The Christmas Advert- 2012

It's the middle of November and of course that means Christmas adverts are on our television screens. Like hanging stockings and mince pies, some yuletide adverts have become part of the Christmas tradition,  with many Facebook statuses and tweets suggesting that as soon as you see the Coca-cola Christmas advert the festive season has arrived. Here is my guide to 2012's Christmas adverts and some of the best ever made.

John Lewis

These are perhaps the most talked about Christmas adverts of the last few years. Created by Adam and Eve, these big budget cinematic commercials are accompanied with song, often a popular song covered in a different style. Past songs include, Ellie Goulding singing 'Your Song' and Slow Moving Millie singing The Smith's, 'Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want'. The 2012 advert called 'The Journey' sees a story of a snowman embarking on a trip to find the perfect gift for his female companion. This sweet story includes Gabrielle Aplin putting a folk twist on the 1980's classic, " The Power of Love". Entirely shot in New Zealand, this £6 million production is what everyone expects with a John Lewis Christmas advert, it's schmaltzy, sentimental and for many it gives you that Christmassy feeling.

Marks and Spencers

The staple store of the British High Street has always gone for the glitzy and glamourous. Celebrities adorned the screen highlighting everything we love about Christmas. Take the 2009 advert which included, Stephen Fry, Joanna Lumley, Jennifer Saunders, James Nesbitt, Myleene Klass, Wallace and Gromit, Twiggy, Phillip Glenister. The 2010 advert included Peter Kay, Jamie Redknapp and Danni Minogue whereas last years advert featured the 2011 X Factor contestants. Nonetheless, the 2012 advert doesn't include any celebs, in fact I'd argue it is not actually that festive apart from the start. The advert begins with the iconic Christmas song, 'Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas' but that then ends and the advert quite simply sees lots of scenes of people moving to different party songs with a background that suggests it could be any time of the year. Overall an underwhelming effort by Rainey Kelly Campbell Roalfe that just doesn't feel like a Christmas advert at all.

Coca-Cola

For many this is the ultimate Christmas advert. The advert that suggests Christmas is here. The most iconic perhaps? It has always got to have two elements, number one: illuminated lorries and number two:  the tune:

"Holidays are comin', holidays are comin..."

Iceland

Iceland adverts are arguably the cheesiest on television. They conjure up memories/nightmares of Kerry Katona and Stacey Solomon suggesting that prawn rings and frozen vol-au-vents are the new must have 'treats' at Christmas parties. Nevertheless, the festive advert this season doesn't involve any corny celebrity endorsements but a young girl wandering through a snowy forest. The 'Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory' song, 'Pure Imagination' provides a nice accompaniment to create a solid Christmas advert.  

Waitrose

Picture the scene, a empty soulless TV studio and standing in the middle, Heston and Delia. Got it? Sounds so christmassy doesn't it? Obviously not but Waitrose's intentions are good yet the advert isn't. The focus this year is on Waitrose not spending money on a flashy festive advert but investing it in a their 'community matters' scheme. It's a nice idea but isn't the most eye-catching of adverts and it will be interesting to see whether the gamble pays off.

ASDA

The ASDA advert has come in for some criticism with people taking to Twitter to suggest it's actually sexist. The commercial shows a mum who is working hard to try and get everything ready for Christmas. Each scene sees something go wrong but in the end her hard work pays off and all the family is shown having a lovely time. It's predictable but fun and certainly not worth getting in a huff about.

Go Compare

Even Go Compare have their own Christmas advert this year. It includes Louis Spence and the Go Compare man...the less said the better.

Here are some other classic Christmas ads from years gone by:

John Lewis (2011)- 'For the gift you can't wait to give' 

Guinness (2006)

Irn Bru (2006)

Marks & Spencer (2009)

What's you favourite Christmas advert? Feel free to comment below.

Plus, my next post will look at the best Christmas films, make sure you check back soon. 

The Graduate: The struggle of finding a job

A university degree nowadays is a pretty common occurrence. In a graduation speech at Dartmouth college in the United States, comedian, Conan O'Brien jokes to the graduates,

"Today, you have achieved something special ----something only 92 percent of Americans your age will ever know:  a college diploma.   That’s right, with your college diploma you now have a crushing advantage over 8 percent of the workforce."

