A Guide to Irish Immortal Creativity
Today (September 12th) is the last day you can get your entry into The Immortal Awards entry system, so if you haven鈥檛 yet, waste no time! All entries must be made for a commissioning client, and must have first aired, broadcast, displayed, launched or published between September 1st 2023 and August 31st 2024.
In line with this, to mark the start of the Immortal Awards 2025, 天美棋牌 is showcasing some creative work from around the world that truly shows us what an 鈥榠mmortal鈥 piece of advertising looks like.
Having already visited a few countries, today we鈥檙e diving into a world of Irish creativity, handpicked by local industry leaders 鈥 some, who have judged the Immortal Awards before, and others set to be part of the juries this year.
The work is genuinely exceptional 鈥 heart-wrenching, unforgettable, hard-hitting, warm and hilariously Irish, there鈥檚 something from everything. With a healthy dose of 鈥榗reative envy鈥, creatives from across the scene present to us ads that used AI long before it was the talk of the town, ads that lodge into a child鈥檚 brain as a permanent lesson, ads showing us what being Irish is truly about and ads that run for election.
So, what are you waiting for? Get watching. And, of course, if we鈥檝e forgotten something 鈥 don鈥檛 hesitate to let us know
DOE - Shame
鈥淚 will never forget this ad,鈥 says Dermot Malone, director at Banjoman. 鈥淲hen I think of my childhood and work I recall from growing up, this one immediately comes to mind. Before I ever knew what my future held, this demonstrated the power of the moving image to land a message.
鈥淚t is the perfect mini drama and is heart-stopping. I still think about this when I drive or when I am walking behind a hedge beside a main road. This is an example of great work really working.鈥
Electric Ireland - Major Moments
鈥淭his film launched as I was about to begin my career as a commercials director. It inspired me then and it inspires me now,鈥 explains Dermot. 鈥淚t is edgy, gritty and cinematic, but most of all, everything in it feels real. I had never seen an Irish commercial realised in this way and it nailed me. The cinematography, the performances and the tone of the piece were totally new to me.
鈥淚 recognised the world I grew up in and my life as a teenager in Ireland.鈥
East Digifone - Guy From the Bar
When recalling what she believes to be the country鈥檚 immortal work, Eilis Fitzgerals, head of marketing communications at Three Mobile Ireland, likes to stay within 鈥榟er category鈥.
鈥淢y pick for a stone-cold classic is Esat Digifone鈥檚, 鈥楾he Guy from the Bar鈥,鈥 she says. 鈥淚t has all the ingredients of a brilliant ad 鈥 a great track, storytelling and suspense, an awesome rug pull, and ensures hilarity. Using a cultural insight to sell a product feature 鈥 every marketeer's dream! Even 25 years later, the line is still instantly recognisable and has remained a steadfast part of Irish culture.鈥
Failte Ireland - Wild Atlantic Way
鈥淭his is a perfect example of an execution that makes me green with envy, so it is my second pick,鈥 tells us Eilis. 鈥溾榃ild Atlantic Way鈥, delivered by Failte Ireland, is now in its 10th year. So much more than an ad, this project helped to reimagine and reshape Ireland鈥檚 tourism.
鈥淭aking in everything from naming, experience, wayfinding signage, TV and film appearance, PR as well as ads across the world 鈥 the scope and breath of the execution is truly exceptional. I mean, if getting your 鈥榩roduct鈥 featured in a Star Wars film isn鈥檛 immortal, I don鈥檛 know what is!鈥
Guinness - Anticipation
鈥淵eah, yeah, I know. A Guinness ad in an Irish Best Advertising list. How original,鈥 begins Aoife McCleary, senior creative at Forsman & Bodenfors Dublin. But she promises this one is particularly immortal. 鈥淲hile adland will be familiar with brilliant 鈥榙ancing鈥 ads like this one from Kenzo, and this from Belvedere, before them, there was this.
鈥淵ou could say that its star, actor Joe Mc Kinney walked, so Daniel Craig could鈥 sashay.
鈥淐reated by (now closed) agency Arks and directed by Richie Smyth, it is one minute of pure joy. And very Irish. From the awkward dance moves, to the smug head on the barman, to the wardrobe, it鈥檚 so subtly, but heavily nuanced, in a way that only an Irish agency could dream up.
