Bestads Top 6 of the Week reviewed by Steve O’Connell, Red Tettemer+Partners, Philadelphia
FAVORITE: Polo: Father and Daughter. This spot had me from beginning to end. Great story. Perfect music. Excellent directing. Fantastic little moments. OK, so I’m I new father. But I would’ve loved it even if I wasn’t. Although, would I have gotten all choked up and pretended not to be teary-eyed when someone walked into the room as I was watching the spot? We’ll never know.
RUNNER UP: Flying Horse: Cat Toast. Normally, I’m not a fan of weird for weird sake. But I’m also not a fan of cats. So those forces seemed to have cancelled out here and left me chuckling. And it’s for an energy drink. So I think they kind of get a pass on having to make a whole lot of sense.
FAVORITE: Land Rover: Edible Desert Survival Guide. Um, they made a desert survival guide out of edible paper so you can eat it as a last resort. I’m just going to let that brilliance sink in rather than write anything else.
RUNNER UP: Faber Castell: Terrace Cafe at Night. While we often like to proclaim that our industry is all about art, let’s be honest, it’s really all about sales. Although, it’s nice when those rare instances come along and it really is all about art.
FAVORITE: IKEA: Toilet. Not only is this idea unforgettable to everyone who experienced it, but it will have people wishing they could be so lucky as to discover this themselves the next time they’re out and about and in need of toilet. Pretty smart, IKEA.
RUNNER UP: EVOC: Indestructible Billboard. Great interaction. And it must’ve pulled in a crowd, even for those who took on pass on trying to punch the hell out of the thing. And a smart connection to social media. And best of all, it drove home the product benefit.
FAVORITE: AMAROK: Facebook Flipbook. It’s the simplest of all the ideas on here. But that’s what makes it so fun. It’s extremely easy for people to play and interact with it. No big log ins, downloads, or mind melds. And given that every brand is trying to think of a new way to use Facebook, it’s impressive when someone find a new novel way to play with the platform.
RUNNER UP: Pedigree Adoption Drive. It’s a stretch to call this “interactive” in the way the word is used by most of us, but it takes to heart the real meaning of the word and does it beautifully. I didn’t even know the technology existed to do this. And I bet most people didn’t either. But it wasn’t about just using new tech for the sake of it. It was put to use perfectly to make their point. Well done.