High Five UK: July 2019

It’s the summer in Britain right now, which means everyone in UK is making the most of the five or six days of the year when the country’s not overcast or soggy by getting taking disposable barbecues to public parks, pouring a jug of Pimm’s (a uniquely strange British punch that you needn’t bother discovering if you’re not familiar with it) and getting sunburn in unsightly patterns that they can soon show off when the schools break up and they can descend on Benidorm’s resorts one last time without having to queue in the ‘all other passports’ line at the airport.

That’s a mood that’s reflected in my picks of the best summer advertising - there’s an irreverence in all these campaigns that warms my drizzly British heart.

First, hats off to Beth Urdang at The Sound Same for some world-class music supervision here. A significant chunk of the budget for this campaign must have gone into sourcing the likes of Dolly Parton, Barbra Streisand and Kim Carnes to soundtrack the six compelling short films about characters we can all relate to. And they totally make them. Fredrik Bond’s deft directing touch has a lot to do with their brilliance too. In less masterful hands the minimalism of these scripts could have fallen flat; in his hands, less is more.

We’re almost getting to the point where ‘the world’s in a total state’ no longer motivates people to do anything, so tired of hearing it are we. But Karmarama’s latest Zeitgeist-capturing film for its price comparison website client brings just enough OTT humour and tongue-in-cheek references to the year’s news to make it relatable without sending us spiralling into despair.

This poster campaign relies on an elegant, arresting idea that works because we all know the truth it taps into. It’s a truth so obvious that it’s amazing a publisher has never used it in a campaign before - that when we really love our books, they take a beating. On top of that, it’s executed beautifully. And there’s a celebrity aspect to it, as all the books featured belong to famous authors, artists, scientists, musicians and Classics lovers worldwide, from Ali Smith to Kate Tempest.

The story of the decades-long battle for LGBTQ+ rights is not nearly familiar enough in the UK, so this film “honouring 50 years of queer revolt” is welcome and relevant. In the hands of exciting directing talent Fred Rowson, a 50-year history is brought to life in a way that demands attention and provokes a surprising range of emotions in just over two minutes. 

Why does advertising need to have a higher purpose? Sometimes people just want to know what washing detergent will get their clothes clean. And what better way to tell them that than by putting the talents of Love Island star Dani Dyer to good use? Dani doesn’t mind being the butt of the joke in this gloriously silly film. And the line ‘Perf with Surf’ just makes me laugh on a level that doesn’t require engaging my brain, which, at this time of year, is a blessed relief.