AMV BBDO released its latest work for telecomm client BT today, and the campaign allows Ewan McGregor to share his thoughts on ad industry practices with the help of some familiar stock characters:
- the super-douchey European director
- the overly ambitious copywriter eager to discuss his creative “vision”
- the corporate client overseeing the shoot
- the random celebrity spokespeople
McGregor’s basic message? Keep it simple, stupid. As you’ll see in the first spot “Big Stunt,” it’s all a bit meta.
Here’s a “behind the scenes” clip of McGregor shooting the rhetorical shit with Mr. Cyclist:
The press release describes the new, “epic” campaign as “a parody of the advertising process,” and future spots for the client will feature other famous UK actors, celebrities, and athletes in “amusing situations that poke fun at the world of advertising.”
Stephen Foster of the More About Advertising blog is not quite impressed, writing:
“…viewers may come to the conclusion that everybody in advertising – and therefore all advertising – is mad.
Are you sure you want to do this, AMV?”
We’d say the campaign itself serves as a resounding “yes” in response to that query. The next spot in the series, titled “Silence,” gives more screen time to the client reps (and the CD’s donut/hip-hop habit):
Whatever your thoughts on the campaign’s depiction of a shoot, we think you’ll agree that the work is very Cannes-friendly — and VERY British.
Credits:
Creative Director: Paul Brazier
Agency Creatives: Richard Peretti & Gary Lathwell
Director: Randy Krallman
Production Company: Smuggler
Producer: Yvonne Chalkley