Merry Xmas from Bob - one of The Big Shot's design superstars!

Hailing from Belgrade via some of the most famous art depts across Europe he now does a fine design job for us at The Big Shot. Always original, sometimes controversial, always supplying unusual but yummy confectionery courtesy of Mrs. Bob.

Here is Bob's personal Xmas greeting to you all!!

See the full gallery on Posterous

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Merry Xmas from the Dalston Superstars

This has been a fantastic series - a real lesson in sharp filmmaking totally suited to its home on Vice TV. Nice little brand placements for Iceland in this one too! It's NSFW if that should bother you and if it does you're not very Dalston.

http://www.vice.com/en_uk/dalston-superstars/dalston-superstars-episode-4

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Merry Xmas Allan

IMDb Quotes: Watership Alan (1997 TV episode)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0609607/quotes?qt=qt0186349

Alan Partridge: You are a big posh sod with plums in your mouth, and the plums have mutated and they have got beaks. You make pigs smoke. You feed beef burgers to swans. You have big sheds, but nobody's allowed in. And in these sheds you have 20ft high chickens, and these chickens are scared because the don't know why they're so big, and they're going, "Oh why am I so massive?" and they're looking down at all the little chickens and they think they're in an aeroplane because all the other chickens are so small. Do you deny that? No, I think his silence speaks volumes.

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Gillette Moves like Jagger

I have a beautiful silver Edwin Jagger razor and when I bought it many years ago I was chuffed that it used Gillette Mach 3 blades. I could enjoy a close shave AND the aesthetics of this beautifully sculpted object.

As time has passed I have seen new Gillette products enter the market. All apparently better and offering smoother shaves than the Mach 3 with more and more features, some even have motors!
I have had mixed feelings.

The true consumer male in me has longed to buy every new piece of kit as it is released, taking advantage of it's improved benefits. Could my skin really become as smooth as a baby's bottom? Is that actually a good thing?

Of course my razor doesn't 'support' the clip on attachments of the newer Gillette razors so adopting would mean leaving my lovely razor behind so despite the urgings of Messrs. Beckham, Federer and Henry I have remained loyal to my Jagger and tell myself "How much better could these new fangled blades really be?"

Then. this morning on opening a new pack of Mach 3 Turbos an innocent looking individually wrapped razor blade popped out. It looked like something from a sci fi movie. It was a monster. 5 blades is it? Strips on the top, micro filter thingies on the bottom and lord knows what else.....

"try the fusion blade"

It said.

I was excited, finally they'd seen that it was necessary to retro fit the newest blades so that the army of shaving aesthetes could enjoy the latest advances in blade technology alongside their M shave and Shiseido hydrating lotion. ( both of which I can't recommend highly enough) without having to buy an ugly razor that makes your bathroom cab look messy.

I clipped in the blade and off I went and I've got to say it's fantastic. So smooth, so close. I was a happy shaver. I was going to buy some TODAY. Drying off I looked again at the packet. It said something like...

"if you enjoyed using this blade then it's time to buy a Fusion Pro Glide razor as the blades usually don't fit your Mach 3. This blade has been specially adapted....."

Brilliant brilliant way to trial a product. I found myself in a quandary.
Form over function?

Beckham over Jagger?

I think not...

Great great work Gillette. I've just been online and found out that Jagger does a Fusion compatible razor so now you get my upgraded custom and so does Jagger.

Form and Function together - it's been a wonderful morning.

> Oliver Russell | Joint Managing Director >> The Big Shot | 75-77 Margaret Street, London, W1W 8SY
>

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Jameson - brand gaming yawn

So I looked at the video on YOuTube here...

Well produced, vaguely intriguing so I went to the website here....

http://jameson1780.com

And I started to play....'Yawn'

Idea is interesting, its lovely to look at but its so SLOW to load, the individual games are dull in the extreme. How is this a good reflection of the brand experience?

Must have cost a fortune but I'm guessing it doesn't get many complete plays. Feels like a total waste of time and resources - classic example of brand messaging overwhelming the consumer experience.

