Breakfast fuel you'll need // a Weet(a)bix comparison.

The similar product to Weetabix in Australia (called Weet-Bix) is a common breakfast cereal and typically its advertising has targeted active kids, offering them the required fuel for daily achievement. The Weetabix product found here in the U.K. also offers early-morning fuel and links this as key to getting through the rest of your day. Essentially the same product, similar messages, but the target audience and creative execution varies. So which is more effective?

vs. 

Weet-Bix (Australia) took an aspirational approach to last year's campaign, utilising iconic members of Australian sports as the brand's spokespeople. The TVC featured below opens with one of our most recognisable cricketers, Brett Lee. The emphasis here in the first frame is on his career achievement of 190 One Day Internationals (just in case you didn't know the exact figure). A cricket commentary track sets the scene in a numbers-style creative which highlights Brett's main career stats. The important number to remember here though is seven, that's the number of Weet-Bix he's eating in the final frame. And yes, that does seem like a lot. The final spoken line "How many do you do?", while the ad closes out with the last few tones of the 'Weet-Bix kids' jingle. This ad is linked to Weet-Bix's long advertising history in Australia (tracing this jingle back to the '80s) and reminding us to reminisce that "Aussie kids are Weet-Bix kids."

Weetabix advertising here in the U.K. has in previous campaigns targeted the nuclear family, rather than zoning in on active children. Last Summer's campaign, 'Fuel For Big Days' put members of a family up against each other in the debate over who has the most stressful day. Predictable but wonderfully and simply captured all the same, baby wins in that argument. Humorous, charming and quirky; a fun and entertaining execution that is very human and relatable to its audience.

Keeping it sweet // John Lewis Christmas Ads.

Continuing the theme of Christmas advertising I wanted to share these John Lewis advertisements, which take a slightly more traditional, but effective, approach to Christmas than the Harvey Nichols advertisements featured on this Blog.

In this article on The Drum website, the effectiveness of emotive advertising is highlighted and identified as a continuing and growing trend in U.K. advertising.

Written by Patrick Danaher, Marketing Director of gyro, the article identifies recent successful campaigns that have "used emotional engagement and entered the public subconscious as a result."

It is important to remember here that the goals of advertising are not simply to be noticed, entertain or amuse, but also to influence and even alter behaviour and/or attitudes. Emotive advertising it appears is still the most popular means by which this is achieved.

This takes me now to the past John Lewis Christmas adverts, where a nice emotive theme has been strung throughout these over the years.

Harvey Nichols // a new perspective on Christmas advertising.

Just came across these thanks to a wonderful friend. 

Forget themes of joy and wonder, of discovery and people coming together in celebration. In its 2011 Christmas campaign, Harvey Nichols ensured it did not fall into this broad category of typical Christmas ads, at what can be such a retail and advertisement-cluttered time of year. 

Standing apart from the rest, Harvey Nichols took a slightly controversial approach. A new spin on the "walk of shame", suggesting it is avoided by looking classy (by wearing Harvey Nichols womenswear, of course) when returning home after a one-night stand. 

There was a slight backlash on this viral campaign, but it was definitely worth the attention. I'd prefer to look classy, wouldn't you? Oops I mean, how rude. How dare you Harvey Nichols, to suggest such a thing... 

I'm guessing this advert won the majority vote. A job well done.

Had to include this one as well, the 2010 Harvey Nichols Christmas ad. A little bit wrong, but way too much fun not to share.

Creative Agency:

TV advertising impresses // it's the timing that counts.

I must admit that I am loving the TV advertising here in the U.K. Quirky, thoughtful and clever would be my key descriptors for quite a few of the TVCs that I have come across so far. And at this stage, I must say that overall TV advertising does appear to be done better here than in Australia. 

There is a nice pace to the ads, illusion to narrative and the ads themselves don't appear to be intrusive or jumping off the screen yelling at you. They are well-integrated into the viewing experience and appealing to their audience, actually creating a laugh; a sense of enjoyment and viewing pleasure.

A bit of a nod to the media industry regulators here as well, for not allowing over-selling of the media space and the tiring out of our TV advertising, at what can sometimes seem like such short intervals.

What a beautiful and simple thing to enjoy.