 Whilst O'Brien's speech is dripping with sarcasm it also completely true. Consequently, there are thousands of graduates each year competing for a job, each have a university degree and each are trying to be unique. Some graduates decide to postpone entering the job market and undertake a masters, others travel but most are hoping to start their career. 

One of the key obstacles I have found in attempting to get a job is the need for work experience or internships. These placements themselves can be incredibly difficult to secure as yet again there are many people vying for these experiences. Accordingly, not only is it difficult to get a job but it is difficult secure experience that you need to get a job. 

Luckily I've managed to secure placements with two advertising firms and a regional newspaper. This has definitely boosted my CV and given me invaluable experience. Nonetheless, just like having a degree doesn't mean you are guaranteed a job, neither does work experience. Consequently, I decided it  was important to seek a longer internship that would give me a greater understanding of the media and advertising. However, this is yet again where one may run into difficulty. Very few of the internships I and several others have applied for are paid. This makes it very difficult to fund your time during the internships, unless you work both weekdays and weekends. Secondly, the majority of the opportunities are in London. I live in the North of England and thus need accommodation when living in the South but find it difficult to pay rent whilst undertaking an unpaid internship. Nevertheless, companies and agencies can do this because positions are so contested and thus graduates are willing to work for free. Desperate to start their careers. This then arguably isolates those who can't afford to undertake an unpaid placement. 

One thing that can't be doubted is the need to make oneself unique. Stand out from the crowd. Be different, original and imaginative. There are jobs out there. Don't be disheartened through rejections. Use interviews as experiences and learning curves. Be prepared to work for free, work hard and impress to enhance that CV. I'm still seeking a job in the media and advertising but I'm not going to give up. I've got to grasp the opportunities that come my way.

"When you've worked hard and done well and walked through that doorway of opportunity, you do not slam it shut behind you." -Michelle Obama, Democratic National Convention

Conan O'Brien's words of wisdom at the Dartmouth College Graduation are filled with honesty and optimism for graduates and everyone. Watch it and smile. 

Social Media and Newspapers- A twist on a tale

Newspapers have certain stigmas attached to them. The Daily Mail perceived to be bemoaning everything wrong with Britain. The Sun renowned for page 3. The News of the World obviously destroyed its reputation with the phone hacking scandal. Murdoch subsequently launched The Sun on Sunday but this could arguably be perceived as a rebranding of The News of the World, and thus have a negative stigma still attached. I was watching the TV the other day and was intrigued by the new Guardian advert. Incredibly peculiar but also very clever, this is an advert that shows off the various facets of a modern day  Guardian newspaper. An invitation for the public to interact with the news.



This advert highlights the mutli-scalar brand of the Guardian but it does this through the use of a well known children's story. The advert depicts the "Three Little Pigs' as if their plight is a news story. Not only is this quite funny and clever but it is very different. Created by BBH London, this invites the audience into a familiar childhood story but told in a modern setting. Nonetheless, it doesn't simply raise a smile, it educates its audience and urges them to get involved. Open journalism.

Newspaper Headline

There is no doubt that technology has completely revolutionised the way we see the news. Social media and smartphones have created the notion of citizenship journalism, allowing normal members of the public to get involved. The Guardian advert takes the audience on a journey of a news story. Starting with  the police raiding the pig's house whilst shouting, "Little pig, little pig let us in", this creates an incredibly surreal scene and thus immediately grabs the viewers attention. The advert then cuts to a woman in her home watching the news story unfold on her laptop. Subsequently, this illuminates the ability to access news online through The Guardian website. Newspapers aren't just something that are delivered every morning.

The woman then interacts with the news story using the comments page found at the bottom of most articles but also other people's voices are then heard. This shows that any member of the public can have their say on the matter, also advocating the use of twitter, using the tag #opennews.  French and American voices are heard commenting on this news story, suggesting that this open journalism is a international matter as well. This cacophony of voices illustrates how the Guardian interacts with so many people, it's a two way relationship between the newspaper and the public. Text graphics continue to show the public's opinions and there is even reference to a poll. 

