Thinkbox
In this film, Matt Davis, Creative Director at The Red Brick Road, discusses three ads that have made an indelible impression on him. He discusses how magical ads that can grab the viewers’ attention is something creatives strive for.
A few words about Matt
Matt Davis and Richard Megson are responsible for all creative output at The Red Brick Road. Matt does the words, Richard the pictures. In 2008, they co-founded Ruby, before taking over the creative department of The Red Brick Road when the two agencies merged in 2010. Prior to The Red Brick Road, Matt worked at CHI&Partners producing award-winning work for The Daily Telegraph, Friends of The Earth and The One Account. Recent campaigns from their department have won Campaign BIG, Creative Circle and DMA awards.
More about Matt's 3 great ad choices
Reebok: Theatre of Dreams
Twenty British celebrities feature in this 1998 Reebok ad. It was advertising’s biggest-ever collection of stars for a 90-second commercial, and included Chris Eubank, Anna Friel, Sting, Robbie Williams and Wallace and Gromit. The ad’s dialogue is ‘kicked’ from one celebrity to another like a football, allows each celebrity to reveal their love of the game, and showing that even famous successful stars dream of being in Ryan Giggs’ boots when he scores. A specially commissioned classical score by Anne Dudley at Air Edel backs it all.
The ad taking one and a half years to make, was a logistical nightmare and cost £3m. The celebrities volunteered their time for a nominal fee and a donation was made on their behalf to the charity, Barnados. It was written by Derek Apps, directed by Tony Kaye and art directed by Vince Squibb at Lowes.
Heineken: Rubbish
As part of Heineken’s ‘How Refreshing, How Heineken’ campaign in 1999, this ad follows a group of diligent dustmen doing their early morning rounds. The ‘refreshing difference’ is that they go throughout the 40-second ad in painstaking silence, trying to be as quiet as possible so as not to disturb the neighbourhood.
The ad, created by Lowe Howard and directed by Chris Palmer, won a D&AD Wood Pencil for TV & Cinema Advertising in 2000.
Barnardo's: Life Story
This ad shows a glimpse into the life of Michael, a vulnerable child who managed to turn his life around with the support and positive encouragement of Barnardo's.
The director, Ringan Ledwidge decided to use simple old-fashioned edit transitions, as Michael grows younger to make it feel like a single shot. The campaign was created by Bartle Bogle Hegarty through Rattling Stick. BBH, visited several Barnardo’s projects before developing the ad, and spoke to a number of Barnardo’s independent visitors and the children they work with, which helped craft the script and make it as realistic as possible.
