The Work: Private view

still manages to get that all in with the yellow and blue brand colours,
accompanied by the track What a Difference a Day Makes. Because they set
out a belief that we all deserve more holiday, there is a strong sense
of the brand personality coming through.

First Choice (2) has taken a more insightful approach to holiday
advertising by showing that it understands why we take holidays. In this
case, to reconnect with our kids. "Oh, is that what they are trying to
do?" interrupts Mr Silburn from the other side of the table. Applaud the
thought, not sure if the execution has pulled it off; the performance of
the dad, highlighted by shooting it in slow- motion, the set and the
music all play their part in the overall effect being fake.

The Children's Mutual (4), like First Choice, tries to pull off an
emotional connection between father and newborn son. In this case, it is
rather more successful. A nicely performed little monologue from proud
new father to son, standing at a window introducing him to the big, wide
world. Ever since I became a mum, I blub at absolutely anything, and I
could have started if my CD head hadn't quickly intervened and asked:
"Is that it? Where's the idea?"

Innocent (1) smoothies is on air with its home-made animation style.
Question: "How do you make a smoothie innocent?" Answer: By putting in
only fruit. Shame it's exactly the same as the Ella's Kitchen Smoothie
TV spot that is on air at the moment. I guess this is what happens when
you have created a whole new category. I have loved everything Innocent
has done, from Fruitstock and knitting hats to the copy on the
labels ... somehow the TV has never delighted in the same way.

Nokia (5) is doing music on its mobiles. Like every other mobile
company. And therein lies the problem. I first saw one of these posters
on a grey day on the Wandsworth Road in Stockwell. The next one I saw
was bloody massive, on a side of a building on the A4 flyover, which is
how this campaign should be seen, because it looked great. The campaign
itself shows mobiles with different types of pimped headsets, depicting
different styles of music, all on greige backgrounds (because Sony
Ericsson has taken all the brightly coloured backgrounds for itself).
Reminiscent of the great Sony Walkman poster campaign of the late 80s
and 90s, it is clean, simple, nicely done.

Lynxeffect.com is where you can view Lynx's (6) latest viral campaign.
The videos show various chat-up techniques, shot to look like they are
done for real, on unsuspecting lovely ladies under the thought: "Get in
there." The best one shows a bloke going up to a table of girls in a pub
and asking one of them if he can borrow her phone to make an emergency
call. He reassures her that he is not going to nick it by making the
call in front of her, then proceeds to dump his girlfriend on the phone,
his reason being that he has just met someone in the pub. "What's her
name?" he says, repeating his ex's question. "What's your name?" he asks
the girl. It's funny, cheeky and perfectly laddy.

The other examples are a bit lame. A lot of them feature a "hot
detector" sound effect that you can download on to your phone from the
website. Is it true to the idea of the campaign? It shows the breadth of
what has become one of the great advertising campaigns of the past few
years. This time, the Lynx Effect is on the confidence of the blokes to
chat up girls. Definitely my favourite piece of work this week.

CHIEF EXECUTIVE - Farah Ramzan Golant, chief executive, Abbott Mead
Vickers BBDO

I love January. Yes, it's true. Everything starts anew as though for the
first time. Twelve uninhabited months lie ahead, unburdened and
uncontained. Time to grasp good things and make them real.

Let's start with the simply outstanding. The Nokia (5) print work that
trumpets "Music Almighty" on everything in view is just that. Attention-
and ear-grabbing, crafted and epic in effect. Every execution is
breathtaking. You believe that it gets mobile music and there is not a
hint of any androgynous model drifting down a European street projecting
a sense of enjoyment. Bravo, creative team; surely you're getting ready
to do the walk?

Lynx (6) has a great pedigree of offline work that owns a compelling
territory, and this online offering takes its proper place in the
campaign. The site provides useful gadgets, advice and inspiration for
young men trying to pull. There's something for everyone - whether
you're just watching the videos, downloading stuff for your phone or
really getting involved and making films of you and your mates doing the
monthly challenges. It doesn't take itself too seriously and is perfect
for the kind of shy pubescent who is credulous enough to believe that
your choice of deodorant might just get you laid.