The Three Little Pigs

This emphasis on sites such as Youtube and Twitter show how important social media has become in the world of news and the Guardian are recognising this. The advert then twists the traditional three little pigs story suggesting they framed the wolf. Video simulations of the Guardian website suggest the big bad wold had asthma and thus couldn't blow the houses down. Not only is there an education on how viewers can interact with the news but the advert creates a plot that is different and thus intrigues viewers. It then arguably relates this back to the modern day credit crunch stating that the pigs framed the wolf to get insurance money as they were in debt.

Pig arrested

I have read that some believe that this parody is patronising and not serious. I would challenge this, it is different and they've used a familiar tale to relate to the everyday person, including those who are not Guardian readers. So often adverts are too serious, they don't engage with the audience. Humour can so often be a great way to make an advert memorable. Simply look at McCann Manchester's Aldi tea advert, winning various advertising awards.

 Clever, different and funny, the Guardian advert shows the important relationship between the news and social media nowadays and how easy it is for the public to interact. The website, an iPad, Twitter, Youtube and the newspaper itself, all displayed, to show how The Guardian provides, in their words, the "whole picture'.

Pinterest- A passing fad or here to stay?

It started with MySpace and Bebo. Facebook then arrived. Twitter flew in, followed by various other social media sites. Nonetheless, Pinterest seems to be the new form of social media that is grabbing people's interests, literally.

Pinterest

So what is Pinterest? Put simply, it is a online series of pin boards. You can virtually pin your favourite photos or videos to categorised pin boards. For instance, say you like a film that you've just seen, you can search for a photo or video of it online and using the special pin it button,  put it on your board. You can also add a caption to it to help describe to other pinners what it is. Arguably, it is like a picture/video version of Twitter, people can repin, like and comment on your pins. It is really easy to do and simple to navigate. Here is a picture of my Pinterest below:

You can then follow other people's boards, looking at their pictures. You might see a recipe you like, a film you want to see or a book you've never heard of but now want to read. The visual aspect is very good and incredibly addictive. Nonetheless, I've had Pinterest for a while now and at first it was like playing with a new toy, pinning everything in sight. Now I don't pin as much but still use it, to use a cliché, a picture tells a thousand words, and thus it is very eye catching, spending ages scrolling looking at all the different pins.

A repin on my Pinterest

A new side to Pinterest allows you to "Pin A Quote", highlighting any text on the internet you like the look of and it turns it into an image for your pin board. This is a great function as it allows you to see some of the best quotes from everyone using Pinterest. Like Twitter has trends, Pinterest has popular pins and of course there is a smartphone app. Is it another way for businesses to interact with consumers? Perhaps it could be. New products could be pinned. Companies could pin their new advertising campaigns. For instance, Universal have been pinning scenes from their hit movies, reminding people like me to watch films or buy products. 

Pinterest Logo

Arguably, it is Twitter for pictures but it is easy to use and you do see so many pictures that make you laugh, offer helpful advice, leave you in awe and inspire you to watch a film or pick up a book. Surely, these are not bad things, its a tool to show people what makes you happy? For businesses to visually show their products and campaigns. Whether it is will stay only time will tell but for now I'm having great fun pinning and viewing all the photos, videos and quotes from around world.

The Hunger Games- Social Media and Advertising

Last summer I was in the United States and met two American teenagers. They loved Harry Potter. They loved another series more. When they first told me about this trilogy of books, I'd never heard of them before. They told me I had to read them. The next day I went to a bookshop and purchased a copy of "The Hunger Games. Within the next week I had read all three. Gripped by Suzanne Collins' dystopian North America, where twenty four teenagers are "randomly" selected across twelve different districts. They are then put in an huge outdoor arena and have to kill each other till the last one is standing. It may sound rather grim but it is unbelievably gripping and has become hugely popular.

someecards.com

When I returned from the USA in the summer I was desperate to talk to friends about the book. No one had read it. No one had heard of it. Why? Subsequently,  I lent the books out to many people and now the film is released this month it seems everyone knows about it. Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, sites full of Hunger Games information, ranging from games and posters to interviews and apps.  Social Media is proving to be a key tool in promoting, interacting with and exciting consumers.

