Thinkbox
A few words about Debs Gerrard
Debs started her career temping as an account executive at Saatchi & Saatchi Auckland, when she was still at university in 2006.
After moving to London, she freelanced before starting at Albion in 2010, where she was currently a creative director. She led the development of the agency’s brand reinvention work for Thomas Cook .She also created a social campaign for Jose Cuervo that helped the tequila brand gain a million Twitter fans, spearheaded the V energy-drink work targeting internet trolls and won a bronze Cannes Lion with a radio spot for the blood-cancer charity Anthony Nolan.
More about Deb's 3 great ad choices
John West: Salmon Bear
Filmed in the Scottish Highlands, the ad was developed at Leo Burnett London, by creative directors Mark Tutssel and Nick Bell, art director and copywriter Paul Silburn, and agency producer Charlie Gatsky. The ad quickly became the most downloaded TV advert online, making it one of the world's first internet virals. By 2006 it had been viewed over 300 million times and was the sixth most viewed video online. The bear’s nifty kung fu moves were executed by a stuntman in a 7-foot tall bear suit, complete with animatronic head.
The ad picked up the best commercial of the year at the British Television Advertising Awards, won the Advertising Creative Circle Awards, a Gold Lion at Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival, and Grand Prize for Television/Cinema at the London International Awards. Campaign voted it the funniest ad of all time in 2008.
- Agency: Leo Burnett
- Creative: Mark Tutssel/ Paul Silburn/ Nick Bell
- Production Company: Spectre
- Director: Daniel Kleinmann
Skittles "Touch"
This TBWA/Chiat/Day, New York ad from 2007 was created by Eric Kallman and Craig Allen. It ranked as Creativity Online's most watched spot of 2007.
The ad uses a dark humour, and in an interview with Ad Age, art director Craig Allen said he "thought it would be funny to do a slightly sad spot for a candy brand...the more creative a brand is, the more people respond to it. If a brand isn't willing to take risks, it's going to have a hard time breaking through."
- Agency: TBWA/ Chiat/ Day (New York)
- Creatives: Craig Allen/ Eric Kallman
- Prod Company: MJZ
- Director: Tom Kuntz
Guinness "NoitulovE"
'NoitulovE' ("Evolution" backwards) is a 2005 Guinness ad. It was handled by the advertising agency Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO, with a budget of £1.3M. Directed by Daniel Kleinman, it received over 30 awards, including Film Grand Prix at Cannes 2006 and D&AD Wood pencil 2006, and was the most-awarded commercial worldwide in 2006.
Guinness achieved its highest-ever volume and value shares and became the market leader within the region. Bartlett describes it as "very much a product of the post production process."
- Agency: Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO
- Creatives: Ian Heartfield/ Matt Doman
- Prod Company: Kleinman Productions
- Director: Daniel Kleinman