The Thinkboxes Winner - August 2008

British Heart Foundation - Heart attack

When the British Heart Foundation (BHF) revealed that it was running a solus ad break to warn viewers about the symptoms of a heart attack, more than a few eyebrows were raised.

But the brave strategy paid off; the two-minute ‘Watch your own heart attack’, which ran at 9.17pm on Sunday 10 August during the ITV1 drama Midsomer Murders, reached 6.5m viewers.

The one-off ad, starring the actor Steven Berkoff, was designed to help viewers recognise the early symptoms of a heart attack, such as chest pain and nausea, so that they can react quickly and prevent the many needless deaths that currently occur.

Berkoff powerfully played out the symptoms with drama and medical accuracy. The campaign, conceived and created by Grey London, also included billboards, press and washroom ads, as well as online activity, up to its screening.

David Barker, head of communication at the British Heart Foundation, says: ‘We are all familiar with the classic Hollywood heart attack, where you clutch your chest, fall over and die, but there are a range of symptoms and identifying these early is critical.

‘We wanted to create a TV event. We have already had letters from people who said they saw the ad and it saved their life. We couldn’t wish for better than that.’

The Thinkbox Academy judges chose the ad as August’s winner ahead of Land Rover’s ‘Location scout’ and ‘History of communication’ from Carphone Warehouse. To see the full shortlist and watch the winning entry go to www.thinkbox.tv/thethinkboxes.

‘‘We have already had letters from people who said they saw the ad and it saved their life. We couldn’t wish for better than that’

David Barker
Head of communication,
British Heart Foundation

Ad info

• Client: David Barker, BHF
• Brief: Create awareness of the symptoms of a heart attack
• Ad agency: Grey London
• Creative team: Joanna Perry, Damon Troth
• Production: RSA Films
• Director: Brett Foraker
• Media agency: PHD

Other ads on the podium

Land Rover - Location Scout

Sumptuously shot by director Stacey Wall, the brief was to reaffirm the Discovery as the most capable 4x4 on the market. It shows real-life location scout Patrick Ranahan doing a job requiring a vehicle that can go anywhere to satisfy the demands of a director - he wants a cactus in the foreground, with the right sort of mountains behind it. The film thus seeks to underline a "go anywhere" capability that makes Discovery 3 a vehicle trusted by experts in their field. Created by Steve Williams and Adrian Lim at Rainey Kelly Campbell Roalfe/ Y&R for Rob Furio at Land Rover, it shows Ranahan, after an epic journey, eventually delivering the goods.

The Carphone Warehouse - A Brief History of Communications & X Factor Idents

Produced to coincide with its sponsorship of the X Factor, this ad and sponsorship idents signal a transformation of The Carphone Warehouse from a mobile phone specialist into a retailer offering connectivity via a broader range of technology. Using stop-frame animation, the film gives a potted history of the development of mobiles, setting out the company's philosophy that whatever the future might bring in technology, The Carphone Warehouse will always have the latest kit and the people on hand to make sense of it all. It was created by Angus Wardlaw and Alexei Berwitz at CHI & Partners working to client Zoe Vafadari and directed by Kristofer Strom.

Also shortlisted for August

KFC - Today Starts Here

This bright, upbeat commercial, heralding the launch of the new breakfast range from KFC, was created by Andy Drugan and Adam Arber at Bartle Bogle Hegarty working to the client Jennelle Tilling. Directed by Ben Gregor, it illustrates the "can do" spirit that a good cooked breakfast can give us. In a series of comedy vignettes, we watch a fisherman attempting, quite literally, to push his boat out - not easy given the fact that the tide is out, it's a big boat and it's beached on wet sand. There's also a labourer trying to pull out all the stops (in this case roadside stop signs) and a farmer about to take a bull by the horns. Starting here, it tells us, today really can be different.

Lilt - Parrot

Introducing Mr Sullivan, the new spokesperson for Lilt, starring in a series (20 in all) of ten-second sponsorship idents for ITV2's daytime strand. The brief from the client, Carly O'Connor at Coca-Cola, was to reinforce Lilt's tropical heritage and find a recognisable icon that fits with Lilt's fun brand personality. Thus we find Mr Sullivan, resplendent in his red, blue and green plumage, running his own pirate radio station out of his flat - playing reggae, showing off, bragging about his prowess, admiring himself in the mirror and occasionally downing a can of Lilt. These idents were directed by Rodericke Fenske, working alongside a creative team of Lars Holthe and Johan Baettig at Mother.

National Express - Miniature Prices

The brief from Rob Payne at National Express East Coast was to deliver a retail campaign that could dovetail with its Miniature Prices print work. The response from Jon Foye and Di Tansey at CDP was to create animated spots, featuring miniature plastic people in scenarios designed to evoke regional tourist attractions; and each concludes with a model train pulling into a station. Directed by Darren Walsh, the ads show the tourist at fare destinations - for instance, overpowered by a London department store's revolving doors; getting caught up in mediaeval soldiery reconstructions in York; or being overawed and overshadowed by the Angel of the North.

National Year of Reading - Consequences

The Department for Children, Schools and Families has designated 2008 as the National Year of Reading in a bid to encourage reading for both purpose and pleasure. Taking its cue from the game of Consequences, this film intercuts between British celebrities reading from a range of sources - from car manuals and celebrity magazines to Shakespeare - to create comic juxtapositions that help to underline the joy to be taken from the written word. Beautifully structured, it's "bookended" by a Bill Bailey joke. The proposition at its heart is that reading opens doors to new experiences, adventures and possibilities. Devised by Nikki Waid, it was written and directed by Stephen Pip at COI.

Specsavers - Sandpit

In its latest ad in the "should have gone to" campaign, Specsavers plumped for a track and field theme - appropriate given our rediscovery of our enthusiasm this summer for things Olympian. A little girl and her mother are happily making sandcastles in a sandpit when an athlete in red lycra comes hurtling in feet first, sending up an explosion of sand. As he leaps out, pumping the air, we realise he's mistaken the playground sand for the long-jump pit. The commercial was created for the Specsavers client Richard Holmes by an in-house client team including Jon Crocker and Mark de la Rue. It was directed by Steve Reeves.

The Natural Confectionery Company - Contemplative Sweets

The brief from Martin Driver at Cadbury was to launch The Natural Confectionery Company in the UK by focusing on its raison d'être as a sweet-maker that makes sweets without any artificial colours and flavours. Matt Keon and Dirk Van Dooren at Fallon responded with the development of a "kidult" tone of voice that seeks to be edgy and charming. Each ad develops a comic or surreal exchange between jelly shapes or creatures, evolving a distinct character for each. The range includes snakes (laid-back), dinosaurs (supercilious), and bears (hard as sugar on the outside, soft on the inside). The director was Tom Kuntz.