Heineken - The Voyage Commercial, Exclusive Version

Today, Heineken launched their brand new campaign, ‘Voyage’. This is the 5th instalment in the Heineken ‘Legends’ series and is a cross-platform, integrated campaign, which uses broadcast, digital and mobile.

The main campaign element is a newly created tv ad. The ad, set in India, follows the Legend from arriving in a remote Indian outpost to finding himself in all sorts of awkward and bizarre situations when he loses his pet goat.

As well as airing the TV ad, Heineken is going a step further and testing men to see what they are truly made of when taken out of their daily lives and dropped into the great unknown. Welcome to “Dropped”.

‘Dropped’ arrives on Monday, June 3rd 2013, and takes different men from across the world and drops them in remote global locations with nothing but the most basic of supplies and directions. The result is a series of episodic adventures following our intrepid explorers on their legendary travel experience.

Each experience will be in a different location with different challenges and every travel adventure will be tailored towards the character of its main protagonist - forcing them to discover their own limits and conquer their fears. The outcome of ‘Dropped’ adventure is unscripted and the outcome unknown!

Watch the series via the Heineken Dropped YouTube channel and follow each voyage, access documentary-style content and also contribute your own videos to the ‘casting couch’ for the chance of undertaking your own legendary travel adventure.

In the coming weeks, Heineken Ireland will also begin the search to find an Irish explorer - the ‘Irish Dropped’! Details of Heineken’s search for an Irish explorer will be revealed online in the coming weeks.

Conor McIntyre, Heineken Brand Manager - Communications, commented, “With ‘Voyage’, the fifth instalment of our Legends campaign, we want to go further and inspire men to be resourceful and open to the world. We are giving a few lucky people the chance to go beyond the borders of their comfort zone. The Irish are seen as a nation of global explorers who have made themselves at home in their own unique way in some of the most exotic cities and outposts around the world. The trademark wit, charm and ability to make friends wherever we go have become synonymous with the Irish travel experience. We have no doubt that ‘Dropped’ will uncover some legendary explorers who will display their true character on the adventure of a lifetime.”

Heineken's New TV Commercial

Heineken - The Kick

Heineken’s brand new TV ad launches tonight. It’s another great rugby themed ad which was filmed in the south of France (fitting, given both the HCup finalists are both French!) by Irish agency Rothco.

Today Heineken Ireland unveils a brand new TV commercial that is sure to excite rugby fans in the lead up to Europe’s most prestigious rugby competition, the Heineken Cup final. The all-French final culminates at Aviva Stadium, Dublin on 18th May and to whet fans’ appetites for the clash, Heineken, the tournament’s title sponsor, has come up with another engaging mini-movie to feast your eyes on. ‘The Kick’ is the next installment of a number of successful ads that continue Heineken’s theme of stepping up to the challenge and reaping the rewards.

‘The Kick’, a fun and lighthearted tale documents one man’s epic journey through an iconic French town v chasing the unpredictable bounce of a precious rugby ball. From a scrum with a rogue flock of sheep to a quick-reacting truck driver and a solid lineout lift in the ever-twisting and turning chase, the protagonist steps up to each challenge with imagination and reaps the final reward of a cold Heineken in the closing scene.

The ad was created by independent Irish creative agency Rothco and was shot over four days in the picturesque settings of three towns, St Paul de Vence, Frejus and Valbonne, in the south of France. The main cast is mostly made up of locals from the three towns; this gifted the TV commercial with an authenticity that Heineken seeks at every occasion. Renowned for his visual and emotive productions, Director, Steve Cope (Rattling Stick) worked seamlessly alongside Oscar- nominated Director of Photography, Barry Ackroyd (The Hurtlocker), to create the mini-movie which will air from this evening May 3rd. The music is ‘Sing Sing Sing’ by Benny Goodman.

SKY Launches €10 Million Marketing Campaign

Sky Ireland - Sky Broadband Has Arrived

This week Sky Ireland launched their biggest ever marketing campaign to promote their new Broadband and Telephone offerings. The €10m campaign combines TV, press, radio, outdoor and digital. The above ad forms the centrepiece of the campaign.

Featuring Pierce Brosnan, the 60-second ad sees the famous Irishman returning home to Ireland to the apparent delight of the public. However, it is soon revealed that the cause of their excitement is in fact the arrival of Sky Broadband. In a series of everyday scenes showing Brosnan on Dublin’s quays, walking along a town main street, and enjoying a drink in a pub, the ad shows that not even a global celebrity can eclipse the arrival of Sky Broadband.

Launching the new Sky Broadband campaign, Mark Anderson, Director of Sales & Marketing at Sky Ireland said, "The inspiration for this campaign came directly from our customers, many of whom have been waiting for us to introduce broadband for ages. Our research showed that people in Ireland are excited about the prospect of getting their TV, calls and broadband from Sky in one bundle and the ad’s creative idea taps into that sense of anticipation."

Pierce Brosnan comments, "It’s great to be involved in the launch campaign for Sky Broadband in Ireland. I always love returning home whether for work or on holiday and this time was no different. The charm and tongue in cheek humour of the Sky ad really appealed to me and shooting in Dublin was a lot of fun. Hopefully, viewers will like it as much as I enjoyed making it."

The campaign was developed by ad agency WCRS who won the launch project following a competitive pitch. It was shot by director Taika Waititi (Flight of the Conchords, Boy) and Oscar & BAFTA nominated cinematographer Danny Cohen (Les Miserables, The King’s Speech).

