My Most Immortal Ad: Chaka Sobhani

With less than five weeks to go until the deadline for the inaugural Immortal Awards, our jurors have each selected a classic ad that they believe deserves the title of Immortal.

Next up is Chaka Sobhani, Leo Burnett London’s chief creative officer, who recalls the first time she witnessed some of Sony and Fallon’s magic…

It’s like being asked what your favourite album is and your mind goes blank!

So much great work over so many years but the simple rule for me in these moments is to go with the first one that jumps in your head - forget whether it’s cool or the most original, it popped into your head for good reason. The best reason in fact, and that’s because it made you feel or think big.

Like with certain music or a specific smell, you remember when and where you were when you saw it and what it meant to you at the time.

For me, that’s sat on the floor in one of my first flats in those heady days when weekends were about recovering from the night before.

I lay on the cold wood floor, nursing a sore head, watching the football on Sky out of the corner of my eye.

Half time and the break came but instead of bombastic fanfare, the most melodic guitar solo began.

On a random street in San Francisco, thousands of colourful balls were simultaneously unleashed, bouncing anywhere and everywhere in an explosion across my screen.

I sat open mouthed, completely mesmerised, beckoning through my then girlfriend, now wife.

“Come look at this babe, haven’t got a bloody clue what it’s for but it’s amazing!” I yelled as the film continued for the full delicious three minutes.

From the small touches of the crouching child and leaping frog, to the heart wrenching introduction to José González into our lives, my heart soared as I watched this thing of absolute beauty, this piece of art.

And it still does each time I see it - I’m no longer strewn on a wooden floor but the feelings are the same. I’m still gobsmacked by the stunning cinematography in each frame, the perfect pace of the edit, the inspired choice of music, and most importantly, the film’s ability to make me feel as if I’ve witnessed something magical. Which I think we all did with Sony Bravia Balls. An immortal piece of work that is equally as brilliant now as it was when it launched. And I’d argue, will always be.