Victoria Raimes: Buying into a new approach to adverts

Published on Thursday 6 May 2010 10:08

CURLED UP on the sofa, a young woman stares at her television screen, watching as the image of a young child flicker across the screen.

She sees the girl crawling amongst her toys, blowing out candles at her birthday party, growing up, getting married, falling pregnant and finally walking happily through a lane with her husband and grandchildren.

Despite their sentimental nature, the clips aren't part of a family's film collection – unless you're part of the John Lewis family, that is.

Clutch at the heartstrings it might, but this 91-second documentation of a woman's life is nothing but a hefty dose of commercialism.

It is, however, a very successful one. The new advert for the company's latest clothing line, has stirred huge interest among TV viewers.

As one of the hottest topics of debate online, it has been branded both a piece of "creative genius" and "sickeningly smug", while racking up hundreds of thousands of views on YouTube.

Costing 6 million, the advert makers used nine actresses to depict the journey through life. And every single prop, from clothes to coffee mugs to carpets, can be bought in John Lewis.

It is one of the most talked about adverts for years, but how does it measure up to other modern favourites, like the drumming gorilla, the 118 118 runners or the Russian meerkat? And how much does it say about the way advertising works in the 21st century?

One thing for sure is that advertising has become more creative over the last ten years, leaving the cinema-inspired ads of the 1990s far behind.

The days of the "show the product, tell the product" formula are long gone.

This is partly down to a growing sophistication among TV viewers and partly a result of cheaper technology allowing even small companies to employ ever-more dazzling effects.

Richard Marsham, 41, managing director of the Leith Agency, which created Scotland's iconic Snowman Irn-Bru ad, says convention and directness usually don't cut it any more.

He said: "Ten years ago adverts were pretty to the point, but what's needed now is a really, good strong idea.

"There are no set rules on what does and doesn't work, but it is often a case of trying to surprise someone. Cadbury struck that chord with the gorilla advert, but you couldn't have predicted it."

Often it seems the companies and brands don't even know what they prefer: irritating adverts can prove just as memorable – and therefore commercially successful – as likeable ones.

"Adverts aren't always designed to be loved," says Richard. "If you look at the comparethemarket.com meerkat ads, it's clear that it's designed to be highly irritating and stick out, and it works.

"It's very catchy and has done exactly what it was designed to do: drive up web hits and increase brand awareness."

Talking of his Snowman Irn-Bru advert, which saw the famous character steal a can of Scotland's other national drink from a young boy, he believes it has been so effective because the client kept the briefing simple.

"The brief was a single sentence: 'We want Irn-Bru to own Christmas'," he explains. "Sometimes they go on for ten pages and you just get lost, but this was so simple and focused that we could develop a unique idea. The feedback was fast and positive and now we've had over a million hits on YouTube."

Gareth Howells, of city-based Newhaven Advertising, the brains behind the hugely popular Tennent's adverts, agrees that a unique advert is key to a brand's success.

"Ten years ago adverts were simpler, but they weren't often as inspired," he says. "Today simple should remain, but you have to have an original, grabbing idea.

"You find that a lot of adverts now are very loud and crowded, with a lot of messages. But a simple message, very well told is the best formula. Cadbury did well with their gorilla advert, but the new professor advert is rubbish. You can tell that they've been under pressure from their client to get their 'Glass and a Half' slogan across."

Gareth, 41, adds: "The compare the meerkat ad is perhaps the funniest advert I've ever seen.

"For perhaps the most boring website in the world, they've created something entertaining. It's important for a client to be brave. We can't guarantee that it's going to capture the nation, but if you don't try, you don't get."

From snowmen to talking sausages, animated clothes to a gorilla on the drums, whether they're funny, sentimental, dramatic or quirky, there is still no sure-fire path to a successful advertising campaign.

But, whether they drive you to tears or drive you up the wall, today's commercial makers are certainly going all out to get a reaction from you.