Carlsberg launches new TV ad ‘Spartacus’

Irish Market the First to Air New Ad Themed Around the 1960 Box Office Smash ‘Spartacus’

Yesterday, Carlsberg unveiled their latest TV ad with an Irish market exclusive. The ad, called 'Spartacus', follows Carlsberg's 'That Calls for a Carlsberg' creative / brand route and sees a modern interpretation of the 1960's film of the same name. Set in an ultra-modern skyscraper office with hundreds of people working in an extremely regimented and drone-like environment, the ad is the story of one workers mini rebellion and the revolt that then ensues.

The film starts when the overbearing company boss enters the room in a fit of rage. He shows a YouTube video depicting him as a dancing monkey, created by the user, Spartacus. He demands to find the culprit of the prank. Reluctantly, the hero ‘Spartacus’ stands up and identifies himself with a bold 'I am Spartacus'. In quick succession his fellow colleagues decide to support their friend and join him one by one claiming to be Spartacus as well. Within in seconds the entire room is standing up in force to take the heat.

‘Spartacus’ ends with the team of workmates heading to the bar for a well-deserved pint of Carlsberg – underlining the brand’s positioning, That calls for a Carlsberg.

Speaking about the new ad, Julie Allman, Senior Brand Manager at Carlsberg, said: “We’re delighted with our new TV ad ‘Spartacus’ which will hopefully excite the Carlsberg drinker and reiterate solidarity amongst friends, something which is embedded in the brand ethos. To coincide with the launch we will be running a themed competition on the Carlsberg Ireland Facebook page, starting on 18th February, to give away Expedia holiday vouchers worth €1,500 and €500 spending money.”

The ad was created by London-based creative agency Fold7, in partnership with Carlsberg's International Brand Marketing Team. The ad will be rolled out across Carlsberg's global markets, starting in Ireland. It will be aired across traditional media and digital channels and will be complemented by a suite of activations, based on the same theme of standing up for your mates, The ad will be supported by substantial media spend in the Irish market.

Over 80% of Irish Commuters have Limited or No Internet Connection on Journeys

New Sky Go Extra service allows customers to download movies and entertainment to watch offline at any time

New research commissioned by Sky reveals that almost 83% of Irish commuters have little or no access to an internet connection on their journey to work. When commuting respondents tend to “check already downloaded emails” (44.2%), “play games on their phone” (46.5%) and read (51%). Irish commuters’ biggest frustrations are “cramped conditions” (48.4%) and “not making the most of your time when you could be doing something else” (22.6%).

The research coincides with the launch of Sky Go Extra, a new subscription service which will help Sky customers make the most of their “forced downtime” when commuting. Available to all Sky TV homes for just €6 per month, the new service delivers even more flexibility to customers by allowing them to download movies and TV shows in line with their Sky TV subscription to their smartphone, tablet, laptop or MacBook via Wi-Fi to watch offline later. So whether in a car, on a flight, on the train, bus or Luas, Sky customers will be able to enjoy a wide range of content literally anywhere, not just where they can find a reliable Wi-Fi or high-speed mobile connection.

According to Sky’s research access to technology on the move is important in people’s day-to-day lives with more than three-quarters of respondents owning a tablet or smartphone and 81.8% of those using it on their commute. Over 70% of commuters feel frustrated when they don’t have an internet connection on their journey, and will often resort to mundane activities such as “watching other commuters” (18.4%), or sleeping (24.2%), with over a quarter of all commuters claim to be bored on their journey. The research found that two thirds of commuters take the bus.

There is a difference between the sexes in average travelling times to work with 18% of males commuting more than 2 hours a day compared to females (10%). Males (32.2%) get more frustrated when the Wi-Fi drops in and out of signal compared to females (21.1%) and tend to watch more downloaded movies on their tablet (16.1%) than females (6.2%).

The launch of the new service builds on the enormous success of Sky Go, which offers Sky customers access to live and on demand programmes and films from up to 43 channels on a wide range of internet-connected devices, and now attracts more than 3 million unique users in the UK and Ireland each quarter.

In addition to being able to download content, Sky Go Extra customers are also able to register for Sky Go on up to four, rather than two, internet-connected devices, giving Sky households even more flexibility over when and where they enjoy the service.

Sky Go Extra is the first mobile TV subscription service in the UK and Ireland to offer Hollywood movies to download and watch offline. With a choice of hundreds of titles exclusive to Sky Movies available to download at any one time, Sky Go Extra customers who subscribe to the Sky Movies pack will be able to download blockbuster releases around six months after they have ended their run in cinemas. Once downloaded, customers can store the films on their portable devices for up to 30 days.

Blockbusters such as Avengers Assemble, Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadows and Pirates in an Adventure with Scientists will all be available for download through the service, alongside the entire James Bond film catalogue, containing all twenty-two official Bond films. All titles are available exclusively to Sky Movies subscribers and are not available on any other subscription movies service or TV channel for at least a year after they first appear on Sky Movies.

Sky Go Extra customers will also be able to download the latest shows from channels including Sky Atlantic, Sky 1, Sky Living and Sky Arts, as well as partner channels such as Nickelodeon and Disney. This includes the best of the US, such as Girls and The Following (Sky Atlantic), as well as Sky’s own home-grown hits such as Stella, An Idiot Abroad and Trollied (Sky 1). Customers with a 64 GB iPad will be able to store in excess of 400 half-hour shows and more than 80 movies.

Mark Anderson, Director of Sales & Marketing at Sky Ireland, comments: “Building on the ever-growing popularity of Sky Go, Sky Go Extra is the only mobile TV subscription service in the UK & Ireland which means customers can download the latest Hollywood movies to take with them while they are on the move, alongside a great choice of TV from Sky. The research shows that commuters are frequently frustrated with a lack of things to do in their ‘forced downtime’ so Sky Go Extra gives the perfect solution for the boring journeys to and from work. Together with our comprehensive TV On Demand service and our range of award-winning apps, we continue to deliver helpful and clever ways for Sky households to enjoy even more flexibility over when, where and how they enjoy Sky.”

