A Sunday Afternoon (more photos)

Just like yesterday, I was on a quest to ward off boredom, so set off out again. First up, some place near Borough was having an open gardens day so I met up with some friends, taking in a statue of King Alfred and a nice spiky flower:

There was also a book stall. I assume this isn't the book on which Mike Leigh's film was based.

And then to the London Transport Museum. Almost too much to blog about - possibly the most lingering memory will be a weirdly unsettling incident where a little girl asked me to help her find her Mother. Which sounds fairly normal, but she was literally dragging me by the hand to get me to take her to another bit of the museum. In the end I found a member of staff to take care of it, but it was very very odd.

Anyway, the highlights included a nice reminder that some things never change, some old school copywriting, and one of the best bits of art direction / illustration I've seen in a while:

And lastly, the chap at the desk said they didn't have any free maps of the place - I either had to buy one or take one of those they give kids as a challenge to keep them occupied.

Well, I've never been one to turn down a challenge.

Thieving Bastards, nicking Tyre Slogans

Have a look at this advert for Goodyear. Not sure who produced it, but it's a fairly typical example of economics (will need to work in several different languages) trumping creativity. Then ask yourself if there's anything familiar about the slogan.

That's right. "100% better prepared for the unexpected". Nothing at all like Tony Kaye's classic 1993 ad for Dunlop, with it's "Tested for the Unexpected" line. I mean, it's not like they're both ads for a similar product or anything.

Of course, when it comes down to it, it's not the plagiarism that offends - it's that they take the same idea and offer up such a weak travesty of an ad.

The best ad on TV so far this year...

...and I can't find any bloody video of it.

It's for Virgin Media - and it's not really an ad at all, but a guerilla takeover of another (willing) brand's ad. You see the start of another advert (Yeo Valley and Citroen have so far been involved), but it is constantly interrupted by a buffering symbol.

The ad then asks viewers why they put up with buffering online when we wouldn't on TV. It's a very simple idea, and plays cleverly on the mental frames we apply to different viewing experiences.

But most importantly, there were 3 of us in the living room when it came on, and as soon as the buffering symbol appeared and the music stalled, the advert had our undivided attention. And that's a huge achievement.

I believe credit goes to the media agency fifty6 for this one. Nice to see creative ideas not just coming from the agencies.

Hard and Fast - British Heart Foundation

This was the probably the most discussed ad over the Christmas break, and rightly so. Produced by Grey London, it aims to publicise the British Heart Foundation's new policy on resuscitating the unconscious - no more kiss of life, more heart massage.

Full of good humour, nudges, and mnemonics, I don't think anyone who watches the ad will forget the salient points in a hurry, even after just one viewing. Call 999 - no kissing - press on chest to "Staying Alive" - that's it. Job done.