Seen and noted

How does it make me feel? Do I remember it? Does it educate or inspire me? Is it fresh? Is it right for the medium? Does it make me wish I done it? It's November, so I feel well into the Christmas season so bring out the booze and emotion.

BEST TV
First up a glorious film from Baileys. An epic creation from BBH featuring famous ballet dancers with a 'Westside story' dance off theme, boys fighting for the attention of girls. Only cunningly the girls are one step a head. It's an orgy of filmic delight. Beautifully art directed, lit, styled and produced yet curiously it makes me feel nothing. Maybe it's just too long for a TV spot or that the girl power ending feels a little dated.

Google's spot from India shows us a moving reunion, with two men bought together by their family. Google connecting people on every device at every point of their lives. Well crafted, acted and observed if not a little indulgent At 3.30mins.

Playstation's 'For the player' spot brings the world of games to real life situations. Hmm. Again amazing techniques and craft. It's right for the brand but original? I'll leave it for the viewer to decide while I whisk up an eggnog.

A thoughtful spot for Whale and dolphin conservation. Amazing to watch and draws a good parallel between rain forest and whale conservation. Worthy and will build awareness but I'm not quite sure what they want me to do next.

Runner up: A Christmas message from the NBA. Jingle Hoops. The idea is familiar (thinking of AKQA's classic microwave Christmas classic) but it's so well done it brings a smile of Christmas cheer.

Finally a film that made me laugh out loud. The winner this week is Foot Locker. Watch the film, I'd rather not spoil the punch lines. For the audience, the great line up of sportsmen delivering a series of in jokes is heartwarming anytime of the year. I wish I'd done it.

BEST PRINT
I want to be stopped and engaged. Unfortunately it made me want to reach for the eggnog again. Most everything here seems familiar. Nothing bad but nothing I really wish I'd done. The two I remember.

Runner up. Spy museum.
And a winner. Crest. A simple visual demo of the benefit. Enough said.

BEST OUTDOOR
Outdoor has changed. No longer do you have to have millions of poster sites but you can create one event/site and tell the story across owned and earned media. There are some fine examples here. My runner up. McDonald's delivering cold drinks on a hot day via a radio controlled car and caught on film. Simple and memorable. An event that becomes a bigger idea. The winner. Royal Roads to University. A great twist on a testimonial. Real students appear in a fake digital poster sight. Its simplicity makes it work beautifully. Nice work.

BEST INTERACTIVE
Unilever take on a huge subject, Why bring a child into the world? It would be easy to be cynical about this idea. It's a moving concept, which makes parents to be question their immanent arrival. A tad too sweet maybe but it's optimistic, real and from a global brand.

The winner for me is clear. Spinfluence. From DraftFCB Auckland. A great idea, which truly uses the power of spin and social to engage an audience, hoodwink a nation and launch a book. Disruptive, original and showing it's not the budget that makes great work it’s the idea and love put into creating it. Love it, will remember it and wish I’d done it.

Happy Christmas everyone.




This week's guest judge is Will Barnett, executive creative director at Adjust Your Set, London.

Will started his career as an advertising copywriter in 1988 after achieving a BA (Hons) in Graphic Design from Liverpool University. He spent five years learning under the tutelage of David Abbott at AMV/BBDO, working on high profile accounts and winning awards for clients such as RSPCA, Sainsbury's, The Economist, Volvo, Pepsi, and Walkers.

In 1993 he moved to BBH, working under John Hegarty for another five years and gaining more awards along the way, clients included Levis, Audi, Club Med, Coca Cola, Unilever and Perfetti.

In 1998 Will moved to be creative director at WCRS (Engine Group) working on The Pru, BUPA, BMW, CNN, Orange and Sky.

Eight years later, following an MBO and the creation of Engine, Will set up a boutique agency Escape Partners working with Universal Pictures (picking up a gold Promax), CNN, Time, Greenpeace and the WWF.

Excited by the way the digital landscape was changing and the way brands communicate Will joined Adjust Your Set in 2009 as creative director and an equity partner alongside Chris Gorrell Barnes as CEO and Nick Hajdu as COO.