During 2012, millions of Sky customers have used Sky Go to watch movies on demand, with Bad Teacher, Transformers: Dark of the Moon and Captain America: The First Avenger the three most popular movies on Sky Go last year. Entertainment series on demand have also proven popular on Sky Go, with more than 2.5 million views of the second series of An Idiot Abroad and 1.1 million views of the latest season of Game of Thrones.

Sky Go Extra is the latest in a series of recent developments from Sky that help customers take full control of their TV viewing. This includes Sky’s comprehensive TV On Demand service giving TV viewers with a Sky+HD box and a broadband connection even greater flexibility and control over how they watch their favourite shows, at no extra monthly cost. Sky also offers its customers a wide range of award-winning apps at no extra cost, including the popular Sky+ app, which can even be used as a remote control for the Sky+HD box.

To sign up to Sky Go Extra, all customers need to do is visit http://www.sky.com/ireland/offers/sky-go-extra. Once they’ve done this, the next time they enter the Sky Go app they will be able to download programmes and register two more devices. To provide even more flexibility, Sky Go customers can cancel the service at any time, subject to giving 31 days’ notice. Sky Go customers will also be able to sign up for a two-month free trial of Sky Go Extra until the end of March.

Guinness Launches New Ad with Clock that Controls Time

Guinness launches second installment of 'Made of More'.

On Friday (18th January), Guinness launched the second installment of its ‘Made of More’ Marketing campaign with a second TV ad that sees a magic clock being able to fast forward and rewind time. The new ad ‘Clock’ was made available for fans to preview live on www.Guinness.com from noon on Friday before it hit TV. The TV premiere of the ad will be 24th January (Ireland and the UK).

‘Clock’ follows on in the celebration of the Guinness attitude shared by the famous stout and its drinkers – that you get more out of life by putting more in. 'Clock' is set in the Czech Republic in the 1890s and tells the story of a town’s clock that doesn’t settle for the ordinary; the clock starts to control time to enhance the townspeople’s days; either by accelerating time to make a task go faster or reversing time to avoid an unfortunate event and pausing time to allow a precious moment to last longer.

Nick Britton, Guinness Marketing Manager at Diageo, said: “Guinness has a history of iconic advertising and we are really excited about the new advert ‘Clock’ and about giving people the chance to preview ‘Clock’ live online from 12pm on Friday 17th January before it is aired on TV. The extraordinary clock in this advert is Made of More and has the ability to enhance peoples’ lives; we expect the clock to strike a chord with Guinness drinkers who are also Made of More and do not settle for the ordinary and who love the distinctive look and taste of Guinness and our iconic advertising.”

‘Made of More’ is the biggest Guinness Marketing campaign to date and kicked off in October 2012 with an advert entitled ‘Cloud’. The new advert ‘Clock’ has been created by advertising agency AMV BBDO together with renowned Director Peter Thwaites and continues to reinforce the Guinness attitude of never settling for the ordinary via the attitude ‘Made of More’.

The TV advert was created by AMV BBDO, who also created the first advert ‘Cloud’, and featured a total of 162 actors (4 featured actors, 8 walk on actors and 150 extras that made up the town people and the army). The ad was filmed in Český Krumlov, Czech Republic, a city which is best known for its historic architecture. Peter Thwaites previously directed AT&T ‘Birthday’, Martini ‘Luck is an attitude’ and Barclaycard ‘Waterslide’. Thwaites has also won the Directors Guild of America's prestigious Best Commercial Director prize for 2008.

Meteor Christmas Ad & New Jingle

Meteor’s new Christmas Jingle Composed by former Bell X1 Brian Crosby

Next week Meteor will launch their 2012 Christmas campaign, “Let’s Get Christmassy”. The campaign will be driven by a new TV ad which debuts Meteor’s new Christmas song composed by Brian Crosby, former member of Bell X1.

Following in the character tradition of Meteor ads, the latest ad will feature a new Meteor character Steve. Steve is followed from the moment he realises that Christmas is here. During the ad we then hear his internal thoughts as he anticipates all the things that he loves about an Irish Christmas. In typical Meteor style, the ad features a series of vignettes capturing Steve getting Christmassy: taking it easy in work; eating a selection box for lunch; abandoning Christmas shopping in favour of drinks with mates; being gifted with an annual supply of underpants by his Mam; being late for Christmas mass; and “enjoying” a Christmas dip in freezing Irish waters.

“We wanted our ‘Let’s Get Christmassy’ campaign to celebrate a very Irish Christmas and all of the things that make Christmas our favourite time of year. There was no Christmas song out there that reflected this so we wrote our own,” commented Lisa Comerford, Head of Brand and Advertising, ‘We were delighted to work with a talent like Brian, who not only composed the song but acted as musical director on the project in its entirety and in conjunction with the creative team at Rothco, Bobby Byrne and Stephen Rogers.”

“The best and most unique things about an Irish Christmas are free or cost very little. These are some of the things that set the Irish Christmas apart and this is what we wanted to convey with our “Let’s Get Christmassy” campaign. Value is what Meteor is all about and our Christmas phone range reflects just that. We have some real Christmas crackers of phones this festive season including exclusive colour ranges not available anywhere else” she added.

The “Let’s Get Christmassy” ads showcase the Meteor device offering for Christmas.

A 10 second sequel ad also forms part of the campaign, developing the storyline, and featuring the hero Steve buying a handset as a Christmas gift for his office crush Sarah.

Created and filmed entirely in Ireland, the Meteor “Let’s Get Christmassy” TV campaign launches Thursday 15th November and will be supported with radio, press, online display and social media from November 19th. #whatmakesmechristmassy.

