Glenn Dawes is a writer with Calgary-based AdFarm. For this latest instalment of Strategy’s ‘Spotlight on…’ feature, we asked him to spend some quality time in front of the tube, and offer comments on some of the TV spots that caught his attention.

As an Olympian couch potato, I didn’t find it much of a stretch to watch four hours of TV for this review.

Mostly, what I recall from that evening of flipping is a lot of great shows. Plus a lot of advertisers working REAL HARD to get my attention.

Now, I’ll admit that getting my attention is easy. But holding it? That’s another story.

Of all the ads that held my remote in check, surprisingly few were of the I-dare-you-to-run-this variety. I chuckled at these ‘edgy’ commercials (and there were dozens of them) the same way I chuckled at that kid who farted on the bus the other day. It was funny, and I noticed him – but I wouldn’t sit beside him ever again. Flip!

Here are four TV ads that did manage to stand out. They made an impression on me – not by indulging in adolescent humour or breaking taboos, but by being simple, tough, human and relevant. All in 30 seconds.

1. KLEENEX

‘In families, everyone shares everything.’ What a great premise for a Kleenex commercial. At the supreme risk of grossing me out, the advertiser took me through a wonderfully gooey series of family snapshots – replete with all the usual licking, touching, dripping, splashing and germ-spreading. And it’s a credit to the advertiser’s maturity that what holds the spot together isn’t the shrewdness of the insight (it could’ve been really icky), but rather the love that the parents clearly share with their children. I didn’t know that Kleenex had three layers of tissue to help catch cold germs. Or that the ecstasy of living in a family could be so lovingly expressed in 30 seconds.

2. CANADIAN CANCER SOCIETY

Ah, the snap of a prophylactic glove! Prostate awareness is a difficult topic, all right – but this ad succeeds by playing on the innate fear of being, um, anally probed to humorous effect. ‘Hey, man,’ it supers, shamelessly. ‘If you’re over 50 and haven’t had your prostate checked for possible cancer…’ In fact, it’s the shamelessness that makes this ad stand out, although the ‘gloving’ does go on a little long. When the glove finally snaps, we get the tagline ‘Put the fear behind you,’ and those two dreaded fingers form a peace sign. Or is it a V for victory? I still wince at the pun, but the image is pretty memorable.

3. JEEP

Remember that cool Rolling Stones video in which giant rock stars roamed amid skyscrapers, bridges and trees? The effect was so awesome that advertisers jumped on it instantly. Today, it’s everywhere – and most of the spots that use the technique are pretty thin on ideas. ‘Wow,’ they say, ‘look how big I am! Everything is soooo tiny!’ And then this Jeep ad comes along: the giant hand of God, releasing animals into existence, musing about life and pondering what to create next. It ends with the Almighty placing a Jeep – huge hand, tiny Jeep – at the top of a rocky peak. Jeeps, sheep, mountains and God. And not a human being in sight. Is such exalted Jeep worship meant to boost the brand image? Or it is a witty commentary on our culture’s materialistic values? Do I care? Can I see it again?

4. MICHELINA’s

At first, I wanted to condemn this spot on principle. A Michelina’s frozen dinner being served by a butler? It’s not just any butler, though – it’s a snobby, cynical butler who’s having a little fun with a cheesy parody of that even cheesier ‘Macarena’ song. That the fun is at the expense of his baby-boomer master is what won me over. When the butler retorts, ‘Quite’ at the end, he might as well have added, ‘…idiot.’ And I come away remembering how easy the product is to cook, and how much you save. Overall, the tension between the frozen dinner, the mansion, the regular guy and his butler is executed very skillfully, making this the kind of commercial that could run for years with very little wear. Plus, I like saying, ‘Dona mucha costa soya gonna lotta sava.’ Whatever.

Creative Agencies:

1. J. Walter Thompson (New York)

2. Young & Rubicam (Calgary)

3. BBDO (New York)

4. The Ongoing Partnership (Toronto)

Also in this report:

– It’s a harsh realm: In today’s network television environment, the chances of a show’s success are slimmer than ever p.TV2

– Consolidation of specialties a mixed blessing: Upward pressure on price is offset by plethora of choice p.TV16

– Specialties take branding to the Web: Treat online presence as destination in and of itself p.TV21

– Drop the Beat busts an interactive move: Alliance Atlantis hip-hop drama invites viewers to participate via Web site and interactive TV p.TV23

Strategy is on the ground in Cannes, bringing you the latest news, wins and conference highlights all week long. Catch all the coverage here.

Thursday’s batch of Silver and Bronze winners included the Creative Business Transformation, Creative Effectiveness, Creative Strategy, Luxury Lions, Brand Experience & Activation, Innovation and Creative Commerce Lions categories. Canadians were recognized with three Lions today: a Silver in Brand Experience & Activation, a Bronze in Creative Commerce and a Bronze in Creative Effectiveness. Rethink was awarded twice on Day 4, while Weber Shandwick rounded out the Canadian agency wins with one Lion. Below is a look at the work. Catch the Gold winners later this afternoon when they’re revealed at the gala in Cannes.

Creative Commerce (1 Silver)

1 SILVER: “U Up?” by Rethink for IKEA

IKEA’s “U Up?” campaign has legs, it turns out. The campaign is getting major love at Cannes. The IKEA work, created in collaboration with Rethink Toronto, added to its Cannes Lions tally with a Silver medal in Creative Commerce. That now makes five total Lions for the work, including two Golds on Wednesday night, for Direct and Socal & Creator. The campaign has been lauded by jurors for its dexterity, contextual timing and humour.

Creative Effectiveness (1 Bronze)

1 BRONZE: “Heinz Ketchup & Seemingly Ranch” by Rethink for Kraft Heinz 

Both Rethink and Kraft Heinz picked up another Lion, this one a Bronze in Creative Effectiveness for their collaboration on “Heinz Ketchup & Seemingly Ranch.” Not only did the work capture a culture moment spurred by Taylor Swift, but it also created a new product, “in under 24 hours,” to match. The latest two Lions makes 10 total wins for Rethink. Kraft Heinz and Rethink also picked up a rare Gold Lion for Media a day earlier.

Brand Experience & Activation (1 Bronze)

1 BRONZE: “Airbnb Icons” by Weber Shandwick for Airbnb

The Weber Shandwick work, “Airbnb Icons,” won Bronze on Thursday in Brand Experience & Activation after claiming a Bronze in Media Wednesday. Airbnb turned media brands into a destination, partnering with the likes of Marvel and Disney to offer travellers experiences like drifting off in the Up house or crashing at an X-Men mansion. The first 11 experiences rolled out mid-2024, and most of the experiences were free or under $100, with over 4,000 tickets sold by the end of the season.