Private view

appointed Covent Garden home to meet its new baby, First Direct. The

painless delivery was overseen by the talented midwives, Larry Barker

(son of the comedian, Sir Ronald Barker), and Rooney Caruthers (now

happily recovered from a recent bout of bulimia and rumoured to be back

with the gorgeous Tamara Beckwith). There were a few heart-stopping

moments when it was realised that the new arrival was suffering from the

life-threatening Vox Pop disease, but the team breathed life back into

the patient by using clever film techniques and some inspired casting.

The result is a charming and spirited infant that is surely the first of

many.

That marvellous British institution, the Royal Mail, recently made some

engaging home movies with its long-time partner, Bates Dorland. One

features a van load of policemen debating the respective virtues of

children’s TV series. The amusing dialogue about the attributes of the

Clangers and Stingray seemed so slick as to be almost scripted. To our

delight we saw two further treats. One show a pair of actresses

discussing the Jaguar XK120 (a car apparently) while applying their pre-

performance make-up. The other starred the employees of a mini-cab firm

comparing the speed of a plucky disabled athlete and the Conservative

MP, Sebastian Coe. Again, although the film-makers were adamant that the

participants received no help with their words, the dialogue was so

expertly constructed it could only have been the work of Hollywood’s

finest scriptwriters. They could almost be used to sell stamps. During

our visit, Private View! also witnesses the deep distress Dorlands

experienced over the recent bout of bullying that its oldest son,

Timothy, has been suffering at school. Tim continues to score top marks

and his parents feel jealousy must be playing a part in the persistent

attempts to flush his head down the loo.

On Thursday, Private View! lent its support to the Health Education

Board for Scotland’s worthy campaign to stamp out smoking among young

people. Although medical experts predict that smoking may one day lead

to the life-threatening disease, cancer, HEBS has elected to play on the

concerns of young folk. (Smelling unpleasant and being short of funds.)

The colourful photographs you see opposite are clear and graphic but it

looks like it may have a tough fight on its hands to make an impact on

today’s youngsters. Let’s hope they work.

Following the heroic struggles of disabled celebrities such as

Christopher Reeve and Stevie Wonder, Private View! is happy to bring you

another heart-warming story of triumph over adversity. Wodka Wyborowa,

struck down by a life-threatening speech impediment, continues to make

brave public appearances. Wodka’s life is made bearable by the love and

support of the Leisure Process, a band of like-minded charity workers

who dedicate their lives to looking after disabled brands. The poster

appeal shown opposite is the plucky result. Private View! was amazed to

learn that the work was done on a shoe-string budget and in no time at

all. Cleverly noting that Poles drink a lot of vodka and using

sophisticated word play in the style of the great Greek philosophers,

this fund-raising effort is bound to succeed.

The Wexford Irish Cream Ale posters are printed on some very nice, shiny

paper.

Finally, Private View! would like to refute the rumour about the so-

called ‘curse of Private View!’. There is no evidence that couples who

appear in it go on to win absolutely no prizes whatsoever at D&AD. It’s

just silly and completely untrue and factually incorrect.

Peter Souter is the deputy creative director of Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO

First Direct

Project: 24-hour telephone banking

Client: Mike Phillipson, brand communications manager

Brief: Develop the ‘tell me one good thing about your bank’ campaign,

making it relevant to cinema-goers

Agency: WCRS

Writer: Steve Little

Art director: John Selby

Director: Tom Hooper

Production company: John S. Clarke Productions

Exposure: Regional cinemas

Royal Mail

Project: Philately

Client: Alistair Sharp, head of philatelic marketing

Brief: Recruit more long-term collectors and givers of stamps by

changing the image of the hobby

Agency: Bates Dorland

Writer: Roland Hafenrichter

Art director: Nils Andersson

Director: David Garfath

Production company: Paul Weiland Film Company

Exposure: National TV (except Scotland)

Health Education Board for Scotland

Project: Anti-smoking

Client: Martin Raymond, head of public affairs

Brief: De-glamorise smoking among 10- to 14-year-olds in Scotland

Agency: Alliance The Bridge

Writer: Pete Armstrong

Art director: Rufus Wedderburn

Photographer: Mike Parsons

Typographers: Pete Berry, Rufus Wedderburn

Exposure: Scotland, posters

Marblehead Brand Development

Project: Wodka Wyborowa

Client: Dave Steward, sales and marketing manager

Brief: Establish Wyborowa as an authentic product in a market full of

fantasy

Agency: The Leisure Process

Writer: John Carver

Art director: John Carver

Typographer: John Carver

Exposure: Syle press and posters

Greene King

Project: Wexford Irish Cream Ale

Client: Adam Collett, marketing manager

Brief: Establish Wexford as an authentic Irish cream ale in a crowded

marketplace

Agency: Cowan Kelmsley Taylor

Writer: Stuart Anderson

Art director: Calum Bunce

Photographer: Malcolm Venville

Typographer: Martin Case at Bloomsbury

Exposure: National 48-sheet posters