Great headlines, wonderful ads. Review on Ten Best Television Commercials

I have steered clear of advertising related categories on Mouthshut, since the subject is far too close to home. But I couldn’t resist an opportunity to pay homage to my gurus.

Let me say at the outset that I have chosen to focus on print ads rather than television commercials, for they have been analysed enough times already in this section. The following are just a selection of the finest print ads it has been my privilege to see.  Some of these ads make me want to go down on my knees, Wayne-style, saying “We are not worthy, we are not worthy.”

Well here goes:

1. “I Never Read The Economist”

Under the headline it says “Management trainee, age 42 years”. Set in The Economist’s signature red and white colours, with absolutely no copy or visual, this ad by David Abbot is definitely one of the most sublime ads I have ever seen. A wonderful way to say, those who don’t read The Economist are unlikely to be successful.

1. Michael Jordan 1, Isaac Newton 0

Nike’s advertising is always trailblazing. This ad shows a gravity defying Michael Jordan in mid-air, shooting a basket. The message is loud and clear.

1. Nude Models Wanted

A shocker of a headline, this ad is by the Grey(formerly Trikaya grey) if I remember right. The copy goes on to explain that babies are required for modeling assignments. Phew!

1. Lemon

A legendary ad by Bill Bernbach, it shows a picture of the VW Beetle with the word ‘Lemon’ underneath. The copy, which is probably the best structured that I have ever read, goes on to say that this particular Beetle didn’t make the grade. The copy reiterates that each Beetle is tested rigorously.

1. The Pen is Mightier Than The Sword

Couldn’t resist that one. A Grey? Enterprise? Rediff? ad for proofreaders, it amply illustrates the havoc a simple proofing error(like a missing space) can create!

1. The Absolut campaign

Couldn’t pick out any one ad because the whole series is so phenomenal. Absolut’s advertising makes the product or rather the bottle, the hero, positioning it in interesting ways, with only 2 word headlines, one of which is always ‘Absolut’.

1. Where Children Are Never Seen, But Often Created

An old American ad for a resort, it shows a woman in a bathing robe on a beach, hair fluttering. The visual and headline create a feeling of privacy and intimacy.

8.'Bob, I’ve Got Emphysema'

Maybe this ad is why I am not so impressed with Piyush Pandey’s Cannes winner, “Second hand smoke kills”. It’s strikingly similar to this earlier American ad, also for a anti smoking campaign. The ad shows two Marlboro Country cowboys on horseback. The treatment and fonts used are exactly like the Marlboro ads. Like Pandey’s ad, if you remember. Another brilliant ad in the campaign was “Bob, I Miss My Lung”

1. Publicis

This ad for the agency Publicis appeared recently in Brand Equity. It has no headline. Just a visual of a loo. Next to a roll of toilet paper, there is a pencil hung, with the word ‘Publicis’ embossed where the manufacturer’s name usually is. The brief was to sell the agency, and Publicis has done that brilliantly.

1. Dan O Brien, pole vault.

Another brilliant Nike campaign, this one shows athletes in natural settings. Dan O Brien, with his gear and pole, stands at the foot of the famous rock arch(what’s it called?). Jackie Joyner Kersee crouches ready to spring from one plateau to another. Michael Johnson stands by a cheetah, ready to sprint. No copy, just the athlete’s name and discipline – the pictures are self explanatory.

Hope this list has been of some use, for aspiring writers at least. As for me, its motivated me to get back to the business of creating!

Comments and your personal favourites most welcome.