The ad was developed by Meteor with Rothco and creative team Stephen Rogers and Bobby Byrne, was directed by Mike Ahern and Enda Loughman from Team D.A.D.DY. and produced by Gary Moore from Red Rage Films.

TV advert featuring Caoimhe Rathmone which shows the lengths Chill Insurance will go to get you the best deal on your insurance. Don't stress out searching for insurance when we can do it for you.

An interesting move by Chill Insurance in their latest TV ad - instead of hiring professional actors and actresses they held open auditions for their 120 staff members who fancied themselves as the new faces of Chill Insurance.

I think this was a great move by the firm and shows a trust in their staff. Plus, for an insurance business, I really like the ad. Thumbs up all around.

Guinness: 'Made of More' Ad Campaign

 

Today Guinness launched a brand new advertising campaign to run in the UK and Ireland, 'Made of More'. The campaign features a TV ad entitled ‘Cloud’, which was exclusively previewed on the UK and Irish Guinness Facebook pages today at 12 noon. The ad will be on TV, digital and in cinema from 4th October. Created by AMV BBDO, the campaign celebrates the brand philosophy and reinforces its positioning strategy - getting more out of life by putting more in.

‘Cloud’, directed by award-winning Peter Thwaites, was shot on location in South Africa in both Johannesburg and along the Durban coastline. It follows the extraordinary journey of a rather unusual cloud, a metaphor to show the amazing things that can happen when we challenge ourselves to make the most of who we are.

The campaign also includes creative using four extraordinary visuals shot by renowned photographer Nadav Kandar on location at the Olympic National Park, Washington State. These reveal unique creatures which evidently refuse to settle for the ordinary: a woodpecker has sculptured itself an elaborate home, a caterpillar has delicately nibbled out highly detailed scene in a leaf, and a spider has spun an intricate web depicting other insects to tempt its prey.  A fourth poster shows a swarm of fireflies that have come together to make the shape of a beautiful chandelier on an overhanging branch.

Nick Britton, Guinness Senior Brand Manager, said “We think the new brand creative will resonate with people who are open-minded and alive to opportunity and it will inspire them to never settle for the ordinary. The idea of something being made of more is one that really reflects a shared attitude Guinness has with its drinkers who love the distinctive look and taste of Guinness and aspire to get the most out of every aspect of their lives. It’s not defined by a single age, class or demographic.  Guinness has always been synonymous with iconic advertising and this new creative direction for the brand presents great territory to connect with consumers that never settle for the ordinary.”

Executive Creative Director BBDO on Guinness Western Europe, Dave Buchanan,  said, "We all have a choice.  Many years ago Arthur Guinness chose to transcend the ordinary and produce an extraordinary drink, a drink made of more. Today our cloud bucks the trend. Instead of being blown by the wind it takes its own extraordinary journey; our spider spins an extraordinary web and our woodpecker fashions an extraordinary house. This campaign is about that choice: Do we settle for the way things are or do we take the bold choice to step up and be made of more? Do we settle for an ordinary drink or do we choose one that is made of more?”

Filming was captured over 4 days including 2 half day helicopter shoots. Weather conditions were critical as a clear sky and calm conditions were essential to the shoots success.

Soundtrack information:
“The Grand Finale” – Danny Elfman

Ad credits:
Director: Peter Thwaites, Gorgeous
Prod Co. Producer: Ciska Faulkner, Gorgeous
AMV Producer: Olly Chapman

Creative team:Executive Creative Director: Dave Buchanan
TV: Alex Grieve and Adrian Rossi
Print: Ant Nelson and Mike Sutherland
TV Producer:  Olly Chapman

Carlsberg launches ‘Crate Escape’ in Ireland

Today, Monday 9th July 2012, Carlsberg have released the details of their latest TV ad 'Crate Escape'. This Thursday, 12th July, Carlsberg's humorous take on the film ‘The Great Escape’, will air in Ireland before any other market.

The ad is set in a remote health spa where a bunch of lads have been forced to join their partners on a luxury spa break. Obviously the lads in question would much rather be somewhere else. This leads to an ingenious plan to add a much needed element to the whole experience: a cold Carlsberg.

Our hero calls on his mates to break out and smuggle a crate of Carlsberg back into the spa, and just like Steve McQueen and the lads in The Great Escape these crafty chaps use a host of cunning and oddball methods to get the job done. To be honest though, you should just watch it...

Speaking about the new ad, Karen Murphy, Senior Brand Manager, Carlsberg, said: “We’re delighted with our new TV ad ‘The Crate Escape’ and to be chosen as the first market to air it. The commercial reinforces the Carlsberg brand message and offers some light-hearted entertainment as our hero steps up and comes good by his mates and his girlfriend. Carlsberg has a reputation for producing - memorable ads with clever wit and we believe ‘The Crate Escape’ will be really well-received amongst our audience. To coincide with the launch we are running a themed competition on the Carlsberg Ireland Facebook page to giveaway a weekend break to either Barcelona or Berlin for four mates.”

Developed by creative agency Fold7, the 30, 50, 80 and 90 second ad was directed by Peter Lydon whose work includes hit Channel 4 TV shows Shameless and Teachers, and features music from the Elmer Bernstein score for ‘The Great Escape’. The ad will be rolled out across Carlsberg's global markets, kicking off in Ireland, Sweden and Belgium on 12 July.

To view the new ad first and be in with a chance of winning some fantastic Carlsberg Crate Escape prizes, visit Facebook.com/CarlsbergIreland.

