Seen and noted

It's Christmas. I'm between jobs and between hemispheres. So excuse the 'bah humbug' critique. Feeling a little displaced right now.

BEST TV
A mixed bag of Christmas nuts but a few good ones amongst the rank walnuts.
It could have something to do with the fact that I'm a bit of a mid century modern fan, but the Pacific Standard Time Art in LA spot with Ice Cube on Eames takes the honours this week. The idea of a famous South Central rapper extolling the virtues of LA architecture is in itself an interesting mash up. But then you learn through Ice Cube's own unique take on things that the Eames home is the ultimate mash up of nature and structure. Rap for the masses selling art for the masses. Charles and Ray would approve.
Just to prove that I'm not too artsy fartsy, a close second is a knob gag. And a good one at that. Cockburns 'Pronounce responsibly' is eminently campaignable. Do I detect the dulcet tones of one Neil Dawson in the end VO? I cunt be sure.
It would have got top marks in outdoor had it been there for me to judge. Instead an honorable mention to the Greenpeace viral. Very simple and timely after the huge scare we just had in NZ. Radiohead too. They do like a cause, don't they?

BEST PRINT
Turkey leftovers I'm afraid. The Oxfam America Unwrapped ad being the exception. Nice headline.

BEST OUTDOOR
Cold Brussels sprouts mainly. In amongst the odd scammy zoo ad and the one off shock tactic poster from progressive vicars, I found the Christmas Spirit tree quite engaging. Although I can't help thinking most people who saw it, just went "aw, look at the pretty tree" and walked on. (There's the 'bah humbug' I was referring to earlier).

BEST INTERACTIVE
I'm a sucker for anything Skittles and '...the Rainbow' related. Although Gif Rap isn't a patch on the genius 'finger' Skittles movies I adored on You Tube, it's way better than those jokes you get in Christmas crackers. More damning with faint praise. Sorry about that.


This week's guest judge is Toby Talbot, the newly appointed ECD at RKCR/Y&R, London.

Toby joins from DDB New Zealand where he was group ECD and regional creative director for DDB Asia Pacific.

Toby has just been named as Campaign Asia's 2011 Creative of the Year for Australia/New Zealand and has been amongst the top three most awarded creative directors for the last eight years in Campaign Brief's annual CD rankings. He's also ranked number one ECD in the world over the past decade on bestadsontv.com.

Delivering a string of award winning work for brands such as SKY TV, VW, New Zealand Lotteries and New Zealand Coastguard Talbot has taken DDB New Zealand from strength to strength, steering it to win Campaign Brief Agency of the Year three times in the past four years. Under his tenure the agency was also a finalist for Ad Age's International Agency of the Year. Talbot has also amassed numerous personal accolades for his own work including 13 Lions (two gold, three silver, and eight bronze).

Aside from his evident creative talent, he has an innate understanding of how to build ideas and departments that are completely media neutral. He was the driving force behind the integration of DDB NZ's experiential, design, direct and digital creative disciplines into one department.

Prior to DDB, Toby was creative director at Saatchi & Saatchi Auckland for two years where he was a big part of the agency's creative renaissance. Before then he was at Colenso BBDO for eight years.

Originally from the UK, Talbot was trained at Chelsea Art School and worked at a number of London agencies before moving to New Zealand.