鈥淭he editing is fantastic, with jump-cutting transforming a very simple scene to one that completely draws you in. Then there鈥檚 the icing on the cake - or should I say the cream on top of the pint (sorry): the track. 鈥楪uaglione鈥 by Perez Prado was so loved in Ireland, it made it to the top of the charts, showing the power great advertising can have on culture.鈥
RSA - Michael
鈥淢y second choice is 鈥榠mmortal鈥 in a different way,鈥 says Aoife. 鈥淲hile it鈥檚 not the most interesting, or even most creative TV ad of yesteryear, it is deeply immortalised in the mind of every Irish person over the age of 30. According to research, public awareness of this film was 85-90%. Impressive. In a collective trauma kinda way.
Sing the chorus of Samantha Mumba鈥檚 pop hit 鈥楤ody To Body鈥 to this demographic and I can almost guarantee they鈥檒l shudder at the memory it will invoke. Namely this film from the RSA.
鈥淚n a nutshell, it鈥檚 a PSA about the importance of wearing a seatbelt. And it doesn鈥檛 hold back on the consequences of not doing so. The SFX alone in this piece would be enough to send shivers down your spine. Nevermind 鈥榮hock-vertising鈥, this is the 鈥榮tuff-of-nightmares-vertising鈥, and 鈥楳ichael鈥 is one of many harrowing road safety ads by now closed agency, Lyle Bailey.
鈥淚n fairness, as grim as it is, the message has been so permanently lodged in my own brain since childhood, I would rather walk home in five inch stiletto heels (you know what I鈥檓 talking about gals) than not wear a seatbelt or share a backseat with someone who鈥檚 not wearing a seatbelt. Effective.鈥
The Times - JFK Unsilenced
Karl Waters, chief creative officer at Folk VML takes us back to a time before AI tech took over and made it easy for adland to 鈥渟crape data, create and recreate images, sounds, videos, music and voices.鈥
鈥淭he year is 2018 and The Times and Rothco used AI technology to create something brilliant, before AI technology really was a thing. 鈥楯FK Unsilenced鈥 brought to life John F. Kennedy鈥檚 voice to deliver the speech he was supposed to deliver the day he was assassinated. This would take a matter of seconds today, but in 2018 it took real innovation and months of research. It beckoned in a new era for what was possible in Irish advertising, and is deserving of the word 鈥榠mmortal鈥 for that.鈥
NIO - I Wanna Be Like You
鈥淭his ad from the early 鈥90s covers a dark topic and time period in Irish history. It aired during 鈥楾he Troubles鈥 in the north of Ireland and encouraged people to share any information they might have,鈥 explains Karl. 鈥淭he spot itself plays out like a dark, dramatic film, showing the devastating intergenerational effects of the troubles.
鈥淚ncredibly they managed to write the spot to the lyrics of Ugly Kid Joe鈥檚 鈥楥ats in the Cradle鈥 and give the words new meaning. It was as shocking as it is powerful. It鈥檚 the ad I remember most from my childhood, so I feel compelled to give it the immortal title.鈥
Carlsberg - Dreams
Ger Roe, board creative director at Publicis Dublin points us to an ad that tells the story of Ireland somehow winning the World Cup, having defeated Brazil in the tournament鈥檚 final.
鈥淪ome of you might argue, if this ad ran now it just wouldn't land the same way. It鈥檚 probably too much of a stretch. But back then, we actually had some game lads, so as a premise, it wasn't totally beyond belief.
鈥淪ure, look at the Olympics, and Team Ireland鈥檚 performance. I鈥檓 listening to punters chatting about pummel horses and smiling, because as a small country there is nothing more Irish than an underdog tag and a bandwagon to jump on. This ad written by Alan Kelly had it all.
鈥淚t was funny, topical and emotional 鈥 typical Kellyer. Super zeitgeisty. We so wanted it to be true. Alan Kelly 鈥 who, if we鈥檙e being honest, was Ireland鈥檚 greatest ever creative 鈥 didn鈥檛 just have the habit of writing incredibly relatable funny work, he also made sure his ideas were perfectly measured with brilliant executions and perfectly judged performances.
