocks. However,  If I saw transforming pigs at a bus stop, I’d think that I’d had too much sauce (and I don’t mean the apple variety!). To be honest if I came upon this particular scene whilst waiting for the nightbus, I think I would be waiting outside the shelter (or perhaps calling an Uber). On the other hand, if my friend sent me an avocado costumed micro pig as a gift,  I think I might punch her in the face.

Client: Moonpig
Agency: Creature

3 – British Army- “First time fails” by Karmarama

I’ll be honest, I thought that if you ‘failed’ in the army, that it might be ‘curtains’, ‘game over,man!’.  Not really sure what this advert is trying to say ‘Come join the army we’ve got ‘crystal’ dealers, terrible drivers and stand ups who can’t attract an audience’.  I suddenly don’t feel as safe as I once did.  I understand the point about perseverance, but I don’t understand what being a stand up comedian, a rubbish driver or running a marathon has to do with the army, it just doesn’t scan for me.

Client: British Army
Agency: Karmarama

4. Create Not Hate  “Made in lockdown” by Quiet Storm

I tried to see the lockdown as an opportunity, but my online Polish lessons (trying to learn my forefathers’ lingo) fell by the wayside early on.  I’ve been mentally reviewing the last twelve months recently, and this video provides a lot of ‘oh yeah, I remember that’ and ‘Oh God, I remember that!’ moments (I’ll leave you to decide which image falls under which statement).  It’s interesting when looking back to be reminded that the pandemic was something we experienced as a collective and there will be things (the smell of hand sanitiser for me!) in the future that drag us directly back to a time and place.

Client: Create Not Hate 
Agency Quiet Storm

5. Alpro – “Eat your way to a better planet” by VMLY&R

VMLY&R are doing their bit to save the world with their advert for Alpro, although it leaves me with a genuinely difficult choice. Drink oat milk and save the planet, or drink cow’s milk?  It’s a genuinely tough choice for me, I think oat milk tastes like feet. Fortunately for me there are a growing number of virtuous people out there who will do the right thing.  I’ll stick to one of the other five or six options in the video (either that or drink almond milk) to make my contribution.

Client: Alpro
Agency: VMLY&R