impawards.com

Logging on to twitter nowadays it is hard for me to get away from entertainment sites tweeting about upcoming releases or interviews with celebrities. For instance, Digital Spy is repeatedly tweeting new stories about the Hunger Games, whether that be the latest posters, cast interviews or a new sneak peek video. Entertainment websites have the ability to easily communicate reaching so many people, so quickly. The rise in smart phone usage means people can check their Facebook or twitter feed whenever they want. Films like the Hunger Games have arguably latched on to this. They have created Facebook groups that have interactive games with just over 254,000 Facebook users on the official page. Their twitter account has as 233, 723 followers, . There are social media apps about the Hunger Games. There are thousands of pins on Pinterest about it. Social Media creates a buzz. A chain reaction, a retweet, a tag, a like, a pin. Ways of spreading the word about a product. There is no doubt that social media is one of the most important ways an organisation interacts with its clients. The image below is a moving poster created for the Hunger Games, the internet and social media allows this quirky idea to be distributed easily, compared to more traditional methods, such as normal advertising posters.

sugarscape.com

The Hunger Games is just one example of a product that has used social media to interact with people. It can reach those who have never previously heard about it. Social media can aid hype of a product, more people want to buy it because everyone is talking about it. The future of Advertising and PR significantly involves Social Media as sites like Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest continue to grow in popularity. Ignoring social media is not an option for a business that wants to succeed?

Brands that need a makeover

Sometimes you see an advertising campaign and cringe. "What were they thinking?", "Do they really think they're going to sell products?" "Where's the TV remote, I can't watch this advert?" Whilst there are a lot of brands in the world that manage to attract the consumer's attention in a good way, there are some brands that are in desperate need of a makeover. They often have a negative stereotype connected to them, a stigma, somewhere they have gone wrong and the need for rebranding is urgent.


Adverts have the ability to excite the consumer, take for instance the Christmas Coca Cola adverts. When sat around the TV in early December and you see the bright lorries winding their way through the countryside to the sound of "Holidays are coming, holidays are coming", people often scream at the TV, shouting "It's Christmas, the Coca Cola advert has been on". Then you look at your Facebook and Twitter,  people's statuses filled with, "OMG it's officially Christmas, just seen the Coca Cola advert". You know it's true. This advert has become iconic, people remember it for the right reasons.

(mancunianmatters.co.uk)

Some of the best adverts invite the consumer to laugh with them, a commercial created with humour in mind. Everyone enjoys having a chuckle normally and adverts can often be seen as the boring bit in between your favourite show, so why not make the viewer laugh with you. Nonetheless, never allow the viewer to laugh at you, create a campaign that is so bad people find it funny in the wrong way or have to leave the room. They don't buy the product because the brand has been presented so badly. I wish to look at several brands that need to sit in that makeup chair and perhaps have an appointment with cosmetic surgeon, they need rebranding.


Lambrini


Ask yourself the first thing you think of when you see the word, Lambrini. It certainly has a stigma attached to it, not the classiest of drinks perhaps? Associated with women getting drunk? It has always been targeted towards women and thus it isn't seen as "man's" drink. I entered Lambrini into the urban dictionary and saw the notion of being Lambrinified meaning, "To become intoxicated by means of cheap wine abuse". Not the best image for a brand. Their recent advert again perpetuates this notion of it being a drink for women, focusing on them in the workplace and at home. That's no problem, targeting and relating to its market. Nonetheless, these women suddenly end up on the back of an open top double decker bus singing, "I am, what I am. I'm not entirely sure what they were trying to accomplish but they certainly made a cheesy advert  that made an episode of Glee look like The Sopranos. Lambrini needs a makeover, it has to throw away the stigma of, "a drink for lightweights", " so cheap and horrible but who cares it gets you drunk." Is that really a good brand image?





Durham Students Union


 Durham University is often seen as one of the best in the country. You'd assume it has fantastic lecture facilities. It does. You'd assume there are gowns and formals? There are. You'd assume that it has a world class student's union. It doesn't. Well at least not yet. To look at the brand, that is the Durham Student's Union, it isn't positive within the student population. Their website is average, their interaction with students isn't great and the events they provide students were so badly attended they had to stop. They struggle to advertise to their market. Not the sign of a good brand. Other local clubs advertise and market their events far better but perhaps the greatest detrimental impact on the Student Union brand is the Student Union building itself. Built by Ove Arup, the architect behind the Sydney Opera House, the Student Union is reminiscent of a nuclear bunker. It is about as welcoming as a opening your front door to find Ann Widdecombe stood there in her nightie with a bottle of Lambrini in her hand. The building is part of the brand. With plans to redevelop the building, this will aid to redevelop the rest of the brand. A much needed rebranding for an organisation that has a dangerous stigma, where students rarely see the point of it.

