Thinkbox
In this film, Sally Abbott, of Weetabix, reveals the three ad campaigns she admires but had nothing to do with and talks about her instinctive reaction to creative work. From building rituals around the product to using clever formulas and details, she delves further into why these three ads made her top three.
A bit about Sally
Sally studied Modern Languages at Sheffield University before beginning her career in marketing at Unilever.
She joined the company as a graduate in 1990 and was soon posted to John West Foods Limited as assistant brand manager.
In 1994 Sally joined Kraft Foods and worked on brands including Angel Delight, Dairylea, Philadelphia cream cheese and Kenco coffee.
After spending some time in the sales department at Kraft she was appointed marketing director for chocolate in the UK and Toblerone in the EU.
She joined Weetabix Limited in October 2008 as marketing director to help build breakfast cereal brands including Weetabix and Alpen. Sally’s role expanded its reach globally earlier this year following the acquisition of Weetabix by the Chinese Food Group Bright.
Sally’s choices:
Heinz 'Bottle'
The June 2009 Thinkboxes winner is a simple, yet effective, idea, which reminds consumers of the vital part that Heinz Tomato Ketchup plays at meal times.
The ad, entitled ‘Bottle’ and created by ad agency Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO, is notable because the one thing that is absent throughout is the product itself.
In the ad, we see people from various generations patting, squeezing and scraping sauce from an invisible bottle, adding the final touch to different types of food. The aim of the spot is to demonstrate how strong the Heinz brand is through not showing the product at all.
- Agency: Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO
- Creative: Martin Lorraine/Steve Jones
- Production Co: BlinkDirector: Dougal Wilson
Specsavers 'Shuttle'
Specsavers features poorly sighted astronauts landing at the wrong airport to push it's "should have gone to Specsavers" strapline.
The ad, created inhouse, shows a space shuttle crew preparing to land then cuts to embarrassed-looking astronauts standing around a carousel with holidaymakers, waiting to retrieve their baggage after having accidentally landed at Luton Airport.
The ad was directed by Another Film Company's Jeff Stark. The creative director and copywriter on the ad was Graham Daldry, and the deputy creative director and art director was Steve Loftus.
- Agency: Specsavers Creative
- Creative: Graham Daldry/Steve Loftus
- Production Co: Another Film Company
- Director: Jeff Stark
Robinsons 'Pals'
Robinsons focuses on boys at play in its ad created by BBH.
Shot by directing duo Si & Ad at Academy Films, the concept behind the ad is that being a parent means also being a good friend.
The 60 second film aims to show the importance of energetic family play. It captures the relationship between two boys and follows them as they enjoy kicking a football around the park, throwing stones into a river and having ‘sword’ fights with twigs.
At the end of the ad, one of the boys is shown to actually be the father of the other boy and appears suddenly as an adult as he carefully tucks his son into bed after a day playing together.
The film ends with the line ‘It’s good to be a dad. It’s better to be a friend.’
- Agency: BBH
- Creative: Matt Moreland/Chris Clarke/Sarah Hardcastle/Elliot Shiels
- Production Co: Academy Films
- Director: Si & Ad