> Oliver Russell | Joint Managing Director >

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It's Owl stroking at it's finest

Nothing much to say on this other than it's been a long time coming - to sit alongside the cats. the hamsters, the babies and the goats - here come the OWLS!!!

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Multi platorm done with style and grace

We love 'Marcel with His Shoes on' here at The Big Shot in all his forms - his films debuting on the internet achieved more than 12 million views on YouTube and its easy to see why - cute claymation, great script, fantastic characterisation. There's also a Marcel app which is very good and now he's releasing a kids book to square the circle.
Its all done with very good taste and shows a really strong route to distribution and to building an audience - but again as I've said so many times - this is all about the quality of the content and the way it is introduced to the audience through clever seeding and promotion.

I'm actually not looking forward to the inevitable Marcel cook book for kids or indeed having to buy the kids Marcel T-shirts but still while it's (ever so slightly) underground I love it

Here's Marcel with His Shoes on 2 for your delectation....

> Oliver Russell | Joint Managing Director >> The Big Shot | 75-77 Margaret Street, London, W1W 8SY
>

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Untitled

Everywhere we go! We're a gamble worth taking...

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Road trip

Messages from beyond the shop front

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Road trip bloggette

Surf and turf for lunch by the canal in Castlefield. Hope those prawns arent native

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Road trip to Manchester

In the first of a day long series. We document our trip to the North West on our content roadshow.

Here Director of Media James 'Henley' Erskine marvels at the sight of Crewe from the window of his personal cabin

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Microsoft Xbox strikes content deals with C4, BBC and YouTube - Sarah Shearman - Marketing magazine

Microsoft Xbox strikes content deals with C4, BBC and YouTube

Microsoft has partnered with a raft of entertainment brands, including Channel 4, BBC, LoveFilm and YouTube in the UK, to deliver their content to Xbox 360 games consoles in a move it claims will "transform TV".

Microsoft: TV ad for the Xbox 360 game, Fable III

Microsoft yesterday (5 October) announced 40 partners planning to launch entertainment services on the Xbox Live platform, towards Christmas.

Other brands in the UK that will provide an entertainment offering via the console include Channel 5, Microsoft's own MSN portal, on-demand video content service Blinkbox, and music video website Muzu.tv. Sky content has been available on the Xbox since 2009.

Users of the Kinect motion sensitive controller will be able to find and select content on Xbox Live by using voice and motion gestures.

Microsoft also aims to make content "more social and personal" by allowing users to share what they are watching or listening to with friends on the Xbox Live network.

Don Mattrick, president of the interactive entertainment business at Microsoft, said: "The announcement is a major step toward realising our vision to bring you all the entertainment you want, shared with the people you care about, made easy.

"Combining the world’s leading TV and entertainment providers with the power of Kinect for Xbox 360 and the intelligence of Bing voice search will make TV and entertainment more personal, social and effortless."

Sarah Milton, head of VoD at Channel 4, said: "Continuing our strategy of making content available, on demand, where our viewers most want to watch it, we’re delighted to be able to offer 4oD on Xbox 360 – Britain’s best-selling console in 2011."

LoveFilm, the film rental service, has been open about its "platform promiscuous" strategy, and just last week announced its was making its tablet debut on Apple’s iPad.

Simon Calver, chief executive of LoveFilm, said: "We are proud to be a part of Microsoft's expansion into the entertainment space, and are confident it will help fuel our ambition to become Europe's largest membership entertainment service."

Ciaran Bollard, chief executive and co-founder of MUZU.TV, the music video site, said the move could "only be described as a revolutionary music video experience".

Partners in the US include HBO, Comcast, Verizon and NBC Universal. There are already existing partnerships with Netfilx, ESPN and Hulu.

Microsoft's news comes as Google prepares to launch Google TV in the UK in the next few months.

The announcement follows hot on the heels of Facebook's move last week into entertainment.  The social network announced that a raft of partners, including Vevo, Spotify and The Guardian, were creating appsto allow Facebook users to consume and share their content.