Lyons Tea Launches New Range

Lyons Tea's latest campaign has just gone live, promoting the launch of a new range of richer tasting tea specially designed for the Irish tea-loving palate. Made using a unique pressing technology, the tea leaves are pressed at different stages during fermentation in order to capture and preserve the genuine and refined taste of fresh tea in each blend:

• Fresh Blend: A refreshing pick-me-up - the tea leaves are pressed within hours of picking to give a uniquely clean, smooth, golden and fresh-tasting tea.
• Gold Blend: The rich full flavour tea, that tea drinkers have always loved, enriched with some pressed tea leaves.
• Evening Blend: Perfect for the moments of relaxation…a delicate tasting blend that combines lightly pressed leaves and decaffeinated tea.

The campaign is primarily driven by a new tv ad (above) that tells the story of Lyons Tea’s new pressing technology and its role in ensuring Lyons Gold Blend is now Lyons richer tasting tea. The introduction of the pressing technology presented a unique opportunity to reinforce the richness of Lyons Gold Blend, the hero product of the new range.

While seeking to communicate the new technology behind the range, the commercial still remains set in the Lyons word of talk. Once again the Lyons Master Blender and Apprentice reprise their roles at the heart of the Lyons Factory.

The 30 second commercial was created by Rothco. Shooting took place in Kiev, where the original Lyons Puts the Talk into Tea campaign was also shot in 2010 and post production was carried out in Dublin’s renowned Windmill Lane studios.

Like the originals, the commercial was directed by Irish director Steven St Leger, working with his long-time collaborator, cameraman James Mather.

Speaking on the launch of the new range, Nicola Tougher, Marketing Manager, Lyons Tea, said, “We’re really excited at Lyons Tea to introduce our two new richer tasting blends to the Irish market, Evening and Fresh Blend. The new pressing technology has been used for the whole range to enrich Gold Blend, the hero of the range together with two new blends Fresh and Evening. For our latest TV commercial we brought back our much loved Master Blender and his young apprentice. While we sought to communicate the new technology behind the range, we also wanted to ensure talk and humour were still very much at heart of it and we're delighted with the final result."

The campaign kicked off this week and as well as TV also includes radio, outdoor, digital and PR support.

Three Launches ‘Support Works’ Campaign

This week, Three launched their latest campaign, ‘Support Works’. The campaign, which is focused on celebrating the vital role that fans play on the Irish Football team's journey to Poland, is part of Three's sponsorship activity for the Irish Football team.

The campaign features two new tv ads running on RTE, TV3, 3E, Sky packages, Living, and E4:
#SupportsWorks TV Ad - First Dinner Date
#SupportsWorks TV Ad – Greens

Credits:
Art Director – Bill Hollingsworth
Creative Director – Mal Stevenson
Director – Stephen St. Leger
Producer – Jack Armstrong
Production Company – H2


Alongside the tv ads, the campaign will also feature outdoor ads of 48 sheets, 96 sheets, golden squares and metro panels. There will be digital executions of rich media banners on key websites and social media. The campaign will also be supported by in store POS across Three's entire retail division.

Finally there will be an intensive programme of BTL and PR activity calling on the supporters to ‘Go Green with Pride’ and show their support for the team, featuring a number of the Republic of Ireland footballers, on-street stunt activity and exciting events for supporters in Dublin’s city centre.

As part of the campaign, Three Ireland has launched an exclusive limited edition Samsung Galaxy Mini with supporters kit. Priced at €89 the kit includes; a limited edition Samsung Galaxy Mini featuring a branded FAI supporters mobile handset cover, a watch, a ‘Support Works’ car sticker and Republic of Ireland football supporter’s pin.

The handset is preloaded with the 3Football App and Three Football Flick Kick game, and will be available from all 3Stores and stockists nationwide and online.

The campaign was developed by Irish International.

For further information on Three visit www.three.ie

Lyons Tea

Hopefully you enjoyed the three previous posts I've written on Lyons Tea and the ads in their ‘Master Blender’ campaign series. First up was 'Footie Talk', followed by 'All Talk' and then 'Rich Talk'. Now I'm delighted to share the fourth and fifth instalments in the series: 'Girl Talk' and 'Wild Horses'.

The most popular of the first three ads was 'All Talk'. It featured two loveable characters in an office, having a tea break and talking about their experiences in the gym. I'm sure you'll be delighted to hear that 'Wild Horses' sees the return of these characters. Just watch...

‘S’Up Santa?’

Back in August I posted about Three Ireland's latest campaign, 'S'Up'. The advertising campaign featured Jedward and saw the two pop stars become advertising foremen for the mobile brand.

Now as Christmas quickly approaches Three have launched their seasonal campaign, which also features the duo and promotes their limited edition Jedward handset. The handset, a limited edition Samsung Galaxy Europa I5500, will be the brands Christmas hero handset and feature prominently on all advertising. The above the line campaign of which commenced last Monday (14th November) and runs for six weeks until 22nd December 2011. This consists of 20 second TV advertisements on RTE, TV3, 3E, Sky packages, Comedy Central, MTV E!, Living and E4, and on Video on Demand on 4OD.

The TV ad was directed by Damien O’Donnell, who has directed the films; ‘East is East’, ‘Heartlands’, and ‘Inside I’m Dancing’, and produced by Russ Russell of Russell Curran Productions. The campaign was developed by McCann Erickson.

The Samsung Galaxy Europa I5500 handset is available from all 3Stores and stockists and online at Three.ie from now. The handset comes in a giftbox with some additional Jedtastic goodies including; a signed Jedward postcard, a Jedward phone sock and a limited edition ‘S’Up’ badge!

