Gerry Human in '3 great ads I had nothing to do with'
We hear from Gerry Human, Global Executive Creative Director of Ogilvy’s Global Brand Management division, who talks on camera about three ads that have inspired him over the years. In this short film, Gerry also tells us about the alchemy of great TV advertising and how it is able to captivate audiences through the fusion of great script writing, clever music choices and expert directing. You can find out about his chosen ads, right here.
A few words about Gerry:
Originally from South Africa, Gerry started working at O&M London in 2008. He has spent the past five years reshaping the agency for the future, mainly by focusing on what he loves most: making great work.
The agency has won a number of recent awards worldwide for major clients including Dove, Philips and Expedia and this year O&M London was named Agency of the Year in two categories at Campaign’s Big Awards.
Gerry’s work has been recognised with 72 Cannes Lions (17 Gold), 19 Clio Statues (4 Gold), 6 One Show Pencils (2 Gold), 23 D&AD In-Book & 3 Nominations, 4 Grand Prix & 31 Gold Loerie Awards as well as 3 LIA Grand Prix.
Gerry’s choices:
Orange 'Dance'
The ad shows a typical breakfast scene with a middle-aged couple in their kitchen. As they move around the room together their actions become more graceful and choreographed until they are dancing together through the house and into the garden. The ad ends with the strapline "Relationships, they get better with time."
The ad was created by Stephen Butler and art directed by Sam Walker, both of Mother, and directed by Dougal Wilson at Blink Productions. In 2006, Wilson won a D&AD Yellow Pencil for the ad.
Agency: Mother
Creative: Stephen Butler / Sam Walker
Production Co: Blink Productions
Director: Dougal Wilson
Harvey Nichol's 'Walk of Shame'
DDB UK, now adam&eveDDB, created this ad for Harvey Nichol’s womenswear. It centres around ‘the walk of shame’: the journey home after a one-night stand. The film shows a series of women making their way home in the early morning after a night out, looking worse-for-wear and still dressed in their party outfits from the night before. Text reads ‘avoid the walk of shame this season’ and the final woman in the ad arrives home looking immaculate in a beautiful dress.
The ad, produced by Outsider and directed by James Rouse, adopted the hashtag #walkofshame for the campaign, to encourage viewers to share their own stories on Twitter.
The ad won several awards including a Gold Clio, a Silver in Cannes and a Silver at the British Arrows.
Agency: DDB UK
Creative: Jeremy Craigen
Production Company: Outsider
Director: James Rouse
John Smith's 'Mum'
Starring the comedian Peter Kay, this ad shows a man marching into his mother’s house to take her to an old people’s home, despite the fact she’s 55 and doesn’t need to go into a home. Drawing on Kay’s typical matter-of-fact humour, the ad ends with a shot of a pint of John Smith’s next to the text "no nonsense."
The ad campaign, created by Trevor Beattie and Paul Silburn, then of TBWA\London, won a number of awards in 2003 including a Gold Lion in Cannes and gold at the British Arrows.
Agency: TBWA\LONDON
Creative: Trevor Beattie, Paul Silburn
Production Company: Spectre
Director: Daniel Kleinman