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The Walking Dead Season 2

One of the things that is so fascinating about media today is the  ability we have to access what we want to consume from which platform but the sad fact is that very little of this 'multi access touch point' mularkey actually produces anything worthy of the gift of technology we've been given - and almost none from the World of Branded content because brands are not really prepared to fund what is a very expensive outing without direct benefit. This will change I have no doubt but for now

- we have to look at the more 'traditional' areas of production such as literature (Stephen Fry's Autobiography app extravaganza for example) Feature films (the extraordinary Matrix comics/hidden videos/board games guerilla stuff) and now TV in the form of the second season of The Walking Dead - the horror survival series based on the very popular and extraordinarily harrowing and excellent graphic novel series.

Stephen Fry's App/biography

The series of back story webisodes released on production company AMC's website just before the release of the second season in a fortnight are great, adding richness to the story. They still have this frisson of hidden content which appeals to fans and the curious. They also aid in spreading the word and the content across the web. 

Andrew Lincoln in happier times

I look forward to a time where brands can involve themselves in top quality production without either ruining the editorial with their presence or being marginalised to the point of having bought a very expensive headline sponsorship

The marketing director was sick of not getting the most out of the product placement deal

http://www.movieweb.com/news/watch-all-six-the-walking-dead-webisodes

Oliver Russell | Joint Managing Director   

The Big Shot | 75-77 Margaret Street, London, W1W 8SY

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Content doesnt get much more compelling than this...

I was going to write a piece about how great it was to see a long form piece of content get passed around virally using sharing mechanics that have become primarily used for short form content with little depth
and that is great. But then I watched it......I could write a piece on the sad state of the human condition both evil and ignorant but can I just ask you to watch this....everyone!

> Oliver Russell | Joint Managing Director >

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Print and Interactivity

I recently took part in a round table debate run by the wonderful Philip Smith - head of Brand Republic content for Marketing magazine (available now at all good Soho newsstands). the subject was print and interactivity and I was ever so slightly concerned before I went what with the majority of our work being based around the moving, speaking or gaming media but I needn't have worried. I prepared by looking at print ads, examining different interactive add ons such as QR codes and went in with a view on how print might cope with the interactive demands now put on all media if not by consumers than by the agencies that create such conditions of engagement.

http://bit.ly/omkUj7

As it turned out the conversation almost immediately turned to the concept of engagement regardless of the media and this was great as it confirmed what I believe that unlike the great advertising truism - The medium is NOT the message. I listened to some very interesting viewpoints and case studies from client and agency people alike but it did all boil down to the simple fact that whether you are producing a great press ad or a great piece of editorial content success is based on the quality of the content, the relevance to the person and the credibility of the message - I really think its as simple as that.

By the way just so you know I DID do my homework I found that the best press ads are the ones with simple brilliant creative - didt get a chance to show them in the roundtable...

See the full gallery on Posterous

> Oliver Russell | Joint Managing Director >> The Big Shot | 75-77 Margaret Street, London, W1W 8SY
>

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Moody, mean and ever so slightly rugged

Just thought we'd pop in a contender of website intro content of the week - www.wolsey.com

makes sense - hit us with a real look at the collection before we even enter the site - really well realised - gives off a definite atmosphere!

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Animating the subject

The dictionary definition of animation is "to bring to life" - this is a wonderful example of how this touching memoir has been turned into an utterly compelling film - the story truly brought to life.

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Autumn Fair International 2011 Sunday

We are proud to be EMAP Official content supplier for the retail Autumn Fair at the NEC in Birmingham, one of the Worlds biggest retail fairs.

Among other things, we have to produce short highlight films of the days events and get them out within hours of filming. That means continual editing throughout the day to take the huge level of footage shot and condense it into a tiny film that is emailed to lots of people to entice them to come to the fair tmrrw.

We have been filming since 8am ( and still going actually) and here is the first film literally hot off our onsite editing suite!

For content production like this we use news cameramen and editors so that we can use that instinct for finding a story in a very busy environment.

That combined with our production director a veteran of hundreds of events and very experienced support team makes this a challenging but rewarding gig for The Little Shot, our dedicated production unit.

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Aston Martin one-77 - PHWOOARR!!

You can come up with all the lovely scripting and creative, mix it with ace production values but there is nothing like watching a video where the subject matter resonates with your love for the product.

