CAMPAIGN DIRECT: REVIEW (IN ASSOCIATION WITH ROYAL MAIL)

Hit the ground running. That’s the advice we were given before we

started at Lowe Direct so, after the obligatory two-week break, we were

well and truly up for it. Fifteen briefs for Lloyds, ten for the RAC,

five for the Times and five for Orange. That was day one. Oh, and as we

had some time left over, there was the small matter of the Jiffy bag

from Campaign headed, ’comments please’.

We could feel a headache coming on, so it was a blessed relief to see

the new Freelander pack containing an invitation to a test drive. The

best of the lot by far. Engaging, involving, informative and fun, it’s

nicely put together - borrowing heavily from a Nurofen pack - but has

enough deft touches to keep it on the right side of the over-egged

pudding.

We particularly liked the line, ’To be taken with water, snow, ice, mud,

sleet or sun’. Congratulations to the team and a big hand to the

production bods who are too often overlooked when good work is

produced.

From a great little box for Land Rover to a lavish big box from BA,

offering group travel made easy. They certainly threw money at this. Die

cuts, spot varnishing, a bit of embossing, you name it, it’s got it.

Everything, that is, but a great idea.

On the subject of ideas, could someone explain what fruit has to do with

insurance? Curious pack, this. It comes from Lloyds Bank Insurance

Direct.

There’s an extreme close-up of a green apple on the envelope and the

line, ’You could cut the cost of your home insurance.’ Nice enough

photography, but the fruit analogy loses us. An Englishman’s home is his

apple? Don’t think so. It then goes on to talk about motor insurance

with a picture of a pear. Why?

And why didn’t the Levi’s team realise that you can have too much of a

good thing? The fly posters and booklet are quirky and contemporary.

The offer is ’You could be a flea exterminator, an inflatable rubber

ring demonstrator, a golf-ball inspector or a music festival roadie.’ No

contest really. You get the idea in an instant. But the booklet goes on

and on and on. Human thermometer, mouthwash researcher, mattress doctor

- stop.

It seems the team were just too in love with their own idea.

The Boots job is one we really wanted to like. A postcard selling a

range of sun-care products. ’Peel here. And don’t peel here.’ Nice

concept, but let down in the execution. The front shows the dodgy back

of a babe shot in some Siberian studio and the back, well, that’s just

extraordinary.

It has more logos than you can poke a stick at and looks like it was

laid out at the printers. Someone got their fingers burned here. Must

run.

Got another ten briefs to look at.

CREDITS

FREELANDER

Brief: Position Freelander as the spirit of adventure that helps you

escape from the predictability of life

Agency: Craik Jones

Copywriter: John Spinks

Art director: Steve Coelho

BA

Brief: Create an identity for the specialist market division of BA

Agency: Claydon Heeley

Copywriter: David Newby

Art director: Rob Scott

LLOYDS BANK INSURANCE DIRECT

Brief: Relaunch its home insurance product with a mailing that is

approachable, warm and personal

Agency: WWAV Rapp Collins

Copywriters: Paula Jarvis, Kirstin Irvine

Art director: Jan Treadgold

LEVI STRAUSS

Brief: Create an interactive promotion that builds on Levi’s heritage of

music sponsorship

Agency: KesselsKramer

Copywriters: n/s

Art director: Tyler Winsand

BOOTS ADVANTAGE CARD

Brief: Raise awareness of the in-store card to infrequent Boots

customers

Agency: OgilvyOne

Copywriter: James Sexton

Art director: Peter Jones

This article was first published on Campaign