Cannes Contenders: The UK

Channel 4 Idents 

Having worked on the previous Channel 4 idents, I know first-hand the pressure that’s on this brief creatively, and 4Creative have exceeded all expectations with these. Not only are they a masterclass in craft but they are a reminder of how important Channel 4’s remit is, and how highly it is regarded by the creative community - just look at the calibre and diversity of directors that have contributed. 

A brilliant reminder of the power of uncompromising creativity.

This work is a brilliant reminder of the power of uncompromising creativity and a brand consistently standing for something.

British Airways posters 

I’ve always found it funny that posters are perhaps the most important medium (they are literally everywhere) and yet they are often an afterthought on the deliverables list; old fashioned media that gets pushed aside for the latest tech. There’s nowhere to hide with a poster. You need a good idea. You need to know how to be single minded. You need to surprise and delight in five seconds. 

Don’t just tell me something, make me feel it in a way no one else is doing.

These recent BA posters from Uncommon London do all of these things. No logo. No endline. No headline. And yet, I know exactly who it’s for and what they’re saying. Brands and agencies can learn a lot from these simple and confident bits of work. Don’t just tell me something, make me feel it in a way no one else is doing. Good, 'old fashioned' outdoor is a tricky media to get right, but when you do it’s still as stand out as ever.

Audible The Breakdown

Is this a world class bit of work that will be remembered in 20 years? No. Is it a 30 second reminder of how humour and a simple idea can sell a product benefit in a way that doesn’t make me want to throw my laptop across the room? Yes. Job done.

Channel 4 Climate Change Season

Channel 4 again… this time skidding in with an outrageously amusing take on climate change. Idea-wise this is exactly the type of disruptive work the channel does so well. Executionally it’s brilliant. 

Exactly the type of disruptive work the channel does so well.

Entertaining, risky, naughty, funny, but angry and serious at the same time. It’s one of the few adverts that’s surprising and stand-out enough for you to want to share it. Most importantly, it makes you want to act. How many ads today do all of that?

Apple The Lost Voice

After Apple’s UK team’s excellent spot on disability, it’s great to see it being put into tangible use with The Lost Voice. They aren’t just telling people about their tech, they are using it to show you its benefit, at the same time creating a beautifully crafted piece of film to go alongside it. 

[Shows] what can happen when tech and creativity come together to solve a human problem.

Apple has had a bit of bad press recently with its iPad Pro spot, being perceived by many as Silicone Valley’s ‘death crush to creativity’. This work really balances that out, showing what can happen when tech and creativity come together to solve a human problem.

EE Freedom

I didn’t think that EE would be the brand that struck a chord with me last year. On paper the idea is nothing of note, but in the hands of Love Song's Elliot Power its human, surprising, insightful and poignant. It taps into the emotion of youth in a way that transcends a mobile phone ad. 

Surprising, insightful, and poignant.

You can take all the branding out and it would just make an excellent music video about the complexities and challenges of being a teenager in Britain today. In fact, Bloc Party thought similarly, and asked for it to be just that, using the film for its resurgence of So Here We Are. Such is the power of craft and the right director.