Yes its too long over three episodes, yes its self reverential to the point of obsession, yes it offers nothing to the World of film making but that is completely besides the point.

LOOK AT THAT CAR!!!!

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Fosters Sponsors Vic and Bob - Is this branded content really?

I was lucky enough to hear a number of very strong speakers at the recent Brand Republic conference in Brighton. One I particularly enjoyed was the Fosters brand manager talking about the experience of the brand in taking on comedy as their entertainment vehicle. 

There was much to admire in a company that was prepared to fund comedy and even more so to fund comedy by Steve Coogan and Armando Ianucci in the form of some new Alan Partridge episodes - all very good. Of course now they've moved on to the wonderful, deranged comedy genius that is Vic and Bob and that's very good too.

A number things occurred to me during his very good presentation....

1) Why had they chosen to act as patron to existing well established acts when their current double act of Aussie comedians turned agony Uncles was so funny and ripe for exploitation? Was there a touch of the ego here? Not just at client level but at agency level too? Had they missed a trick (and a much cheaper trick at that) and indeed the chance to integrate their campaign cross platform?

2) While a brilliant way to capture the lightning in a bottle of brilliant comedy and serve it up to a thirsty audience was this campaign advancing the cause of branded content among many of the brands sitting in the room - the answer was plainly no as question after question was hurled at the speaker focussing on ROI/cases shifted and other such mundanities while the man from Fosters took on the role of content evangelist (good to have a rest frankly) and explained that it was about long term gain not quick gratification and I agreed with him, but only in part.

While brands think that this sort of very clever and very expensive activity is what makes for branded content and while they also think that there is no quick return they may stop themselves from dipping their toes in the water - and they shouldn't - as with all things in marketing branded content is one part glamour to ninety nine parts hard graft and can be just as effective as part of a regular marketing plan. One that can be actioned quickly, efficiently and even funnily.

I heard many marketers leaving that session saying

 "Its alright for them they've got the money"

I  took the opportunity to tell them that there were so many things they could do that wouldn't require sponsoring comedy genius! Everything from demos to talking heads to conferences, to comedy , documentary and all things in between can be made at varying budgets and with guaranteed effectiveness - this is after all a marketing activity - just ask Alan Partridge

Oliver Russell | Joint Managing Director   

The Big Shot | 75-77 Margaret Street, London, W1W 8SY

Mob:    +44 (0)7771 945 666
Dir:      +44 (0)207 748 9237
Email:  oliver.russell@thebigshot.co.uk
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"How to predict when your idea will become a social phenomena"

Lord that sounds like one of those awful self reverential 'guides' to social media success usually published by those with none. You know the ones...

"How to make sure you end up top of the Google rankings every time" 

Often using the depressing exclamation -

!!!!!!

Or our favourite uses of the number 5 (why 5?)....... "5 ways to social media success etc.

It is really starting to wear on us that we are promised success on a daily basis by those who we wouldn't buy a used car from never mind a social media strategy - It's getting so that success in social media is being promoted in the same tired old way as accident claims and debt write offs - the lowest common denominator preying on the fears of their potential clients - Ironic isn't it that the mechanic that is hailed as the ultimate liberator, the greatest weapon in people power media is being represented in this way.

Funnily enough it was all brought to a head last week when I cam across a site from a guy who claimed to be an incredible networker - he could sort you out for networking no problem - his site bristled with testimonials (all framed in those lovely 'clip art' star shapes) from previous customers who were near to fainting in their admiration for his skill. His films on the site features a rather unremarkable chap talking off an auto-cue and speaking of his secret powers of networking and social media activation. Incidentally  very tiny research project revealed he had less than 500 followers on Twitter and 270 connections on Linked IN - hardly the position you'd expect from a super network.

Anyway...what does this have to do with the video below - not a lot - but it was a direct result of writing the subject line which just goes to show you can never tell how people will react to your ideas - even when it's you.

http://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/entertainment/articles/2011-06/23/gq-food-angry-birds-coffee-macchiato-1-caramel-singapore

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How many chin ups can you do?

