3 Great Ads is a long-running Thinkbox and Campaign series. The idea is not only to explore some of our greatest ads in the company of people who know a thing or two about making them, but also - because of the proven link between creativity and effectiveness - to inspire the ad industry to even greater heights.
Laura Jordan Bambach is recognised globally as an innovator and industry leader. A former president of D&AD who has twice been named one of Britain’s most influential people in the annual Debrett’s 500 list, she is known for her pioneering spirit, human understanding and passion for storytelling as well as technical skill.
A champion for diversity, Jordan Bambach is a co-founder of The Great British Diversity Experiment and of SheSays, the volunteer network that works to encourage more women into the creative industries. She has been honoured in Campaign’s UK Female Frontier Awards for Championing Change.
Jordan Bambach lectures around the world and has written creative curriculi for the Royal College of Art, Australia’s UNSW School of Art & Design, and Westminster University.
Jordan Bambach’s choices
1. Three “Sing it kitty”
Starship’s We Built This City is performed by a cat (called Simcris Bronte Bronjoy, if you want to know) in the front basket of a little girl who is patrolling the neighbourhood on her bicycle. Silly, but entertaining and uplifting, and on brand for Three which previously created the moonwalking Shetland pony. The commercial by Wieden & Kennedy was supported by a "SingItKitty" app, which allowed people to star in their own version of the ad.
Creative agency: Wieden & Kennedy Creative team: Dan Norris, Ray Shaughnessy, Chris Lapham, Aaron McGurk Client: Lucienne Martin Production company: Partizan Director: Traktor
2. Setapp “Snake”
Mac apps subscription service Setapp and agency Droga5 created a campaign revolving around three comic films which showcased the absurd consequences of people who couldn’t finish what they had begun. In “Snake”, a hypnotist is about to cure a man’s phobia of snakes when he is interrupted by his phone half-way through the process. The man is left, hypnotised into believing that he is now living in the world as a snake, and comedic outcomes ensue.
Creative agency: Droga5 Creative team: David Kolbusz, Ed Redgrave, Dave Wigglesworth Client: Oleksandr Kosovan Production company: Biscuit Filmworks UK Director: Jeff Lowe
3. ITV “Britain Get Talking: The Breakthrough”
Uncommon Creative Studio's ad for ITV's "Britain Get Talking" campaign portrays a challenging after-school interaction between a father and his teenage daughter.
Showing the disparity between spoken words and underlying emotions, the ad highlights the importance of a parent's patience in fostering a genuine connection with their child and kickstarting meaningful conversations.
Supported by Mind and YoungMinds, and the Scottish Association for Mental Health (SAMH), the campaign talks about the hurdles faced by young people in discussing their personal challenges. And encourages adults to keep trying, even though it might take time to break through.
Creative agency: Uncommon Creative Studio Client: ITV Production company: Anonymous Content Director: Thirty Two