鈥淗is choice of director was spot on too. He chose to work with Lenny Abrahamson to pull it off, pre-Oscar nomination, who was a commercial director prior to movie fame. Some of the moments captured in the ad are the things that make it immortal for me. Just so relatable. Why? Because we know all these people.
鈥淲hether it鈥檚 the ole fella with his understated celebration, shovelling into a bowl of cornflakes or the 鈥榳obbly faced鈥 lad who completely loses his shit when we score. We love these people, because they are each and every one of us. Nowadays, some troll on social media would probably cancel this type of work, saying 鈥榠t鈥檚 ridiculous鈥 or 鈥榠t could never happen鈥.
鈥淲ell, I鈥檓 glad it happened. And I鈥檓 glad Alan set a standard back then for the rest of us to follow.鈥
Tayto (Largo Foods) - Mr Tayto Runs for Election
鈥淭his is one of the first 鈥榝ame鈥 campaigns I remember in Ireland (besides the free Ryanair flights for people called Ryan). This campaign didn鈥檛 just go 鈥榲iral鈥 (the industry keyword of the 2000s) it demonstrated the power of earned media,鈥 remembers Catriona Campbell, managing director at The Public House.
鈥淲hat stands out about it is the absolute commitment from all involved - the campaign didn鈥檛 stop when they announced Mr Tayto鈥檚 candidacy as a spoof candidate. Rather, they went all in - battle bus, election posters, campaign website, even a theme tune. The copywriters had even developed responses to the key campaign issues. My personal favourite, when asked about 鈥榯he North鈥, Mr Tayto responded "It's a lovely spot. Especially Malahide". The lesson I learned was when you have a great idea, don鈥檛 stop there, instead, push it as far as you can.鈥
Three Ireland - The Connected Island
鈥淚鈥檓 not sure I can name another Irish commercial creative idea in recent years that has changed lives in the way that the Connected Island has,鈥 explains Catriona. 鈥淎 genuine demonstration of a brand advantage in action 鈥 a permanent brand experience rather than a 鈥榗ampaign鈥.
鈥淐learly a colossal undertaking from client and agency, it鈥檚 truly world-class, an example of tenacity, collaboration and the pure power of creativity to solve problems. I know some of the individuals involved in making this happen and the recognition and plaudits are so well deserved. Pure creative envy.鈥
Heineken Ireland - Transformers
"In the early '00s Heineken Ireland got behind music in a big way, hosting bank holiday weekends of music in Dublin and around Ireland," reminds us Peter Snodden, creative director at The Brill Building. "To go with this, The Heineken Green Energy campaign 鈥楾ransformers鈥, for me, was a properly homegrown and inspiring campaign and one that showed that the best campaigns, through craft and ambition could live beyond spots on the TV and immerse itself in culture, being something people are organically interested in it so that the lines are almost indivisible.
"At The Brill Building we believe work that is truly excellent disrupts the category norms, meets consumers in their world, is delivered with insane attention to craft and detail, is true for the brand - and in an Irish context - is true for something 'of Ireland' , whether that's who we are or where we're going as a people or island.
"It's still part of how I encourage our team to approach every brief. The campaign told the story of a band with big dreams, getting themselves summer festival ready. It featured tv spots that told of their trials and tribulations. From tricking out the tour bus (Toyota Hi-Ace van) to having an awkward band meeting in the drummer's mother鈥檚 kitchen, telling him he's 鈥渙ut of the band鈥.
"It was perfectly written and art directed by Jason Hynes and Keith Doyle, as if the 鈥楩ast Show鈥 had met Roddy Doyle. It stands out because it鈥檚 the first Irish campaign I really remember that transcended spots on the TV. I鈥檓 still not entirely sure if the band existed before the campaign or the other way around, I鈥檝e asked both Keith and Jason since but keen to maintain the mystique of the campaign neither directly answered. Treading the streets of Dublin the band members could be seen, dressed as they appeared in the promos accepting pints from well wishers months after the campaign started. I鈥檓 not sure the 鈥橳ransformers鈥 ever got to make a difficult second album but their first remains an Irish classic."