It's silly season and were maybe not training as hard as we would do normally. BBQ's festivals, general laid back past-times have taken over but we're not complacent oh no! We'd never video ourselves doing chins!

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Barclaycard history of payments

Firstly hats off - well produced, pretty funny and moves along at good pace and narrated by the peerless Brian Blessed.

It's ambitious and it takes the brand into the comedy arena. Not sure if that's a good or a bad thing but the thing is......does it work as either an ad or a piece of entertainment? 

 Is the script sharp enough? Is it really the best way to showcase mobile payments? The Jury is out here. 

 Is it a logical extension of their non-corporate smiley bank manager type waterslides ads (which are very good of course?) Does it tie in with their pretty interesting apps and so on?

Yes it does and so we think we should applaud the brand for taking this approach to what has traditionally been an incredibly dull sector. If only to thank them for not adding to  the horror of Halifax and Nat West ads 

We must point out  that this doesn't mean you should get yourself a nice shiny new BarclayCard and spend spend spend - that's never been a good idea at any time in history!

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Sometimes it's just good to watch...

Here's an example of extreme virtuosity surrounded by sponsorship.....

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The King of Shaves but not The King of Comedy

Here we are then...the latest in the King of Shave collection of 'viral' (errrgh!!) shorts in which they use references to real events and use lookalike celebrities to wage their war against the other razor brand...the one who spends millions upon millions in getting us to join its vast  roster of celebrity shavers.

I applaud their strategy, their pluck, their desire to mix it up with a far greater player in the marketing stakes. I love the fact that they use their status as a 'challenger' brand to hammer home their message and the way they champion filmed content but I struggle with the fact that their films just aren't very funny! I want them to be but I don't think this has been written by comedy pros and it shows. Their previous short based on the Kings Speech while clever in its central theme came off like a hackneyed radio ad - it got old very quickly. This is no better once you get past the large razor props it hasn't got much to offer. Even at less than two minutes it drags

I'd love to see them do better in this area as they are such a great brand

Oliver Russell | Joint Managing Director   

The Big Shot | 75-77 Margaret Street, London, W1W 8SY

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K-Swiss - A real Big Shot of a site

We don't tend to talk too much about websites on this blog and we should really. good ones are not just repositories of content but add personality to a brand - excite the visitor with different elements, a piece of video here, a product picture there and I think a good product website doesn't need to go ad with gimmicks - it needs to look and play slick, have smooth transitions and allow the user to move from section to section at will without feeling lost and or bored.

The bigger the site the more difficult this is to achieve and especially if its transactional it can easily lose its character and become just a trading post when the experience should stimulate sale and indeed extended sale.

We are very impressed this week with the K-Swiss site - it is quite dauntingly big but very well sectioned and is full of interesting content that does a great deal to not just reflect but also inform the brand. Already fans of the brand we are now pretty keen on a new pair of Kwicky Blade Light running shoes and of course their tennis shoe The Big Shot is certainly worthy of consideration!

KSWISS SITE

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Burger Focus (not a regular feature)

Wimpy - a 70's brand thats never managed to effectively update itself and yet retains a presence on many local high streets and retains an affection among those of us who remember when there was nothing else. Yes, no McDonalds, Burger King, KFC etc just the not quite fast food not quite proper restaurant experience that was quite a thrill for a 70's school child.

We were  dismayed to hear that despite Wimpy managing to hang on gamely in the face of logic that they are to ditch some of their most famous puddings - Knickerbocker Glory and Banana in a boat - very upsetting.

More suspicious is their continued faith in the 'Bender in a Bun',  the most suspicious sausage sandwich in the Fast Food oeuvre.

Can you imagine advertising a wheat filled bun today?

McDonalds - have announced that they are turning to experiential in order to promote their new range of wraps - their USP being that they are wrapped so you can eat them on the move. We applaud their move to a healthier menu but fear that the fall out will include an increase in the pavement drop of crispy chicken, spicy vegetable and we suggest perhaps a tie up with 'Rennies' might work alongside the 'on the street' and TV work?

.....Now this is what we call a wrap!

