Opinion: Perspective - Whatever you think of 'trucks', UK creativity rocks

Even if I hadn't seen the ad, I don't think the picture all this paints

would get me slavering. But then trucks aren't really my thing (though
chocolate is). Since I have seen the ad, the contents of my little buff
box are yet another small disappointment after all the anticipation of
Cadbury's "gorilla" follow-up. It's been incredibly hard not to want
"trucks" to be brilliant. It's been incredibly hard not to feel let
down.

The industry at large seems rather disappointed, too. I wonder whether
Juan Cabral has been reading the blogs and comments about "trucks" this
week.

See page six of this issue for a few sample comments. Others include:
"It's just alright. I don't wish I'd done it." "A top-tier advert, but a
failure given the aims and hype surrounding it." "It's directed in such
a predictable, and surprisingly boring way. Juan's direction hasn't
created any energy, and the build up is shot in a very textbook
style ... the soundtrack absolutely carries it. There are a vast number
of directors that would have directed that concept with much more
flair ... never have I seen a race so dull! Juan Cabral took a big leap
to direct something of that scale and it shows." "Trucks just left me a
bit cold, I think that I just found it a bit boring, really. Lacked any
emotion."

It would be nice to think that everyone was hoping Cabral's "gorilla"
successor would be brilliant, but I suspect there are quite a few
adlanders that were always hoping it would be crap. Anyway, you get the
idea of the consensus view. And if you haven't got your own opinion, you
probably shouldn't be working in advertising. "Trucks" might not be the
best ad of the year, but it's absolutely the ad of the moment - and
that's quite an achievement in itself.

So everyone is talking about it, of course. I wonder if Cabral cares
what his peers think. He'd be an incredibly rare creative (or human
being) if he didn't. Of course, if the public likes it and buys more
Dairy Milk because of it, Cabral will have done his job and bugger what
adland thinks.

Except that what adland thinks is important. And we know now, more than
ever before, what adland thinks. Now that everyone's sharing views and
picking over opinions online, the sense of community and of a communal
view is greater than ever. The temperature of opinion is being taken
daily and the mood of the advertising community is being constantly
spotlighted and shaped. Creatives were even posting their views of the
"trucks" ad over the weekend, for goodness sake. There's no better sign
of an industry engaged. And there's no better sign of the interest in
Cabral and what he does next. How brilliant is that? All this obsession
with Cabral, all this debate about an ad: someone to care about,
something to care about.

Cabral's run of success has been great for the ad industry. Whatever
your view of "trucks", he's an incredibly talented guy. Peer-group
plaudits and his hero-like status have given advertising something to
feel good about, something to aspire to, something to share. If you went
to the British Television Advertising Awards last month, you'll know
what I mean. Everyone watching the winning ads shared a moment of
collective pride and not just for Fallon's work, of course: the span of
excellence was broad and the general feelgood was tangible.

None of which means we should deny that "trucks" isn't as good as
"gorilla", that it lacks drama. But let's not burst the bubble just
because of one ordinary ad. British creativity is rolling again and no
"trucks" can stop that.