High Five: A Colourful Choice of Content
When I was asked to list some of my favourite uses of colour in recent commercials, I didn’t want to do something as simple as a run-down of grades I’ve liked recently, because for me, great use of colour isn’t just about great colour grading. This list is a bit of appreciation for some recent commercials in which the use of colour is inherent to telling the story, and has been worked in to the narrative from the film’s conception rather than crowbarred-in as an after thought...
Xbox - 'Us Dreamers ft. Daniel Kaluuya'
Agency: 215 McCann
Production: RESET Los Angeles
Director: Ian Pons Jewell
Post: MPC
Sound: String and Tins
I chose this because it’s a beautiful hyper-real cinematic journey through Daniel Kaluuya’s gaming experience as we zip past futuristic cities, galactic wars and medieval Galleons, in many variations of a beautiful teal and orange palette.
Expedia - 'Ride of Your Life'
Agency: Team One
Production: RESET
Director: Henry Scholfield
Post: Framestore LA
Service: TWENTYFOURSEVEN
This is a lovely trip through multiple colour palettes, from a cold New York subway to a rich blue ocean floor, before we finally land in a vibrant field of orange and purple wildflowers. It’s the bold swathes of colour across this spot that helps makes each of the settings feel so unique and well defined.
Apple - 'Bounce'
Agency: TBWA\Media Arts Lab
Production: Pulse Films
Director: Oscar Hudson
Post: Framestore
If we’re talking about use of colour, then let’s also talk about the lack of it. This is a gorgeous high contrast black and white spot which brings to mind the look of films such as 'La Haine'. Beautifully shot with fantastically well-executed VFX.
Fanta - 'Idiots Are Amazing'
Agency: 72andSunny Amsterdam
Production: Biscuit Filmworks
Director: Jeff Low
Post: Glassworks
What’s better than a man standing sombrely, staring at his own reflection in a slowly inflating Fanta-coloured giraffe outfit? Not much.
Nike x Dazed - 'Elementary'
Agency: Dazed Studio
Production: Stink Films
Director: Felix Brady
Post: The Mill
Felix Brady employs a dazzling back and forth between cool blues and burning oranges to tell the story of rock climber Eugenie Lee in this fantastical hybrid between an art film and a commercial, and for that reason, it had to be in the top five.