After that, I'm afraid it's a bit of a blur, with two holiday ads that
fail to capture me.

Thomas Cook (3) has come up with a smart marketing promotion, but the ad
does little to highlight what a difference an extra day might actually
make. Just think of the depression that sets in as a holiday ends. Well,
by reverting to cliches of jolly capers on sun-drenched beaches, we have
the same old, same old holiday ad. The clunky yellow umbrella mnemonic
pops up all over the place, and we're looking at a missed
opportunity.

First Choice (2) takes a different approach. Its ad wants you to read
into the untold holiday story that gives meaning to the father and son
"big hug moment". The problem is, you don't. You need elements of
interest to get interested in any story. An endlessly long sequence of
said heroic father's face as he watches the advance of his offspring
into his arms certainly doesn't provide any.

What is it with all this father and son stuff? The Children's Mutual (4)
is another spot where a father cradles his baby son. It reminded me of
some truly remarkable John Hancock insurance ads from the US decades
ago. They were chokingly intimate, fly-on-the-wall ads showing
conversations packed full of human chemistry. They made you yearn to
protect the people you love. This one nearly made it in that vein, but
not quite. You're left wondering what this company does and resent the
intimation "with our help" your child's future is assured. It isn't, we
live in a chipped reality.

And finally, Innocent (1). What's not to like? We love the brand, we
love its approach - it's all very zeitgeist. The TV is a straight demo
of all this real fruit, this ethical stance, all compressed into this
recyclable bottle. However, the drive to squeeze artifice from the ad,
as from the product, also eliminated any charm or attitude that makes
the brand so lovable. The grating Teletubby-style voice didn't help. The
press ads in this campaign (not under review) did the same job
admirably, as would the pack labels, store leaflets, little book of
Innocent etc. Does the TV do Innocent justice?

Roll on February.

1. INNOCENT

Project: How to make a smoothie innocent

Client: Sarah Gamble, campaign manager, Innocent Drinks

Brief: Show all the things that go into an Innocent smoothie: the

product, the people and the principles

Agency: Lowe London

Writers/art directors: Steve Paskin, Dan Germain

Director: Blac Ionica

Production company: Another Film Company

Exposure: TV, press, digital



2. FIRST CHOICE

Project: Arms full

Client: Andy Laurillard, head of brand strategy, Thomson & First Choice

Brief: Highlight First Choice's family focus by demonstrating the

brand's understanding of the critical role of holidays in bringing

families closer together

Agency: Beattie McGuinness Bungay

Writer/art director: Simon Bere

Director: Jackie Oudney

Production company: Rogue Films

Exposure: TV, cinema



3. THOMAS COOK

Project: Peaks

Client: Simon Carter, executive marketing director, Thomas Cook

Brief: Create a positioning that draws on everyone's increasing need for

quality time - specifically where families are concerned

Agency: Angels

Writer: Natasha Freedman

Art director: Steve Williams

Director: Marcel Gardelli

Production company: Rolling Picture

Exposure: TV, outdoor, press, online, DM



4. THE CHILDREN'S MUTUTAL

Project: First words

Client: Tony Anderson, marketing director, The Children's Mutual

Brief: Raise awareness of this ethical, child-focused brand

Agency: Mustoes

Writer/art director: Kirsten Everett

Director: Simon Ratigan

Production company: HLA

Exposure: TV



5. NOKIA

Project: Music almighty

Client: Will Harris, UK marketing director, Nokia

Brief: Launch new Nokia music handsets - the Nokia 5310 XpressMusic and

the Nokia 5610 XpressMusic

Agency: Wieden & Kennedy

Writer/art directors: Fabian Berglund, Ida Gronblom

Exposure: Print, online, radio



6. LYNX

Project: Get in there

Client: Karen Hamilton, European vice-president, marketing, Unilever

Brief: Create a consistent long-term presence for the Axe brand online

Agency: Bartle Bogle Hegarty

Writers/art directors: Hugo Bierschenk, Dean Woodhouse, Andy Clough,

Richard McGrann, Peter Sells

Production company: Preloaded

Exposure: Online, mobile