Commenting on the launch, Sales and Marketing Director, Elaine Carey at Three, said: “We at Three are very excited to be launching an exclusive ‘Jedward’ Samsung Galaxy Europa Christmas gift pack, for just €69. This Christmas we have something for everyone, from handset offers to broadband and bundle offers. Given the popularity of the Jedward ‘S’Up’ phrase in the last instalment of the campaign, we expect lots of people to be asking ‘S’Up Santa?’ in the run up to Christmas.”

Andrea Galligan, Senior Account Manager at McCann Erickson commented ‘All of us at McCann Erickson are very excited to bring Jedward back for Christmas. Jedward and Santa on the same couch, you know it’s going to be magic! We really think this campaign captures the festive mood and we have a feeling that the limited edition Jedward Samsung Europa will be on quite a few wish lists this Christmas.’

Via the 2.8” Capacitive touch screen and Android Froyo 2.2 on board, the Samsung Galaxy Europa is ideal for social networking with direct photo upload to Facebook, Twitter and Picasa Web Albums and direct video upload to Youtube for instant sharing on the move. The handset features a 2MP camera with 4X digital zoom, an MP4 video player, GPS, WiFi, and a music player and comes with a 3.5mm stereo headset.

For further information on Three visit www.three.ie.

Johnnie Walker

Some time ago I wrote about the brilliant Johnnie Walker ad, 'The Man Who Walked Around The World'. The spot, starring Robert Carlyle, is perhaps one of my favourite ads ever. The concept is clean and fresh. The copy and dialogue is succinct and to the point. The overall effect, though expensive and less than easy to create, is one of utter ease. Carlyle is effortless and the ad feels like it could have been shot by him alone one Sunday in the Highlands.

This is the ad...

Last week Johnnie Walker released a new ad for the Brazilian market. This is the ad...

This ad is contrived, filled with poor acting and lacking any sort of connection with the brand, in my honest opinion. I don't understand how a brand could have come so far, in the completely wrong direction. There is nothing about this ad that I like. It does not make me think of the brand heritage, it does not make me think about the natural ingredients and processes that go into its making, and it does not make me even slightly want to drink Johnnie Walker.

I don't know what you did but it is all wrong.

Three launches ‘S’Up’ Campaign

Three have just launched their latest campaign with everyone's favourite music and reality crazy kids, Jedward. The campaign, which announces Three's new “All you can eat” data on Prepay, will hit TV screens tomorrow evening (5th August) and run for five weeks until 11th September 2011. The campaign uses 30 second placements on RTE, TV3, 3E, Sky packages, Comedy Central, MTV E!, Living and E4. Aside from the TV slots, the campaign will also run online rich media banners on yahoo, MSN, Ryanair, Facebook, and Skype. Finally, the campaign will also use targeted press advertising and special builds in Dublin’s city centre.

The campaign was developed by McCann Erickson and the TV ad was directed by Damien O’Donnell, who has directed the films; ‘East is East’, ‘Heartlands’, and ‘Inside I’m Dancing’, and produced by Russ Russell of Russell Curran Productions.

The TV ad features Jedward calling, texting and tweeting each other all day long. This may not appear unusual given the close bond the twins share, but what is different about Jedward is that they call text and tweet each other even when they’re in the same room, because it costs them nothing on Three Prepay. They can call each other to say hello or in Jedward’s case ‘S’Up?’ and make sure they don’t miss what’s going on even for a minute.

So we have TV, online and press so far, but the most interesting part of the campaign is the in-store POS and PR activity, which will focus on recruiting a third member of Jedward via on-street and social media auditions to spend a day with Jedward at a secret Three Ireland Jedward gig on 16th September. Lucky Three Prepay customers will receive a special Jedmail inviting them!

Commenting on the launch, Sales and Marketing director, Elaine Carey at Three, said: “We at Three are very excited to be launching ‘All you can eat’ data for our Prepay customers, marking another important first in the Irish market for Three. From Friday the 5th of August, Three Prepay customers can avail of the exclusive ‘All you can eat’ data price plan for the first time, giving unlimited mobile internet access, free any network texts, and free Three to Three calls, all for just €20 a month minimum top up. To celebrate this we are offering the Samsung Galaxy Europa on Prepay for just €49, an amazing price for a great Smartphone, with the ‘All you can eat’ data plan allowing Three Prepay customers to make the most of its enhanced social media functionality.”

Commenting on the launch, Emma Sharkey, McCann Erickson, said: “Jedward’s star power and their ubiquitous popularity will help Three to reach a larger prepay audience. Jedward’s youthful energy and innate sociability are a natural fit with the brand’s Prepay proposition. Three understands that people want the ability to stay in constant contact with their closest friends through texts, social sites and calls, without fear of burning through credit.”

For further information on Three, the new offer or the handset, just visit www.three.ie and be sure to follow Three on Twitter and Facebook.

Lyons Tea - Fans Vote On Favourite Ending

Lyons has been putting the talk into tea very successfully for some time now but the next TV ad is being handed over to the fans. Never-before seen endings to the current Gold Blend TV ad are now available to view on the Lyons Tea Facebook page and fans are being asked to vote for their favourite clip in a bid to help Lyons Tea decide which ad to air next on television.

The current Gold Blend TV ad opens on the magical Lyons tea factory where the Master Blender and his young apprentice ponder the richer taste and richer stories of Lyons Gold Blend. The current ad then ends with Dad, Mum and their 3 year old boy sitting on the couch and Dad is recounting the age-old fairytale ‘there was an old woman who lived in a shoe’ to his son. However in true Irish style, Dad throws in a few exaggerations and a bit of colour for good measure.

However, this was just one of four potential endings for the Lyons Gold Blend ad. Storytelling is at the heart of each alternate version but we hear the story of Goldilocks in one, while the story of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs takes on some interesting twists and turns in the other versions. However it is always Dad recounting the tales in a rather exaggerated fashion so that the joke is always on Mum.

