Ogilvy & Mather - DVF American Express

I absolutely adore Diane Von Furstenberg and her fashion label. She has been around since the 70s, creating thousands of beautiful, rich patterns for all 4 seasons. I love how this ad captures how she gets her inspiration for patterns. In one part she is looking up at the shapes of the bare trees and taking pictures of them. Also, many of her beautiful patterns are displayed briefly when she speaks of her journey in the fashion world and discovering herself. These patterns are shot beautifully, all the fabrics are very flowy and vibrant, which embodies Dvf's label in my mind. I also really enjoyed how Ogilvy ties why DVF designs clothes for women in to why she has an American Express, "to feel comfortable". This juxtaposition allows the audience to see that American Express is also very important to DVF. Although this is a celebrity endorsed commercial, I think it is done in a very tasteful way and captures DVF as a designer very well.

Martin Williams: MN Timberwolves

I like this print ad, even though it's not a complex concept. In it's simplicity, it is still aesthetic and looks 3 dimensional, like his body is coming out of the wall. A brick wall is a great metaphor for a defensive planner, which means no one is getting around him. His body looks like a mix between a real picture and also like his body was spray painted on to the brick, which gives the ad a very urban feel. His facial expression is very touch and stern, which is expected, and his arms are crossed, which means he is either angry or ready to kick some butt. All of his expressions and looks further exemplify that he is a bad-ass that no one wants to mess with, and I think Martin Williams did a good job of portraying this.

Latin Works: U.S. Cellular "Green"

First of all, this ad really stuck out to me because I love the song "We're Gonna Be Friends" by The White Stripes. I love when agencies pick good, edgy music to play in their commercial, and I feel like it also demonstrates that the agency is more "hip". Now that I think about it, the song really pertains to the story line of the commercial and is a perfect fit. I thought the paint the man was caring was just him tracing his day; however, the upbeat music and his obvious reason to be on a mission made me curious as to what was going to happen next. The commercial is far from boring, the camera angles that follow the blue paint are even shot in an abstract way with many different perspectives. The boy gets on to find a girl with yellow paint. Their colors mix on the ground to form green. I think this is a really innovative way to advertise building relationships. It was nothing sexual or permiscuous, just two people who found each other on a bus, but it was done in a very different way. Again, watching the commercial a few more times I see how the song "I can tell that we are gonna be friends" lyrics really perfects this commercial.

Dieste Harmel & Partners San Francisco: Clorox "Turtle"

This is a very clever and unique way to advertise bleach, especially when small children have to have their clothes bleached all the time. When I first watched this commercial, I was a little confused as to what was happening, but then I realized the audience is being brought in to the imagination of the little boy. Visually, I think the portrayal of his imagination was executed very well. There were lots of vibrant colors and curved lines, which represent a child's perspective. I loved how the little boy said in Spanish, "and that's how I got the stain, Mommy". It didn't really make me laugh, but made me smile because I know little boys especially at that age have imaginations that run wild. You even see this in the portrayal of his imagination because everything is very fast pace and reeking havoc. I think the tone and pace of the beginning of the ad symbolize how a child's mind is sort of scattered yet very creative, and I think Dieste captured this very well.

GSD&M Idea City: Marshalls "Faux Pas"

I think the concept of "shamelessly shopportunistic" and even the new "faux pas" that GSD&M idea city has thought up really delivers a good message for Marshall's. I for one love Marshall's, and have found great pieces for fractions of the price. I think this campaign demonstrates how such good pieces get into stores for such a good price, I also always wondered this. By demonstrating these situations, I believe Marshall's delivers a more clear message on how their business works. I love the "faux pas" because the lady mis-orders her blouse order by tenfold, which results in Marshall's buying the tops (probably at cost). I like how it is obviously set in Paris, the fashion capital of the world, and I also like how there is a balance of neutral background and bright color clothing items, which helps to move your eye flow nicely. Really, the blouse model and the buyer are the only ones who really wear bright clothing, which also helps to keep the story focused between them. The voiceover kind of sounds like the lady who narrates Desperate Housewives, which was interesting to me and grabbed my attention more. There is also some comical elements with the lady's broken French skills - for example, how she says she likes the "bathtub" instead of dress and of course her numerical confusion. All in all, I think this is a great campaign that is clear, to the point, and delivers the message.

TBWA/Chiat Day Los Angeles: Visa "Go"

I love this TBWA/Chiat Day ad. It has a very outgoing tone and encourages people to do what they want, or "go" where they haven't gone before. This embodies what a credit/debit card company should represent. It is also easier to "go" anywhere when you have the means or ability. I really admired how people, objects, smoke, sand, water, etc., are all used to spell "go". I also really liked the voice of the man who did the voice over. I feel that choosing a foreign accent (british or australian?) helps to make the commercial more exciting. I believe that I always listen a little bit more or am more curious when someone's voice is different than what you're used to hearing everyday. This commercial gives me the urge to travel and immerse myself in all parts of the world, and I feel this is exactly the message that TBWA/Chiat Day wanted to deliver for VISA.