Campaign's Top Ten Turkeys 2007

by Campaign, Campaign 13-Dec-07, 10:36

Here they are, the ads that have driven us crazy in 2007. Campaign has picked the ten biggest howlers to have dogged our screens over the year, ranging from mediocre work from agencies that should have known better to ads that simply should never have seen the light of day. Got any to add? Go to the comment box at the bottom of the story.

1. Trident Chewing Gum
“Mastication for the Nation” isn’t a half-bad strategic idea, but in this business, execution is everything, and, in this case, JWT produced a howler for Trident Chewing Gum. Stick an exaggerated Jamaican accent on an idiotic comedian and the racist murmurs will begin to emerge. Combine this with a contemporaneous racist outcry over events in the Big Brother house and you’ve got a cacophony. The Advertising Standards Authority received more than 500 complaints and the campaign was pulled.

2. Philips Philishave
However, the top spot for Turkey of the Year was hard-fought by DDB London and its “robot” ad for the Philips Philishave. Female robot caresses face of showering human. They share a moment… there’s love in the air. No there’s not. It’s cringeworthy rubbish. High on production values, low on taste.

3. Kellogg’s Nutri Grain
This idea for Kellogg’s Nutri Grain should never have made it past Leo Burnett’s creative department’s bin: get horses to behave like humans as they indulge in a filling Nutri Grain snack. Trouble is, horses simply can’t be made to act like people. There are clunky hooves “picking up” tea cups, horse legs sticking out at unnatural angles and unfunny gags aplenty.

4. Rana Pasta
Rana Pasta is delicious, but its advertising efforts via Leagas Delaney are not. The ad presents itself as a spoof demonstration by “citizens for fresh pasta” outside 10 Downing Street, but it’s all a load of cluttered nonsense. The appearance of Ann Widdecombe only adds to the mess.
A know-it-all, smug voiceover caps off the silliness.

5. Nintendo DS
Talk about unconvincing. She may be very pretty, she may be a very good actress, but are we honestly expected to believe that Nicole Kidman likes to sit in front of the fire playing with a Nintendo DS? There will be no Oscars awarded for this little number, created in-house.

6. Lynx
You might argue that Bartle Bogle Hegarty’s “Bom Chicka Wah Wah” campaign for Lynx isn’t that bad. But remember, this is from the stable of “pulse”, “billions” and “getting dressed”. The Bom Chicka Wah Wah line is clumsily glued to the end of each spot in a too obvious attempt to create a popular catchphrase.

7. Crunchy Nut Cornflakes
JWT has been churning out ads about “Crunchy Nutters” for Kellogg for some time now, but “special lane” was an ad too far. In this spot for Kellogg’s Crunchy Nut Cornflakes, people desperate to get home and eat their cereal are allowed to use a dedicated traffic lane. It doesn’t sound funny because it isn’t. There’s a valiant attempt by the voiceover artist to lend humour to the idea, but he fails.

8. Kellogg’s Frosties
Who at Leo Burnett thought of taking one of 2006’s worst advertising howlers and putting it to opera for a new version in 2007? That’s what the agency did for Frosties this year, exposing the general public even further to the “gonna taste great” theme music. There was nothing great about this advertising.

9. Glade
It was a sad day when Glade decided to inflict another instalment of its brat-on-the-crapper series on us. This time the little priss can’t bring himself to go until his mother refills the Glade air freshener. What on earth is she feeding him, for goodness sake?

10. Mars Planets
Does Mars have faith in its Planets or not? Judging by its advertising to launch the product, its ambitions are low. Stereotypical young people jump around excitedly at a fruit machine that is distributing the mini-chocolates. That’s about it. Well, apart from a voiceover imploring us to “mix it up”. Not Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO’s
finest moment in 2007.

