Jude Law booze ad
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQ7kWpTrtJw
It’s all fairly pleasant and well shot, but two small points (well, one small and one big. Or maybe two big. Let’s see what you think):
1. I would never have watched it if not for my blogging interest. If I see that a company wants 6 minutes or so of my time I wonder if there’s anything else I’d rather do, and 99999999999999999999999 times out of 100000000000000000000000 I manage to find something; something like searching my navel for errant lint, or having the skin removed from 43% of my body. Hats off to Johnnie Walker for at least trying to pique my interest with a Hollywood star, but they have forgotten the great maxim of Phone Shop: No Man Likes Jude Law (having said that, I did a VO with him last year and he was lovely, so personally speaking, At Least One Man Likes Jude Law).
2. Once you’ve got people through the door, in a plot like this the dance has to be amazing, spellbinding, breathtaking, magical, wonderful and, yes, awe-inspiring. This dance was tepid at best. Not only would I not swap my lovely ‘rarer than rare’ (could they not thinking of something rare that would be better than ‘rare’? The classic ‘rocking horse shit’ has set the bar high, but this is an indulgent little piece that needs commensurate writing, IMHO) boat for that dance, I’d sooner hang on to my navel lint, or even the chance to have a bath with Jeremy Clarkson (not really).
So full marks for effort; medium marks for the final product.
I am not clicking play ever at that length ever. What the fuck is wrong with people?
That’s longer than most best man speeches (that are shit)
Rarer than a shot of whisky in a scotch ad.
I really don’t get why an agency would make that. No scotch drinker or someone who may try scotch will watch that. Not that that is their aim of course. It’s about brand equity right?
Boooooooooring! Like when you shag a bird and it’s like shagging a plank.
And that’s nowhere near as good as when you shag a plank and it’s somehow, magically like shagging a bird.
And what kind of bird? I tend to go for cormorant or albatross, but a good friend of mine would never say no to a penguin.
I’ve never had any complaints.
Hi Ben, this comment has nothing to do with your post but I’d love to hear yours and others views on the David Lynch nail polish ad. Completely different to anything I’ve seen in ages but makes bugger all sense, I quite like it http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bJDzzV1_Yoc
So that’s what that whole “planking” thing was about.
At least JL can’t dance, then you’d really hate him.
Hi Anon: it’s pretty cool – visually original and oddly compelling.
It’s meaningless because it’s fashion. Fine by me.
If this ad was a film, and it was on IMDB… I would say 6/10.
Paolo Sorrentino said about “The Great Beauty” that it shows a world made of a people who seek to constantly distract themselves, in order not to dedicate themselves seriously and sensibility to real life. I remember this while watching the boat dialogue.
By the way Jude Law is trying hard to be liked by men with “Dom Hemingway”. Have you watched it? It is also… 6/10.
I watched the whole thing and my overriding impression was “Wow, that had a big budget…”
I think that the idea is great but the final product is just plain dull. Nothing clever or cool about it. Must have cost a fortune to make and everyone had a mental wank over how great it was going to be. What a waste (my time included)
Ben. In case you were wondering, Bowker (indeed anyone involved in PS) doesn’t get a penny from that TShirt company. Thanks Ebay.
I guess he needs to sue them then.
I HAVE BECOME SO FUCKING AMERICAN!
Welcome to America, first and foremost.
As for this ad:
I just cannot feel any empathy with either character, and am not entertained, since the outcome is clear from minute 1. Bored rich guy challenges other bored rich guy to a bet? In 2014? Aren’t we post-early 2000s wall street coolness at this point? It’s just not interesting and beyond clichee.
Plus, Old fart might be onto something.
When he said ‘Why did I say a dance?’ I was thinking ‘Why did he say a dance?’
Needs more oar to the face.
If Jude Law wasn’t in this then nobody would be writing or talking about it.
And that alone says everything it needs to about this ‘ad’.
If they’re saying that drinking alcohol:
i) encourages idle gambling
ii) makes you think you can dance when you really can’t
iii) means your behaviour towards your friends is more affectionate/erotic than usual
iv) can turn you into a complete twat
then I’d say they’re pretty much on the money. But I don’t need to be a wanker and drink Johnnie Walker for all that. Tesco’s own brand will do just as nicely thank you very much.
It made me really, really want that boat.
Great commercial for that boat.