Honest Aldi

McCann Erikson is doing some great ads for Aldi right now to showcase the strength of their own label range. I particularly like this one not only because it's hilarious, but also because it's bravely honest and edgy. Aldi has let McCann poke fun at one of their key shopping demographics. She's the perfect character to sell mayonnaise. Everything is so well chosen: from her accent, to her hair, to the stack of gossip mags on the couch, they've painted a brilliant picture that will give an instant character read to the general UK audience, and hopefully sell more Aldi mayonnaise in the process...

Is William Hill Anti-Glazer?

With everything surrounding the Anti-Glazer controversy at Manchester United, you would think that William Hill would've been more careful with their recent advertisement which seems to support this campaign with the line 'I will show my true colors' with a shot of a green and yellow scarf. However, I suppose since this is quite controversial they're getting viewers to discuss, which is really what they're trying to achieve. Furthermore, they're free of any blame since Norwich City is in fact, yellow and green. What a move...



Background: For those of your who don't follow English football, the Glazer family - who are American - hold controlling stakes in Manchester United, the most winning club in Premier League history. Recently, Man U fans have started to wear yellow and green scarves (in stark opposition to the club's traditional red and white colors) in support of an 'Anti-Glazer' campaign. This move stems from fans angry about the fact that the money in which Malcom Glazer used to originally buy his controlling stake was in fact acquired through bank loans against the club's assets putting the club in massive debt. The Anti Glazer campaign has gotten a lot of press as more and more fans purchase the unofficial merchandise and the stands are now filled with a sea of green and yellow. Additionally, a group of City bankers who call themselves the Red Knights are supposedly attempting to amass enough funding to buy out the Glazers. The story is ongoing. Read more

Have an awesome day!

I love to exercise and get outside which might be why this K-Swiss commercial speaks to me so much. However, they've also got a great song: a rocked-up version of 'California Sun' originally by the Rivieras but this time sung by a chorus of children which just adds a great element of fun and energy. It targets both men and women, doing serious but mostly not-so-serious sports and generally having a great time doing them in the California sunshine. The age group is both old and young and no one takes themselves too seriously. This is a good ol' brand awareness piece for K-Swiss which I consider an often-forgotten sport brand. They've definitely displayed their Californian American hertiage perfectly to this English audience. Let's see what else they've got...

FAB design

I just love Jimmie Martin who has a shop on Kensington Church Street, W8 in London. His style mixes the framework of classic furniture with bold contemporary and humerous twists. There is a lot of style and a lot of fun in what he produces. You can also have pieces tailor-made to fit your style or the room you are decorating. I'm dying to get a chair. Visit his website to view much of the collection.

Love your vagina? What?

Wow. What a fabulously fun and controversial campaign. These have been all over the London Underground for the past month or so and easily pushed me to their website: loveyourvagina.com. Each advert simply displays one of the many names for a woman's 'lady parts' in a creative style that suits the word. The website also encourages women to further interact with the brand by nominating their favorite name for their private parts. Although the actual product they're selling (an eco-friendly sanitary option called the Mooncup) is not my cup of tea, I adore this campaign and think it does a wonderful job raising public awareness for a hard-to-discuss product.

Who said car commercials are boring?

I have loved this commercial for the Vauxhall Corsa: fab combination of a great Gnarls Barkley song and colorful pop art which screams fun to the viewer. Who said car commercials are boring? I find in Europe, they're usually quite clever... other examples to follow...