Comments

Javier Malagon - 13/12/2007

Ask.com's Algore-rythm. In fact, the entire campaign as described by William Davies at The Register: "The Information Revolution posters are like a suburban uncle who turns up to a fancy-dress party dressed as Rambo"

nicholas tasker - 13/12/2007

We need to stop throwing clients money down the drains with all this terrible creative. Where's the talent? Even Fallon have produced some crap this year.

Julian Wakeley - 13/12/2007

Any advert where the voice is dubbed, and usually to do with things you throw down the toilet (like the ad should be...) If you can't be bothered to localise the ad properly (or dub realistically), don't be amazed if consumers 'can't be bothered' to buy your stuff.

Andrea Canning - 13/12/2007

Where's bloody Mickey and his stupid Head & Shoulders hairdo's??????

Barry Whyte - 13/12/2007

Nintendo DS should not be on this list. Sales of the device have soared since the campaign has gone live, and tens of thousands of people who would never have even considered a Nintendo console (my mum, for example) are suddenly wanting the Brain Training game. Increasing sales and changing attitudes - isn't that what great advertising is all about? I think the casting of Nicole Kidman is a stroke of genius, personally.

TIm Rooke - 13/12/2007

Totally agree with Barry... The DS ads have cast cleverly and opened up its target market 10 fold.. Why is MFI not in this list????

Andy Knell - 13/12/2007

Ha yes I would have to agree with Andrea there. "Everyone knows a guy like Mickey"- and hates the smug git. Very very poor planning and naive understanding of male consumer aspirations. Yes we would prefer to have good hair given the choice, but not like Mickey...whose Mickey!? Twiggs Tea is up there also. For a start- Stephen Fry. National institution or one of the most annoying British personalities around? Too close to call. Tyrone, his ding-a-ling and a endless amount of stereotypes and cliché's is cringing to watch. JK

Evgeni Cherentaev - 14/12/2007

I would have to agree with Andrea there too

Elliot Messenger - 14/12/2007

All I have to say on this matter is... Has no one else seen the "Mum's gone to Iceland" ads And the horrendous Kerry Katona??????

GRAHAM WEST - 14/12/2007

I freeze every time I see those ads. So bad they are good. Perfect for the target audience - chavs and sun readers.

Daniel Pursey - 15/12/2007

Spice Girls at Tesco. Christ. At least you can actually see Kerry shopping at iceland. I mean, it does sort of make sense, doesn't it? Like Julie Walters, Paul Whitehouse and James Nesbitt at Asda. I can kind of live with that, but Posh and Mel B (or is it C? i can't remember - you know the one who had the baby with Eddie Murphy) pushing trolleys and fighting over £10.99 christmas gifts? With dreadful dreadful dreadful acting? In a massive cash-in? Its a bit desperate, isn't it? At least Take That stuck to that kind of "looking a bit ill" tube campaign with M&S. At least they didn't try wacky comic book gang acting. Badly. Oh, and the Nicole Kidman thing made the DS look dry as fuck. Like I want to sit at home and add stuff up on a computer by myself. Isn't there an internet? Jesus. Definitely with you on Mickey though. That made me so angry, and hate the brand so much, that I'd have change channel every time.

Grace Kim - 15/12/2007

I have to say, the only thing I remember from the DS ad with Nicole Kidman was her receding hairline.

Richard Frampton - 17/12/2007

Agree with Mickey, Kerry, Spice Girls - all terrible. Have to say though I'm torn between Tresemme (bad acting and tired punchline as that annoying Z-lister from The Salon maintains that a cheap hair product range is "only for professionals") and Olay ("Celebrity Beauty Editor" wears 15 layers of trowelled on make-up and raves about Pentapeptides) as the worst examples of our ad industry insulting the intelligence of consumers...

Mr Cheese - 18/12/2007

everyone knows a bell end like mickey, and they probably kick him in the nuts as much as possible

Mike Blunt - 20/12/2007

My name is Michael and not a single person has ever called me Mickey my whole life. Mickeys only exist in that strange British gangster land invented by Mr. Madonna.