Others (Small Independents)

1. Rethink (Vancouver)



These spots are very creative. And honestly having never heard of Rethink Agency out of Vancouver I would have to say I'm pleseantly surprised. The copy is straight forward and witty and the art direction sets the stage for what looks to be a pretty clean and well run junk picking up company. I understand that 1-800-got-junk may not be an ideal client, and it is really a testamate to the whole team at Rethink that they were able to take on such a tough client and do good such a good job. The whole "we'll bring rats to you, if you don't use us" is genius, and brands 1-800-got-junk as a funny and easy to use company. In fact, it just reminds consumers that the longer you leave trash around the more likely these "R.A.T's" will come after you. I would like to add though that this spot seems low budget and a little outdated, but It is probly just an old ad with bad video quality.

2. Droga5



The Net 10 "league of evil" spots are probably in my top 5 all time favorite commercials. First off they are hilarious. Theres no two ways about that. Second they are creative and make cell phone service look more evil than evil, while using cartoon characters. I love that they were able to take a client like Net 10, a small pay as you go cell phone provider and go head to head against these huge cell phone companies, while being more entertaining and getting their message across. This is only one spot, and I really suggest you watch them all on youtube because it was a seriously hard time picking which one was best. The dialogue and art is perfect. These are so funny I would actually like them to make a cartoon series about the league of evil much like how failed attempt at a series with the geico cavemen was done. I am seriously impressed with Droga5 and their wiz kid creative director. On another note they have a very simple, cool and easy to use website and a diverse list of clientell.

3. Mother (London)



Okay seriously I don't even know where to begin. I mean it's funny don't get me wrong, but how is the whole "rubberduckzilla" not offensive to Japanese people. I mean c'mon, after all this time Japanese people aren't sick of the stereotype of some big creature destroying Tokyo and tons of their people running around screaming helplessly. Regardless the costumes and dialogue are pretty spot on, and I get the whole branding Oasis as a drink for people who don't like plain old bland water. It's clever and weird but works. I remember Mother well from studying it in my Intro to Creativity with Dr. Griffin, and always thought the agencies practices with unique. I mean the whole picture of your mother on your business card and hanging in the lobby seems a little personal to me. Cool website that shows ever member of the teams profile. Seems like they really value family and once your in Mother I guess your in the family. The music at the end of this spot cracks me up, especially when they start kissing the duck. I love asian commercials. There just so intense and fast paced.

4. 72 and Sunny (LA)



I really didnt know what to expect with 72 and Sunny. I mean I'd heard plenty about them in both intro to creativity and ad literacy but I wasn't sure what there style, there niche was. I have to say the website is less than amazing but the work is solid. I like this spot and it's for a really fun client (NBA 2K10), the leading video game for NBA basketball. It starts off a little slow but the pick up is perfectly unexpected. The graphics are good, different than EA sports graphics but still top of the line. I not only like that they went with Kobe, the best player in the game today, but that the theme of "taking over" allowed them to include so many other big players in the game today (the people Kobe is flying right bye, you might have missed them). Anyway I think I saw Paul Pierce, Steve Nash, and Lebron in there too. Honestly theres not a better approach for a gaming commercial out there. Players want to be able to "school" their friends and show off moves with top players in the game. I especially like the consession stand guy and the mascots, which were obviously thrown in for a laugh that no one can stop you. I also like that it makes it feel lke your almost controlling the player as he goes through this gauntlet. And of course the best was saved for last with that insane move. My only critique is the cuts were a little fast, and they really could have drawn this spot out to a minute and done more with it without it feeling so awkwardly rushed.

5. StrawberryFrog (New York)



I've always really liked StrawberryFrog. I think there approach is fresh and I understand how there trying to market themselves as the creative agency that isn't too big and too dinosour-ish. I even like there name, which I can remember my survey of advertising teacher Bill Ford saying he hated, but maybe that was just cuz he's an old school kinda guy. Anyway the website is really fun and cool (the sound of the little frog swimming at the bottom of your screen can however get annoying when your trying to watch their commercials). This spot is really good, and a big step in what the agencies been putting out. When I first visited there site two years ago, they were primarily an interactive and viral type of agency but it's nice to see that change into full service with broadcast. The spot feels homey, really familiar to the hill top homes in my native california. The sunset and porch setting is absolutely perfect and absolutely puts the viewer in the relaxed mediterranian state of mind. The dialogue is simple and straight forward and the product looks very tastey. I actually really like Sabra Hummas, so maybe theres some bias. The crash through the window is perfectly timed too and unexpected which caught me off guard and got my attention. Not only is the whole party idea smart, but the kid saying "I thought your parents were on vacation in the mediterranean" is priceless. The mug thing thrown in too at the end was good as well. Overall the commercial was warm, informative, smart and too the point. It was sort of a refreshing commercial for the snack food industry which usually has boring commercials.

6. Venables, Bell & Partners (San Francisco)



I really don't even know where to start. I think I chose to go to Venebles website because they are an independently owned agency located in San Francisco, a place I chock full of cool agencies and maybe somewhere I'd like to start my professional career in advertising. I mean who knows where I'll end up. First off, I am very impressed with their website. It's easy to manuver around, not too complicated and has a really cool feature where there latest commercials just play for you on the front page on a big screen. Second, there work. It's phenomenol and I have to thank myself for finding these guys. I cant believe I didnt know there was an agency out there doing this kind of stuff. The video quality is excellent, like that of R/GA but the creative is funny and tops too. Now to this Intel commercial. Take a boring client (Intel), full of probly a lot of nerds, and turn it into rock star gold...i think so. I love the opening scene, its futuristic and it catches your eye. Then the door opens to slow motion and your surprised to see a little Indian man swavely walking through. It's a hilarious picture and along with the scenes of women swooning and men exposing there shirts with his picture on the front, it really brands Intel as rockstars in the software industry. Thats right, intel and rockstars in the same sentence. It pure genius. This commercial really does two things, one being branding a software company (which is hard to do), and two informing (that they have a man on staff that helped make the USB driver, something that even I use and is pretty impressive). This commercial is so good I'm still laughing and to be honest I hope the creative team gets an award for their work. My only real complaint, which is a minor one, is the cheesy ending where everyone sings "ba ba ba bom". I think it brings me off topic and is just sort of lame. They could benefit with a more simple ending that ties things together. Regardless I'm keeping my eye on this agency.

7. David & Goliath



This angency must be new, I mean real new or theres a problem. I mean theres barely anything on their website, I've never seen such a thing. I mean I wanted to check out a small agency and decided on these guys cuz of the name but this was the only TV spot I could find. Even their homepage was bare. Anyway I do like this commercial, it has just been over played on TV and come to be annoying. It makes me wonder whose running there media buying. I know im sounding picky and I should probly give a young agency the benefit of the doubt but honestly even this spot is just ok in my book. The whole thing seemed drawn out, I got the point in the first three frames, it really doesnt need to be a full minute spot. The ad is really made in those few seconds when the car pulls up and the window comes down to expose the hampsters bobbing their head. The music also helps the ad tremendously. Im not saying the ad was boring or uninformative, I just need something else, something more than a bunch of gerbles on wheels and 3 who are in a car that looks like a box with wheels. I understand they have a underlying message about the way most people get from point A to point B, but you gotta give me a reason to buy this pretty ugly car, and rodents wont do the trick. I would give this ad a B at best.