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MasterCard space invader takes people’s prize, Lumino’s pashfest takes booby prize and Fair Go increases eyeballs for Ad Awards—UPDATED

There are some brilliant ads that bring joy to viewers and add to the pop-cultural landscape. And there are many more horrible ads that do the exact opposite. Either way, there’s no doubt humans have a love/hate relationship with advertising, as evidenced by the continuing popularity of Fair Go’s Ad Awards, which increased its audience from last year and crowned MasterCard’s All Blacks ‘Tight on Tour’ ad as the best and Lumino The Dentist’s ‘Love Your Smile’ ad as the worst. 

According to Nielsen’s TAM figures, Fair Go’s share in all 5+ was 17.1, up from 15.1 last year. This places it second on the list of most-watched shows for 2012 in 5+, behind New Zealand’s Got Talent. 

Description

Channel

DateVariable

AUD %

Fair Go Ad Awards 2011

TVOne

26/10/2011

15.1

Fair Go

TVOne

24/10/2012

17.1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0N4bwMR2-ew

How Fair Go actually comes up with the best and worst ads that are then voted on by the public is still something of a mystery (unlike last year the percentages of each contender weren’t detailed and, also unlike last year, it wasn’t quite as awkward), but McCann Sydney’s creative director Joe Hawkins ventured into the TVNZ studios alongside MasterCard’s country manager Albert Naffah to talk about the ad, which was also a finalist in the worst ad award (State and Colenso’s ‘Break My Stride’, which was the subject of a behind the scenes clip and a spoof ad, achieved the best and worst milestone as well, following on from Tower’s ‘Brian and Lisa—Poochi’, Cadbury Eyebrows and Sky’s Match Fit that got the double in previous years). 

UPDATE: TVNZ’s Stephanie Taylor says it doesn’t provide a list of ads to choose from, it simply asks punters to nominate their best and worst ads and then it whittles the list down to four each, which are then voted on. 

The ad, which was filmed in Epsom and shot by Robber’s Dog, certainly garnered plenty of praise on YouTube and, by not actually requiring the All Blacks to do much in the way of acting and simply get violated by the over-enthusiastic ‘Tim’, it stands out above most of the other All Black-related sponsor whoring—and MasterCard’s previous efforts. But it also rubbed some the wrong way. 

“We thought the ad would be funny, we didn’t think it would be annoying,” Hawkins told Fair Go. “We are stoked with it … We used the first or second take.” 

Interestingly, the ad also seems to have resonated with the All Blacks themselves. We heard a funny story about ‘Tim’ (real name Byron Cole) being asked by Dan Carter, the organiser of the team’s social activities, to get into character and bust through the door at a team meeting. Despite the risk of being smashed by large men as he ran in unannounced, he did it, yelling ‘fellllllaaaaas’, dishing out a few power knuckles and even giving Steve ‘Shag’ Hansen a hug, which is thought to have led to plenty of hootin’ and hollerin’ from the team. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNKo8aVl_IYTony Richards from Mediar fronted up to accept the worst ad award for Lumino The Dentists’ pashfest, which was made by Wag the Dog and Film Construction. And, as was the case last year when kerrrazeeee Lily Salter from Big Save furniture collected her worst ad prize and said the business had a fantastic year with 60 percent growth, he said he ad had worked brilliantly. 

“When we look at the results, three years ago, only one in ten people knew about Lumino the Dentists, and as of today seven out of ten know,” he told Fair Go. 

When the campaign was launched, he said “This really exciting, dynamic client needed no arm-twisting when we suggested that the simple benefit of any dental work should be an attractive smile and a kissable mouth. Naturally, we took this to the extreme by producing the greatest New Zealand kiss of all time and thus avoiding any of the usual advertising conceits within this category. That said, no one has advertised in this category in New Zealand before, so we’re particularly excited and hope we’ve set a good precedent.”

Lumino’s marketing manger, Kerry Dunphy said: “We wanted this ad to be everything that you wouldn’t expect from a chain of dentists, such as model-like dentists deftly working away on already glinting veneers. Instead, Wag The Dog have come up with a brand ad that tells a story, tugs on the heart strings and appeals to the romantic in all of us. These are the ads that people remember. And to add to the romance of the campaign, the ad will be debuting during the most romantic TV occasion of the year, the Royal Wedding on April 29.”

As per usual, the Fair Go team had a bit of fun with a couple of spoofs, with State and Shapes Roadies. And there was a good take-down of shouty retail ads too. 

Best ad finalists 

  • DB Export Dry “The Wine Is Over” 
  • Instant Kiwi “Alibi” 
  • Mastercard “Check In” 
  • State Insurance “Break My Stride” 

Worse ad finalists 

  • Cigna “Funeral Plan” 
  • Lumino the Dentists “Love Your Smile” 
  • Mastercard “Check In” 
  • State Insurance “Break My Stride

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