Travelodge - Travelodgical
Here's an interesting thing. While Lenny Henry camps out in a railway station in their competitor's campaign, Travelodge pitch in with their guests as Sesame Street puppets. Other than comfort, I'm not entirely sure what the message is, and how the fabric characters are promoting it, but this did catch my eye when it first screened. There's no real tie-in with the 'Travelodgical' strapline, but the puppets are very well made, and perform in a suitably endearing manner, and maybe that's enough. Also, I really hope the actors were allowed to keep their replicas after the shoot. Who wouldn't want to own a Muppet of themself?
Dyson - Cordless V6
Just as I was about to dismiss this work as both highly unlikely and utterly cheesy, something snatched victory from the jaws of defeat. The idea that (ridiculously attractive) people trade vacuum cleaners over the partition between their balconies is very silly. Unless this is about to develop into a 'Gold Blend' style romance, then I'm saying it is hugely contrived and more than slightly American. However, right at the end, we see the new Dyson cordless machine break into its component parts, then slot neatly together again. It's enormously satisfying and I could watch those two seconds over and over. Maybe it's just me.
Lynx - Black
Eh? I thought Lynx campaigns were supposed to be cheeky, amusing and leftfield. I clearly remember one where hordes of cavewomen tore across a beach to get to our hero. So what is this? Well, a bit pretentious and wholly meaningless, is what it is. Despite, or because of, the use of an ambient version of Guns & Roses 'Welcome To The Jungle', I found this work very dull, derivative and mostly devoid of appeal. I don't want my Lynx ads mean and moody, I want them daft and controversial. I suspect everyone else does too.
Booking.com - Booking Right
And while we're on the subject of controversial ads, here's the second most complained-about spot in UK TV history. It's possible it was the girls lusting after the beach hunks which upset everyone, but I'd guess it's the fact that 'booking' sounds a bit like 'f*cking' - intentionally, of course. Well, complain if you like, but I think this is tremendous work. The family is believable, the pain point all too real (aren't we all a bit nervous when we arrive at a holiday hotel?), and that use of the site's name in the voiceover, grabs the attention and holds on tight. Subversive, well-written and splendidly executed - this is booking smart advertising at its best.
Magnus Shaw is a copywriter, broadcaster and blogger.
