High Five: A Critical Eye and a Sensitive Nerve
This selection was made based on two sentences I heard a lot through my life, both being from people outside our industry. First, when you become a parent, it’s gonna be all about kids - and this is not only about your Instagram feed full of baby shots or your chats in the supermarket queues. You will develop a different kind of sensitive nerve you thought you never had. Yes, you will love it. Second, just throw a kid in the ad and people will love it. So, is it true? Can you be influenced by cute kids everywhere, and can they help you make decisions on things you will opt for? Well, some of these films were from an era where I thought none of this would matter to me, and some from after. Hope you enjoy it...
Toyota - 'Shut Up and Drive'
Agency: Saatchi & Saatchi London
Production: Outsider
Director: Dom & Nic
This is back from when David Droga was at Saatchi & Saatchi London. It has everything a car ad should have: it’s bold, provocative, fun, nice and short storytelling and guess what? The car still looks amazing. All in 30 seconds. The kid’s role? Shut up and watch it.
Young Director Award - 'Drama Queen'
Agency: TBWA\PHS Helsinki
Production: Caviar Content
Director: Rogier Hesp
Post: Goeroepost Media
Sound: Studio de Keuken
Fasten your seatbelts, the little actress’ performance is worthy of an Oscar. This is just incredible, pure gold. Literally.
VH1 Latin America - 'I Will Survive'
Agency: Del Campo Saatchi & Saatchi
Production: Landia x Stink
Director: Agustin Alberdi
Post: Electric Theatre Collective
Sound: Pure Sound
Directed brilliantly, a collection of super talented kids bring humorous lyrics to such a serious theme.
Nike - 'Find Your Greatness: Jogger'
Agency: Wieden+Kennedy Portland
Production: Park Pictures
Director: Lance Acord
Post: Electric Theatre Collective
Sound: Pure Sound
A powerful film with a powerful and very real character, Nathan. A commercial that provoked a lot of reactions (and criticism), but most of all helped change lives, starting by Nathan himself, as he stated in some interviews. It’s definitely inspiring, no matter how old you are.
Dove - 'Reverse Selfie'
Agency: Ogilvy UK
Production: Independent Films
Director: Benito Montorio
You can’t talk about kids in ads and not mention Dove’s 'Reverse Selfie'. It’s a very important kind of work that should, and will, always be celebrated. It does a very important job to alert parents in a time when social media is being so damaging to young kids. Powerful.
