British Advertising Films of 2005

American advertising agencies don’t trust the intelligence of their audiences. Or so you’ll conclude when you see how the Brits do TV commercials. In the UK, they tend to associate products with an idea or a mood; there’s sharper narrative, more imagination, and cooler music. In fact, some of the ads feel more like short films than commercials. Like the one for Smirnoff, a moody, atmospheric David Lynchian 30 seconds about a couple in and out of love. Or the macabre, black-and-white, silent-film-style ads for Stella. Lynx body spray (“Spray more, get more”) showcases the naughtier nature of British wit. And look for the ones for mobile-phone-Internet provider Orange. My two favorites are the Johnnie Walker Black spot where a man travels through time via major paintings of art history and the Bravia TV ad in which thousands of rubber balls bounce down San Francisco hills to a José González cover of “Heartbeats.”

On the Web
The MFA's British Advertising Films of 2005: http://www.mfa.org/calendar/index.asp?keywords=British+advertising+films&category=&collection=&cal_language=&week