Ad of the Day: Vodafone Assures Lovesick Teen Girls, ‘It’s Not You, It’s Him’

Waiting by the phone may be one of the oldest clichés in telecom advertising, but Grey London manages to put an enjoyable twist on the idea with its new international Vodafone spot, "The Wait."

Twenty years ago, the ad would have shown a teenage girl hovering over a home phone, trying to keep her parents and siblings off the line while she waits for an important call. Now, she's camped out in a diner with her smartphone and a gaggle of friends, who are struggling to stave off boredom while sticking out the arduous wait with her.

Grey, whose evocative Vodafone spot "The Kiss" won bronze in the Film Lions contest at Cannes last month, used Rattling Stick director Sara Dunlop this time, and the subtle and fantastic visual details tell a timeless story using only one word of dialogue: "Mom." That economy of language, coupled with a story line that almost anyone can relate to, has helped give the ad a global audience. Created to run in Ireland, it's now appearing in Australia with a slightly more coiffed love interest.

Of course, a big part of the ad's appeal is the payoff, which clearly shows that wherever this spot runs, it most certainly originated in the mind of a Brit.

CREDITS

Client: Vodafone

Agency: Grey, London

Executive Creative Director: Nils Leonard

Creative Director: Simon Brotherson

Copywriter: Mike Kennedy

Art Director: Pauline Ashford

TV Producer: Rachael Long

Production Company: Rattling Stick

Director: Sara Dunlop

Producer: Stuart Bentham

Postproduction: MPC

Editing House: Work

Post Editor: Art Jones

Audio Post: Ben Leeves, Grand Central