Saudi Odyssey: Comparatively this is a gem.

Visit Saudi. First the good points: BETC does a great job at making this... sort of sexy visually. The copy is incredible "this land is calling" followed by "Saudi welcome to Arabia" (akin to Malaysia truly Asia - whereby a nation encompasses a whole culture and a dig to all competitors who claim to show "Arabia" - no names, you know yourselves). This is also much much better than the Messi/messy effort (here), than the Neom brouhaha (here) even if Neom is included in this ad, or the Saudi Airlines (Saudia) ad with no arrival point (here). The minus points: I am not sure there is a cohesive thread here - never mind getting an actress who looks like a Natalie Portman (insert all Star Wars references here because the ad is called "Saudi Odyssey"), or the rather boring platitudes before the lovely line "this land is calling" (which are very ho-hum). The visuals however compensate for the lack of the strong concept I suppose.

Again, considering the oddities we were subjected to prior to this film, this one seems a gem indeed. Watch the film here. 

Epica Awards announces its yearly early bird with bold BETC campaign

David Droga, Greg Hahn, Susan Credle and Chaka Sobhani are just four of the iconic creatives who don’t stand a chance of being on the Epica Awards jury, as a new call for entries campaign by BETC explains. The campaign, devised by BETC creatives Abi Stephenson, Matt Jones and Anthony Tavares, and creatively directed by Nicholas Bakshi, takes a cheeky jab at revered industry figures to underline the fact that the Epica Awards are judged by journalists – not creatives. Epica has just opened for 2024 entries.
Mark Tungate, editorial director of the Epica Awards added that Epica often receives calls from creatives who’d like to serve on its jury. But the jury is composed of editors and senior reporters from leading trade titles around the world, as well as specialist publications in categories like automotive, luxury and visual effects. This enables it to remain objective and free of industry politics.

Recently an industry creative heavyweight contacted me and asked how to be part of the Epica jury, I had the glee of telling him he does not make the cut due to his background. The Epica Awards are open for Early Bird entries until September 1, with a discount of 200 euros. The regular entry period is from September 2 until October 11.

BETC drops the DisneyLand Christmas commercial

BETC just dropped the DisneyLand Christmas ad. A funny episode where there is a mistake in the gifting, but worry not - there is (according to them) one gift that would bring joy for every member of the family. Yes, a trip to DisneyLand. The film is funny and rather well-acted and done, perhaps not the best offering that BETC has given us more emotional and more creative ads in the past. Still this one fits the client and the theme so no complaining. See the film here.

And by the way if you have not checked DisneyLand Paris 30th anniversary logo, please do below - a beauty onto itself indeed.

Lacoste: Crocodiles play collective

Lacoste has a new campaign courtesy of BETC. In purposefully broken English (and I am not against it) the "crocodiles play collective" campaign where famous "influencers" and artists and their crews have (play!) together by dancing in the streets and by expressing themselves freely throughout different - funky - cities on earth. Well, obviously, Lacoste is there to target the younger generation who looks up to the talents in question (Rapper A$AP Nast, poet Sonny Hall, actresses Louise Bourgoin and Mélanie Thierry, dancer Salif Gueye, actor/model Evan Mock, entrepreneur Peggy Gou) and follow them on social media. Well, honestly I'd have preferred the slogan of the campaign be "crocodiles play in packs". The campaign obviously targets a specific audience, those interested in these "ambassadors".