Lyons is calling on its Facebook fans to vote for their favourite ending to help them decide which ad to air next. Whichever ending is voted the favourite by Lyons Tea fans, the overarching message will remain unchanged, revealing that a richer talk’ added to the tea is what gives Lyons Gold Blend its richer, full bodied taste.

Lyons Gold Blend 'Rich Talk'

Anyone reading my blog should remember the two previous Lyons Tea campaigns that I've written about. Well I'm delighted to say that the latest in the series of Master Teablender ads is right on the ball, and continues this great campaign.

The latest advertising campaign reveals that a ‘richer talk’ added to the tea is what gives Lyons Gold Blend its richer, full bodied taste. The new campaign launched on television screens this week bringing to life those richer, more colourful conversations, where what begins as a casual chat, delivers more than expected.

The campaign has been developed by Rothco with this 30 second instalment directed by JJ Keith, produced by H2 Films and post-produced by Windmill Lane Studios. The campaign also comprises of one radio execution, and outdoor advertising on 48-sheet and 6-sheets, which will roll out next Monday (31st January 2011).

Speaking of the new advertising campaign, Liz Finlay, Marketing Manager, Lyons Tea said, “Irish people come from a long line of storytellers, poets and authors – talking is one of the things we do best. Lyons Tea is all about talk and the fuller flavour of our Gold Blend enhances this talk, making it richer, more colourful and leading to the slightly exaggerated tales we all know and love. We’re delighted with our new TV advertisement and we’ll be supporting the new campaign with some really exciting BTL and PR activity over the coming months.”

Ad Outline
The TV advertisement opens on the magical Lyons tea factory and the Master Blender and his young apprentice. The apprentice quizzes the Master Blender on why Lyons Gold Blend is so special, who replies, “It’s richer. Richer taste.” We see the rows of different boxes each with a different type of Gold Blend talk and the Master Blender continues, “So we put in richer talk… which leads to…. Richer STORIES.” The two then enter the Blending Room where we see the Master Blender adding the richer talk to the tea, creating Lyons Gold Blend.


The ad then cuts to a family home with Dad, Mum and their 3 year old boy sitting on the couch. Mum and Dad are enjoying a cup of Lyons Gold Blend and Dad is recounting the age-old fairytale ‘there was an old woman who lived in a shoe’ to his son. Dad begins the tale, takes a sip of his Lyons Gold Blend and then continues with a somewhat embellished version of the story, “which if her taste was anything like your mother’s...it wouldn’t have been cheap….still at least she only had one shoe…not 50 pairs. The voiceover then reveals ‘A richer taste for richer talk’.

Visit the Lyons Tea Facebook page for more Lyons info, or check out the ad here...

About Lyons Tea

• Lyons Tea employs expert master blenders and tasters to select the best blends and combination of some of the finest teas from Kenya, Assam from India and Ceylon from Sri Lanka to produce the highest quality tea. Lyons Tea is available from leading supermarkets and retailers nationwide.
• Lyons is Ireland’s number one tea brand with 42.8% market share***; Lyons is an iconic Irish brand with more than 100 years of tradition in Ireland, having started business in Dublin in 1902 near Christ Church Cathedral. It is now owned by Unilever Ireland.
• Lyons Tea is Ireland’s favourite tea. The Lyons Tea range includes Lyons Gold Blend, Lyons Original Blend, Lyons Gold Blend Reserve, Lyons Kenya Blend, and Lyons Decaffeinated Tea. Lyons Green Tea is available in original, with Lemon and with Mint. For further information on Lyons Tea visit www.lyonstea.ie
• Lyons tea is currently working with the Rainforest Alliance - independent experts in sustainability and by 2012 all our tea will only come from Rainforest Alliance Certified™ farms.
• For more information visit www.lyonstea.ie

Guinness Dark Life (New TV Ad)

Last year Guinness produced a really cool New Year's Eve experience as part of their Guinness 250 campaign (posts here and here). In true epic form Guinness have again produced something new this year. You may have seen the new Guinness ad already in the cinema (where it went live from December 17th) but it won't be seen on tv until this evening when it will be aired in Ireland exclusively. The ad, entitled ‘Dark Life’, is all about Guinness's life and energy from its unique swirls and surges from a settling a pint of Guinness. The ad was shot in various locations including Hong Kong, Columbia and New York.

Speaking about the new ad, Head of Marketing for Guinness, Tanya Clarke said “Guinness is an iconic Irish brand that is celebrated globally and at the heart of our new ad is the idea that there is more life in the dark. Daytime scenes from around the globe are transformed by the coming of a magical liquid which brings on the night. The captivating film connects with consumers across borders and cultures.”

The Ad Storyboard:
From East Village in New York, the liquid swirl continues on a journey of vitality throughout the ad. Dark Life is unveiled as we see people gathering together in anticipation of something exciting. They begin to unite in field where they start to build a bonfire. As the stunning sky comes alive, darkness falls.

Then we see a woman happily sitting on a swing, waiting patiently as the magical liquid darkness appears. Then a couple are seen excitedly running through a field chasing the liquid darkness. We then see a flash of a steel works station on the edge of a remote town. Then quickly it pans to an urban scene where we see a train heading into the striking sky line. From there we are transported back to East Village where the young guy is seen joining his mates in a bar.

As the energy builds we are presented with a bicycle light in Hong Kong, As the camera pans out it reveals hundreds of people cycling with their lights beaming and creating a sense of occasion and togetherness. From there we are taken back to Hong Kong where a beautiful colourful light scene is formed as the day turns into night

As the liquid surge in the sky unveils magical scenes we see people celebrating and enjoying life in the dark. By the bonfire, in a field, on the busy street of Hong, all bringing to life the unique energy of the Guinness surge.

