AD WATCH: Mrs Merton joins Yasmin in the spotlight

Lottery Instants remains top Adwatch-dog this week, although it is

challenged by a string of personalities, including Renault Megane’s

talking car, the Inland Revenue’s cartoon Hector, Hula Hoops’ Harry

Enfield, Kenco’s Cherie Lunghi and, in third place, a real advertising

icon - Captain Birds Eye.

But two ladies, both in new campaigns, take centre stage. In sixth place

is Caroline Hook in Mrs Merton’s first advertising, and BMP DDB’s first

work for British Gas since the 1993 ‘in control’ campaign. The British

Gas Home Energy division now has competition which sells on a price

platform and this campaign stresses its additional services.

Unfortunately, for a company striving for a modern image, several of

these services are most used by the elderly, so BMP had to find a

vehicle which would appeal to the old without alienating the young. If

Mrs Merton didn’t exist they would have had to invent her.

The other leading lady is Yasmin Le Bon, whose campaign for Pantene,

through Grey, is number two with 68% recall. Le Bon has proved an

inspired choice for Pantene which, thanks to P&G determination and

dollars, has become the world’s leading hair care brand in just three

years. Its USP has always been ‘healthy hair’ and Le Bon made four films

for the relaunch six weeks ago. The response has been enormous - but we

suspect Mrs Merton will stick with Vosene.

This article was first published on Marketing