The making of Blackcurrant Tango
(Thanks, Adliterate.)
This seminal ad came out the year I started in advertising. We all loved this, were jealous of it and read many, many briefs where some lily-livered client requested their own Blackcurrant Tango then wouldn’t touch your attempt at it with a ten-foot pole (possibly with good reason).
Funny to look back on it and see how charmingly naive the ‘fashions’ of the day were. Remember, these are advertising people; they supposedly give a shit about the latest trends and are able to afford them. But just look at what they’re wearing, particularly the guy in the red shirt and waistcoat who seems to be the director.
Do those of you born on the late eighties/early nineties regard this as I regarded the seventies? Quirky, dated and alien?
Anyway, for those of you who haven’t seen what Pencil-winning genius 1996-stylee looks like, check this out:
Ben,
Are you watching The Pitch at the mo and if so what’s your take on proceedings?
I’m watching season 11 of Family Guy on DVD.
this was the ad that inspired me most when i was starting out. so confident. so daft. new ground was broken here. still love it.
Sorry Ben,
I meant to say Joan Collins in The Bitch. Mind you The Pitch is a bit like that ‘cept it’s a before the watershed version.
Brilliant, brilliant ad. One of my all-time favourites.
The director is Colin Gregg, a very talented man, ‘proper’ director, and all-round top bloke. I’ve had the pleasure of working with him on a few different commercials.
Years back I worked with Colin Gregg. We could never think about taking St George off the reel – there’s an entire generation of creatives who were inspired to get into the business pretty much on the strength of this one commercial. You’d show the spot and they’d be able to recite the dialogue word for word.
I might be wrong, but as a result of the success of this ad, Ray Gardner was actually taken on by Tango as a ‘spokesperson’. (Or was that to get the script through Clearcast? Whatever).
And you can find Colin working through ThomasThomas. He’s long since ditched the waistcoat (come on Ben – what were you wearing in the day you started in the business?!) and these days he comes head to toe in Prada. He is also a charming man to work with.
I’d guess Stussy T-shirt and Dockers, maybe some Vans on the feet.
Now? Head to toe in Tom Ford*
*Not really.
I so love that ad.
What happened to Chas thingymajig who wrote the ad – didn’t he go on tour with Justin Hawkins after setting up Arkwright after leaving HHCL?
He must be able to dine out on that ad forever.
47 seconds in, the pavement turns to a field.
This ad inspired the arse off me at the time.
Sadly now, most of the work I see makes me want to jack it all in.
Especially working in the Global creative wasteland which is my agency.
Jim Bolton – my hero.
Oh a proper telly ad! Remember when we used to make those? Writing nice scripts? Going on shoots and stuff? I’m off to have a cry and then go back to my ‘digital activation idea’. 🙁
*goosebumps*