High Five: Powerful Storytelling through Iconic Visuals

This ad, placed in the Hokkoku Shimbun newspaper, might be up there with my favourite works of all time. Everything from the colour treatment to the composition of the girls is done so fantastically well. The Kanazawa High School Sumo Wrestling Tournament is the oldest amateur sports tournament in Japan, and I think this execution perfectly marries traditional and modern design language. Every time I see it, I get more and more jealous.

Apple always delivers exceptionally crafted advertising, but there's something about their ‘Behind the Mac’ series that I find both emotionally engaging and visually arresting. The idea is so simple, showing an iconic product in a beautiful way, where it still remains the lead character of the ad. It’s since become a blueprint for countless other campaigns using this technique and stunning visuals both in motion and static. The example above is called ‘meet the creators’ which focuses on UK talent.

The craft and attention to detail in these posters is mind blowing. So good in fact that you may have to look twice to notice the message being shouted in your face. Sometimes the treatment of an idea can be just as important as the idea itself. This is so much more than just a plastic bag.

What I love about this celebration of total diversity is the fact that the team didn't shy away from anything - they had a clear, punchy, important message and a creative vehicle that kept repeating, yet with every cut it seems to get better and better.

Innovation in food advertising can be quite tricky. You always end up wondering if you’ve made the food look unintentionally unappealing, but what I love about these KFC ads is the way they play with comedy and drama in equal measure. They're fun, memorable and leave you wanting more - and wanting chicken...