(mimoa.eu)

Blackburn Rovers


One of four teams to have won the Premier League. A founder of the Football League. The only club where Alan Shearer won a trophy. One would assume Blackburn Rovers as brand looks quite good. Think again. A couple of seasons ago, Rovers were known for being one of the best run clubs in the country but were in need of new owners. Step forward Venkys. Experts in football management? No, chicken farmers. What could go wrong, I hear you ask. Not only have Venkys and the man they employed to manage the team, Steve Kean, ruined the team on the football pitch but they have decimated a brand. They supposedly bought Blackburn Rovers to enhance their own brand. Nevertheless, by destroying the brand of Blackburn Rovers they have seriously impacted the reputation of their own brand.  They have made Blackburn Rovers into a laughing stock within the football world, promised exciting players and Champions League football. When in fact, they've signed poor players and are likely to be playing Championship football. Their public relations have been abysmal, with little communication with fans or if any, patronising statements. For instance, Venkys suggested Blackburn Rovers was their "baby". Call social services, they're awful parents. They've decimated a respected brand in football. Blackburn Rovers is an embarrassing brand now, just look at the advert below. The best way to rebrand Blackburn Rovers is for Venkys to sell the club to new owners.







I hope these three very different examples illustrate how important advertising campaigns and maintaining a brand image is. Here is an added extra, which I feel represents one of the worst adverts ever made:

The Power of the Advert

Del Boy falling through the bar. Ross saying Rachel's name at the altar. David Brent's cringing dance in "The Office". These iconic TV moments are memorable and stay in the mind of the individual for a long time. Nonetheless, there are some advertising campaigns that can do the exact same thing, you don't forget them and you can always link their product to "that" advert. These are the best adverts and often these take several pathways. Firstly, humour is a fantastic way to interact with potential customers, everyone likes to laugh and if you have an advert that has the ability to do that, it stays with you, it can be watched again and again. Secondly, grasping a completely different and visually aesthetic advert can be useful, this may mean spending lots of money on clever graphics, large sets or well known celebrities. This arguably creates  a mini "blockbuster" of a commercial, that is beautifully shot but also very clever, an advert that the audience cannot take their eyes off. Thirdly, there is the notion of a gimmick, often an annoying catchphrase or character that may grate on its audience but they do remember it. For example, " Calm down dear, it's only a commercial" and " Compare the Meerkat" are remembered due to their gimmicky nature.  Finally, I'd suggest a narrative, an actual story can also grab and audience's attention, they want to know what is going to happen next in the adverts, including the product and leaving them on a cliffhanger, waiting for the next advert. I've compiled a list of some of the best adverts I've seen, some funny, some clever but all memorable.


1. Virgin Trains- Return of the Trains
This advert was wonderfully shot with Virgin trains zooming through the countryside. Created by  Rainey Kelly Campbell Roalfe/Y&R, this advert showcased cinema's relationship with trains. Clever graphics showed the Railway children racing towards a Virgin Train, Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis from "Some Like it Hot" walking along the platform and Cary Grant sitting a train table, take from Hitchcock's "North By Northwest". This advert is different, it is very clever, like a classic film with an accompanying score, combining the magic of the movies and the "excitement" of the train.


2. John Smith's Bitter- No Nonsense
Including a celebrity in a company's advert can often be a great tool in appealing to an audience but including a funny celebrity can be even better. People like to laugh. TBWA created the hilarious "No Nonsense" John Smith adverts and pulled off a masterstroke in employing comedian, Peter Kay. His cheeky Northern humour worked fantastically, whether he was bombing into a pool or having a kick about in the park, these adverts were remembered because they were funny and complimented the tagline "No nonsense" brilliantly.