Burger King -Are going to be selling SPAM! They should have a chat with Wimpy on this one we think. A miniature burger called the BK Shot is to be launched in Japan - of course it is. Regardless of this Burger King are the best at filming content - in the US anyway...

Here's our favourite ever

TBS

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Jeremy Beadle - content curator

A really interesting viewpoint on UGC and the role of media channel as the gatekeeper of this type of content although the stretch to suggest that brands can be the new arbiters of good and bad content bothers me slightly....

http://www.redplanner.co.uk/2011/06/19/what-jeremy-beadle-can-teach-brands-ab...

As does this picture of the late great Beadle!

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Former Head of Adidas Olympic Marketing joins The Big Shot

We are delighted to announce the appointment of Mark Phillips the former Adidas senior marketer to our non-exec board.

Mark has held various key posts including Global Concept Brand manager and Head of Comms for UK, Ireland and Benelux.

He is also a very experienced agency man and former Board Account Director at Euro RSCG and brings a wealth of knowledge and an enthusiasm for content marketing that has already had him whizzing round the office during brainstorms!

We are looking forward to working with him immensely and not just because he gets great deals on Adidas stuff!

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McDonalds Pick and Play - The future of outdoor communcation

McDonalds have really simply utilised display advertising, consumer interaction, gaming, apps, location based targeting, mobile vouchers and in-store traffic drivers all by asking you to play 70's seminal game classic 'Pong' with a pair of french fries - it's almost perfect.

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Epic Meal Time

I'm a huge fan of shows that show the extreme side of eating - it's grotesque behaviour without being too difficult to watch Man Vs Food is a way for me to feel slightly smug about the fact that I'm quite healthy while actually fancying a go at a 12 ft burger.

Epic meal time takes things to another level though. 

It  starts by ordering huge amounts of fast food from McDonalds, Wendy's, Burger King etc - which is funny enough on tis own as the bemused sales clerk says :you want 90 Egg Mc Muffins (and a blueberry muffin)" Really? 

You having a party? What sort of party that would be I dread to think! Then they take it all home and make something completely different out of the component parts as well as a lot of bacon it seems and suspiciously features quite a lot of Jack Daniels (Could it? No surely not!)

I love the fact that they keep you informed of just how many calories and how much fat is in the latest creation - I've seen a total of over 75,000 calories in one of their concoctions.

Then they eat it!!

Its funny on so many levels - I love it as a validation of the tastiness of fast food, The Worlds obsession with it and the naked truth of just how onanistic eating can be.

It acts as an ad and as a cautionary tale for all our favourite fast food places and is a great advert for how content can be compelling and filmed in a low fi way and still be a skilful production.

I also love the fact that it is now a merchandisable franchise - waddling across social media, selling T-shirts (XXXXL please) and most of all I love the skyscrapers on the home page very funny satirical display ad strategy.

My favourite - Lasagne......

http://www.youtube.com/user/EpicMealTime#p/u/5/m9FRSghXhDM

homepage - http://epicmealtime.com/

 

Oliver Russell | Joint Managing Director   

The Big Shot | 75-77 Margaret Street, London, W1W 8SY

Email:  oliver.russell@thebigshot.co.uk
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Game set and match

It's not news that gaming is now a serious competitor in the revenue stakes to movies - it's also not news that brands want to get involved in product placement in both.

We are about to launch a dedicated product placement/brand integration service here at The Big Shot and we will be advising brands on how to get the best from integrating into big budget gaming and movie titles. This will include not just the main feature but lots of associated content placement and marketing opportunities.
I'm not sure where product placement belongs in Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 but I do know that as trailers go this is as exciting and whistle whetting as it gets!

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Phew!! That was close!

Well maybe not that close - still any excuse to find content that refers to the end of the world!

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The Big Shot have now moved - You will find us at 75-77 Margaret Street, London, W1

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The Big Shot went to the Wall!

Well some of us went last Tuesday and saw Roger Waters give an amazing show full of incredible content (trying to keep the thread going here) and we were  blown away by the appearance of David Gilmore on top of the Wall - the first time this has been played in London for over thirty years.

It was very emotional as you'll see by this grainy mobile footage of most of the second solo of comfortably numb.

We've worked with Mr. Waters and guest drummer Nick Mason - producing Highclere Rocks in which they helped form a super group - we were happier to see them than they were to see us we're sure!

Check the exploding wall bit - amazing!!

The video

Some photos

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We're moving!!

We are in final preparations for our move to our new place. 

Its a bit of a madhouse here with boxes, packing and odd mementoes littering the floor as we wave goodbye to beautiful Fitzroy Square but say hello to the fashion district of Market Place and that little bit closer to the temptations of SOHO.

Oh and we've just updated our website with some more case studies if you'd care to have a look!

See you soon

The Big Shot Work

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And a serious message delivered with a very light touch...

Hilarious!

> Oliver Russell | Joint Managing Director >> The Big Shot | 10 Fitzroy Square, London, W1T 5HP
>>> Email: oliver.russell@thebigshot.co.uk
> Web> Blog
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It's all worthwhile

How do you get your message across to teenagers? How do you get your message across if you know they don't want to hear it, don't think its relevant, don't think they will ever need the advice your giving.

I don't know for sure but I'm pretty certain that if you do something like this it might just work.

The creation of 'worthy' films is a mine field of the over schmaltzy and misdirected but this is a fantastic example of compelling message delivered with a light touch and a hammer blow.

I challenge you not to tingle.....

Oliver Russell | Joint Managing Director   

The Big Shot | 10 Fitzroy Square, London, W1T 5HP

Email:  oliver.russell@thebigshot.co.uk
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The web is what you make it..

In this case a very sickly sweet scrap book!

> Oliver Russell | Joint Managing Director >> The Big Shot | 10 Fitzroy Square, London, W1T 5HP
>>> Email: oliver.russell@thebigshot.co.uk
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Congratulations!!

To the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and to Aston Martin for the best piece of product placement we've seen for some time.

We are proud to be British!

http://gu.com/p/2zmp4

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A ginger beer with a kick

As we are gearing up to be all traditional and British this weekend, street parties, Union Jacks, bunting and all of that "Gawd bless you guvnor" stuff lets talk about another great British tradition Ginger beer.-

One of those drinks along with cherryade and sarsaparilla that always sound better in theory than reality - always taste a bit wrong. But I'm drawn to the possibility of drinking it again by this - a prime example of how a 30" film can do it all.
Funny, engaging, bang on the brand image.

I'm off to try it again....

Oh yes! The gag is extended (very well) into Fentimans Cola....

and indeed into their Victorian Lemonade...

http://www.youtube.com/user/FentimansDrinks#p/u/0/nftdc8XylWs

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I love a Coulis

Sometimes you just need to share something - I love this. It's actually very well shot which is why the cuts work so well.  Big belly laughs!

Oliver Russell | Joint Managing Director   

The Big Shot | 10 Fitzroy Square, London, W1T 5HP

Email:  oliver.russell@thebigshot.co.uk
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T mobile Pastiche - So obvious but so funny

I really didn't want to like this but I can't help myself - This pastiche thing works when the original is so well executed and the reason for doing it is news in itself.
What better example than a 65 million view original and the social event of the year?

> Oliver Russell | Joint Managing Director >> The Big Shot | 10 Fitzroy Square, London, W1T 5HP
>>> Email: oliver.russell@thebigshot.co.uk
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> --
>>

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Expanding Universe

Sometimes there is too much brand extension. Too much trying to make too many bucks with no real care for the original product or how the extension works in relation.

This is simple - Moleskine is a fantastic brand with lovely products - i cant wait to get involved in this whole new range. Some of it seems a bit odd but for me as a brand advocate that acts as a further charm.

http://www.moleskine.com/moleskine_world/special_projects/new_collection_aba.php

On top of that - here's a film that's actually art and reflects the brand perfectly.

> Oliver Russell | Joint Managing Director >> The Big Shot | 10 Fitzroy Square, London, W1T 5HP
>>> Email: oliver.russell@thebigshot.co.uk
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TGI Fridays is 25 (and I'm not)

I'm 42 years old actually and for me its a good age.
Life has a smoother feel than it did in my raw and raucous twenties (and thirties if I'm honest) and I feel myself heading towards a level of contentment - I take pleasure in my family and have interests outside of getting drunk and eating sausage sandwiches with a hangover.
So you're thinking "What the hell is the old man on about? Sounds Awful!!"