And here's the ad itself:

‘Guinness: Dark Life’

Some interesting facts about the ad:

• The street drummer at start was found on youtube.
• The surge effect was achieved by constructing a special tank into which pieces of wood matching the shape of buildings in the specific shot were placed. Then liquid was injected and shot at very high speed. This replicated the liquid night descending around the buildings.
• Bicycles Scene: 75 cast members were recruited on the street. Streets cannot be closed for filming in Hong Kong, so the ad was shot around the constant busy traffic.
• The New York Fire Department assisted by opening the fire hydrants for shooting the street dancing scene.
• The cornfield shoot was shot through the night and only stopped shooting when dawn light prevented us from continuing.
• The ad was shot on a traditional 35 mm film and Canon 5D. The 5D gave great freedom when shooting on the streets as it is light and easy to transport.
• The skyline shots were all shot from the top of buildings. Over many hours the skylines were captured as darkness fell and these different exposures were then combined in post production.

Production Info:
The music track used in the ad is entitled ’10 mile stereo’ by the band Beach House. The American indie rock duo from Baltimore recently played a sold out gig in Vicar Street. Their third and latest album released this year, received positive critical and commercial reaction. Their track ’10 mile stereo’ was chosen as it “perfectly carries and enhances the magical, uplifting energy of the ad” said Irish International BBDO’s Mark Nutley.

The ad was directed by the award winning French director, Frederic Planchon and was joint production between the Guinness marketing and BBDO teams of both Ireland and Great Britain. Frederic is a prestigious French director, whose work has been recognised globally including the Masters of Advertising, where he won Director of the Year and at Cannes where he picked up a Silver Lion for Jeep Treacherous Terrain. He continues to be a prolific, and much sought after director worldwide.

Frederic Planchon about the new Guinness ad, “The different parts of the ad combine to create an atmospheric arc that starts at the end of a normal working day around the world, and culminates in a New York bar where the surging of a freshly pulled pint mirrors the urgent buzz and anticipation of a New York City night getting underway outside”.

Guinness 'This Is Rugby Country' TV Ad

Ahead of their support for the Guinness Series and the upcoming 2011 RBS 6 Nations Championship, Guinness is launching their latest advertising campaign. The highlight of which is the new TV ad entitled 'This is Rugby Country'.

The ad, which is part of a bigger ATL campaign, will air for the first time tomorrow evening (Friday 19th November), during the TV3 News at 5.30pm and also during 6.1 News on RTE 1. The ad will also air during the rugby coverage on RTE 2 tomorrow night, and again on RTE on Saturday evening during the broadcast of the Ireland V All Blacks game.

While the initial ad, launched tomorrow, will be a 60 second version, there will also be a 40 second TV edit for the 2011 RBS 6 Nations, and Leinster and Munster specific edits for airing around key provincial games. Finally it will also feature as a prominent cinema ad aired in support of the 2011 RBS 6 Nations.

Thankfully though there's no need to wait until tomorrow. Here's the full 60 second version of the ad for your enjoyment...

The ad was directed by award-winning photographer Alex Telfer. Alex is widely recognised for his powerful, realistic and emotive imagery. The 'This is Rugby Country' ad was shot in various locations around Dublin and Wicklow. The most interesting thing about the commercial is that it features real rugby fans as opposed to actors. The aim was to allow each fan to have a role in bringing 'This is Rugby Country' to life through the anticipation and build up to the drama of the game.

Speaking about the campaign, Guinness Senior Brand Manager, Stuart Kinch said, "With This is Rugby Country, we want to show that rugby is part of who we are, it is embedded in our communities across the country, which is why we feel there is a real value in featuring genuine fans in these ads, not actors. This is one of the key ingredients of the campaign. The main stage for international rugby might be in Dublin, but it’s roots are spread across the country."

Director Information:
Alex Telfer is an award winning photographer, known for his strong portrait photographs. His has previously has work commissioned by Nike, Sony Music, the BBC, and Royal Bank of Scotland, amongst others. He works globally with agents in Milan, London, New York Paris and Hong Kong.

The full cast for the ad is as follows:

• Slattery's Pub – all locals: Tadhg Kennelly, Pat Scully, Alex Cordero (manager), David Keenahan, William Griffith, Cian Duggan, John Fahy, Jane Fitzgerald, John Boyle, Neasa Ni Dhurcain
• Fishermen from Howth: David Doyle, Dougal Cousins, Tadek Wagiel, Cathal Lafferty, Terry Kelly, Benedict Byrne, Michael O’Brien, Pierce O'Shea, Michael Farren, Ivan Wilde
• Office Cleaners - Dublin: Larissa, Charlie Thompson, Bernie Ward, Bernadette McCoughlin, Tiago Palma de Castro
• Firemen - Dublin: David Murray, Chris Beregen, Paul Marsh, Brendan Magratan, Tony Devoy, Neil Mcabe, Eddie Duffy
• Club Rugby Players: Marcus Stewart, Lucas O'Ceallachain, David Campbell, Damien Hall
• Farmers - Wicklow: Ruth Henderson, Elga Fox, Mark Cunnane, Rory Murphy, Patrick Gill, David Tyrell, Michael Behan
• Scientists - Shot in the Mater Hospital: Lyndsey Kane, Maggie Smith, Stewart Williams, Patrick Heavney, John Byrne, Patrick Smith, Therese O'Sullivan, Ben Griffin,
• Munster Pub - all locals: Lisa McCarthy, John Hennessy, Anthony Kavanagh, Michael Goggin, Joy Neville, Ian Hanly, Donal Mulcahy (manager)