3. John Lewis- "Always a woman"
John Lewis adverts get the nation talking. Their Christmas 2011 advert was incredibly popular, with a cute little boy excited to give his parents their presents. Nonetheless, I wish to focus on the 2010 advert in which the story of a woman's life is followed from her as a toddler to a Grandma created by the Adam and Eve Group. This advert was very clever as it included a narrative of whole woman's life in less than two minutes, women could thus relate to each stage of the life course. A mother, a grandma and student for example. This episode is also effective due to Fyfe Dangerfield's reworking of Billy Joel's "She's always a woman", it relates to the story and has gentle but catchy melody. Whilst these adverts are costly, they certainly grab the attention of its intended audience.




4. Aldi- "I don't like tea"
Touted as the most popular ad of 2011, the Aldi Tea commercial is very simple but very funny. Created by McMann Manchester, this involves a elderly lady comparing teabags that her husband enjoys, she simply says "I don't like tea" and from behind one of the teabag boxes grabs a drink and says "I like gin". This advert whilst promoting Aldi's value products, which appear cheaper and taste the same, also adds a humorous aspect that surprises the viewer, who don't expect an elderly woman to act in this way. The lady in the advert wasn't even an actress but her comic timing works wonderfully, and ensures the advert is easy to watch over and over again.


5. T-mobile- Flashmob
This advert is simply fun. Saatchi and Saatchi developed this advert to take place in Liverpool Street station at a time where flash mobbing wasn't particularly well known. Without being too cheesy, this advert made you want to be there, either watching or taking part. Its unique and fun angle makes it memorable, making one associate T-mobile with the different, exciting flashmob.


6.  BT- Jane and Adam
BT's Jane and Adam adverts exemplify the clever use of narratives in advertising. Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO created a family one could relate to but left the audience wanting more. They want to know what happen's next. Will they, won't they? This is a device used before, for instance, NesCafe's "Gold Blend" couple. Almost like a soap opera, viewers eagerly await the next chapter and thus always remember the product. Viewers were even asked to vote on the outcome of their relationship, showing further interaction with customers. 


7. Compare the Market.com- "Compare the Meerkat"
I actually find the compare the market adverts incredibly annoying, with Aleksandr the Meerkat being the culprit. Nonetheless, the country seems to have gone meerkat mad since these adverts were created by VCCP, apparently the brainchild of two creatives who were drunk in a pub. This advertising campaign is the epitome of the gimmick but people remember it, they like seeing a Meerkat with a Russian accent wearing a smoking jacket. The success of the adverts is illustrated in the compare the meerkat merchandise range, including a book and soft toys. Compare the market with its clever wordplay will always be associated with the popular meerkat, despite being irritating to some.



8. Skoda "My Favourite Things"
This advert was relatively simple but at the same time brilliantly clever. Created by Fallon, the advert involved making the product, a Skoda car, completely out of cake. Whilst looking very tasty it was also different and unique. I cannot remember an advert like it and the song, "My Favourite Things" being played in the advert gave it an upbeat feel, it starts in a kitchen, so one my assume it is about food but as the advert progresse the viewer wants to see what they are making. The end result, a cake car.



9. Sony Bravia- "Bouncing Balls"
José González's song, "Heartbeats" provided the perfect melody for the bouncing balls on the streets of San Francisco. Created by Fallon again, this was a beautifully directed and shot commercial, mesmerising to watch thousands of bouncing balls hit the streets. The colours of each ball provided provided a exciting and vibrant spectacular, with no CGI used, just 250,000 bouncy balls.




10. Specsavers- "That's not the steam room"
Specsavers lends itself brilliantly to funny adverts due to its well known slogan, "You should have gone to Specsavers". The 2011 advert with Gordon Ramsay is a prime example of using humour to entice the audience to watch. Like John Smith, Specsavers own in-house team opted for the big name celebrity, set in a steamy kitchen, they opted for Gordon Ramsay. The advert shows a man walking into a steamy room thinking it is steam room and sitting on the counter but it is actually Gordon Ramsay's kitchen. It's funny, simple and most important, memorable.


I hope this selection has provided a diverse range of adverts, showing how they can make you laugh, be almost cinematic in quality but at times also be annoying. They key to adverts: make them memorable.


I'm also a big fan of Volkswagen's "See film differently" campaign, in which they support independent cinemas, so here's one more that is solely shown in cinemas: