High Five: Traits of Timelessness

How could we discuss timelessness in advertising without mentioning a spot that earned a sequel nearly two decades later? It’s one of those ideas that changed the whole landscape of advertising in its earnest simplicity. We’re rooted in the POV of a throwaway object (the titular lamp) and find a way to truly empathise with it - the score is heartbreaking, every single frame deepens our sadness for the lamp, and the twist at the end is absolutely gut-busting. Each watch feels as new as the first; it hits me in the feels every time.

I will never forget the opening shot of this spot...an ultrasound. Something that several of us will see in this lifetime and immediately have a profound reaction to, and a visual that is completely against the grain in terms of traditional advertising. The spot develops into a masterfully crafted tribute to the beautiful and challenging journey of parenthood - complete with moments we’ve all seen or experienced at one point or another - before offering a sobering twist as a final button. The craft is beyond exceptional and the messaging functions so well because of it. This will be timeless so long as people are parents.

Big sports guy here! I was a semi-professional hockey player in a previous chapter of my life, but that’s a story for another time. The point here is that this spot perfectly encapsulates the drive you have to have to achieve greatness, stringing together some of the most iconic moments in sports history into a cohesive narrative. We find out at the end of the spot that the VO is spoken by none other than Colin Kaepernick, an ex-NFL star who sacrificed his career for the sake of peaceful protests against racial injustice in America. It was a risky, thought-provoking move by the brand that still creates waves in the industry today.

This wouldn’t be my list without a CA spot, so how about this spot for Canadian bank Tangerine directed by Nick Ball. A quite literal translation of 'jumping through hoops', a metaphor that will likely stand the test of time so long as we live the busy lives that we all do. The feelings of frustration and complacency are palpable in this, and it’s not just because of the idea at the core - the craft, the production design - all pistons are firing in this one, and it creates a one-of-a-kind dystopia. The set-up is simple, but the execution is flawless.

I feel like the tone of these selections has been fairly serious, even somber (except for the Tangerine spot, but even that carries some fairly dark undertones) so I figured I’d throw one of my all-time favourite comedy spots in the ring. This is the first ad I watched that elicited genuine, audible laughter from me and I’ll never forget it (it carries the same impact when I watch it today). The performances, the silly tragedy of the set-up, the dryness of it all - they just hit the nail on the head. And if it were remade today with absolutely nothing changed about it, it would be just as humorous.