I'm in London. Apparently it's meant to be spring. But the rain and clouds are making things pretty miserable. So I was happy to escape into reviewing some lovely ideas.
BEST TVWinner: Greenpeace UK '
Wasteminster - A Downing Street Disaster'. This piece of work is really striking, and it originally reached me through non advertising friends, so it has definitely been doing its job out there in the world. It brings the massive problem to life in a spluttering, bungling mess. In the best way.
Runner up: Switzerland Tourism '
No Drama'. Portraying nothing happening is one of the most tempting and yet consistently difficult ideas to pull off. But this does it beautifully. Job well done.
BEST PRINTWinner: AFRAFEP '
Maze'. A really striking design trick and great art direction that communicates a never-ending emotional path. I like it.
Runner up: Grosso '
Nina'. This little ad made me smile. It feels classic and playful and I think we'd probably all like to escape on our Grosso bubble gum balloon today.
BEST OUTDOOR Winner:
Untouched by Light. A new brand and a new way of marketing wine. I think the spiel is pretty convincing and creates an air of rarity, that has clearly paid off in making the wine worth so much more. Apparently, advertising works! Hurrah.
Runner up: Think! Road Safety '
Selfish Prick'. Selfish Prick. It's pretty straight to the point. But in a weird way, it's the ambiguity of who it's showing, that makes it even more interesting.
BEST INTERACTIVEWinner: Kiyan Prince Foundation '
Long Live the Prince'. I thought it was very moving to allow an incredibly sad story to play out as a really positive one. Inspiring, not only in a film, but part of wider culture is what makes this so much more special and poignant. It allows us to see Kiyan's lived potential. There are so many layers to this campaign and each one makes the idea more poignant.
Runner up: Mammut '
Expedition Baikal'. This is such a cool
microsite that allows product and storytelling to interact in a really dynamic and pleasing way. A story armed with epic photography and some great looking kit, it's one of the first times I've seen it work so well and so seamlessly. I recently (pre-pandemic) did my own shivering trek through Siberia in -40, and I can tell you that I definitely looked a lot less cool than this dude in his Mammut outfit.
This week's guest judge is Nadja Lossgott, executive creative director at AMV BBDO, London.
Nadja Lossgott, together with her partner Nicholas Hulley, is the executive creative director of AMV BBDO.
They have created and creative directed genre-bending, culture-shaping work that has won multiple Cannes Grand Prix's and Titaniums.
They are the proud owners of a D&AD Black Pencil and have work displayed in the permanent collections of the British Museum and the Design Museum.
Nadja and Nick created both #Bloodnormal and #Wombstories for Bodyform/Libresse. The global campaigns continue to break down decades of toxic shame. #Bloodnormal was the first ad in history to show the truth of period blood instead of weird blue liquid.
They creative directed The Trash Isles in partnership with LadBible and the Plastic Oceans Foundation, declaring the pacific garbage patch an official country.
From writing the influential Guinness Sapeurs film and documentary, they now also run the account globally.
Whether they're part of the team turning worthless Zimbabwean dollars into billboards; rebranding tap water into Guinness Clear; writing documentaries, defying broadcasters, or leading a creative department, N&N strive for visually striking work that breaks the mould and has cultural impact.
