Behind the windows of this very special Drum adVENT Calendar you’ll find a different member of the creative industry venting their feelings on a Christmas ad, or ads, they love or loathe. Today it’s group executive creative director of McCann Birmingham Vince McSweeney.
I’m not the brightest light on the Christmas tree, that’s for sure. In fact, I find Christmas pretty confusing at the best of times.
Mincemeat pies that taste like fruit. What's that about?
Paying full-price on gifts you know will be half-price come Boxing Day. I don’t get it.
Singing about some idiot who sent 23 birds, 50 people and five gold rings to their true love. Um. Ok.
It’s probably why I like the simplicity of Christmas advertising. Lots of Vaseline on the lens. Close-ups of meat being carved. Sparkly stars that trail magic dust. Simple, beautiful stories of indestructible snowmen.
And then there’s the new Go Compare ad.
Louie Spence fronting a large crowd to switch on some village Christmas lights, except he’s not, because he’s actually managed to re-route the power to a subterranean lair, and in that lair is a wall of TVs playing a pre-record of him doing a dance routine so that the opera singer guy – who’s hooked up like a marionette – can be forced to dance in exactly the same way as Louie is in his routine. No, sorry. I'm lost.
Oh, I understand the ad – I can just about follow what’s happening…just about. What I don’t get is why that bloody opera singer is still appearing in them. Didn’t they promise to get rid of him? Isn’t that what their ‘Saving the Nation’ tagline was winking at?
Please, guys, you’re confusing me.
I threw lots of goodwill your way when you announced his demise. I celebrated your brave and witty first few weeks as you publicly tore down your own creation.
Then came the ad with the football. And the ad with the net. And all those radio spots. (I pray you’re not in pre-prod right now stringing fatso up on a cross for Easter.)
No, I may not be the brightest light on the Christmas tree, but even I know when to pack it all away and get ready for a new year.
Vince McSweeney is the group executive creative director at McCann Birmingham, the Birmingham branch of the world’s largest advertising and communications network – McCann Worldgroup. McCann Birmingham boasts clients such as Black & Decker, Chevrolet, National Express, Siemens and Vauxhall.
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