Yes alright I'm feeling ever so slightly old this morning.....As you'll see from the headline TGI Fridays is 25 and I was 17 when it launched and in those days there was only one of them (I think) in Covent Garden and it was pretty cool.
The obsession with Americana of all decades from the 50's was in full swing back then - 'Back to the Future' had just come out alongside such Brat Pack classics as 'The Breakfast Club', 'Footloose' and 'St. Elmos Fire'. Other great late lamented 'American style' West End joints were in their pomp too (Peppermint Park, Video Cafe anyone?)

TGI's fitted in perfectly to that time - drinking Budweiser out of bottles, going there for friends birthdays, generally 'hanging out' - watching the bartenders flip their glasses back and forth. This became somewhat of a trend in popular bar culture culminating in the flaming magnificence that was Tom Cruise in Cocktail 3 years later.

Then as time passed and we all grew up a little and as 1988 raised it's smiley face ,TGI's relevance kind of faded for us - you'd go there to eat every so often and each time it was slightly less enjoyable than before and then at some point, I don't know when TGI's started springing up everywhere - even on retail parks next to Argos and Homebase - this was the final nail for me and my contemporaries.

Well not quite - I had children and that really was the final nail - I actually took my kids to a TGI's on a retail park and endured the balloons, crayons and frankly disappointing food (which all seems to be cooked in Jack Daniels if I remember the menu correctly). I haven't ben to TGI's for some years - it has faded from my life.

And then this!! It's actually a pretty good little film following the attempt of TGI's cocktail bar people to break the World Record for twirling glasses or something like that.
I don't know though, it just doesn't have the relevance and interest these days - I cant see this generations teenagers and even early twenties being wowed by a spinning cocktail shaker - it just seems 'out of time'

Or maybe I'm just getting old?

> Oliver Russell | Joint Managing Director >> The Big Shot | 10 Fitzroy Square, London, W1T 5HP
>>> Email: oliver.russell@thebigshot.co.uk
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The Big Shot April 2011 Newsletter

Newsletter April 2011 WEBSITE BLOG FACEBOOK TWITTER LINKED IN We’re getting bigger! We’d like to introduce you to the latest additions to our team. Mark Bainbridge, former marketing director of the British Army, has joined us as non-executive advisor, while two new account managers, Millie Parker and Laura Woods, have also joined the ranks. We are continuing to take our expertise on tour. Managing Director Oliver Russell’s latest seminar takes him to The APA Digital Breakfast, where he will be addressing the challenge of combining marketing and entertainment in front of the UK's foremost publishing houses. If you’re interested in us giving your team some free tips of the trade, let us know and we'll arrange one of our lively workshops with video, interactivity and we’ve even been known to throw in a competition to get some lively discussion going… Our recent work… MasterCard We've created 'The Big Shot' - but then you knew that! This is another 'Big Shot', the new branded Facebook game we’ve just launched for MasterCard. It's designed to further promote MasterCard's sponsorship of the UEFA Champions League. By fine tuning their tactics, players can challenge each other online to win tickets to the UEFA Champions League Final. It seems to have tapped into the competitive nature of Facebook Football Fans as we’ve had an amazing response since it went live last week! Come and have a go if you think you're good enough here BIG Impact This one passed the 'tingle test'. A brilliant film in support of International Women's Day by We Are Equals to raise awareness of the gap between genders. It proves what we have said again and again - the idea is the thing! Combine a simple but targeted idea with a razor sharp script - throw in some great performances, possibly a famous face or voice and make your impact. Watch it here The Big Shout Spring is Sprung by Mark Bainbridge It’s been a crazy month in communications. It has been conjectured that the laptop is set to become obsolete, Steve Jobs has unveiled the iPad 2 – it’s lighter and thinner and has a camera - hmmm... not quite the version 2.0 features we might have hoped for. Mr Lund has left the COI – I will leave you to read into Andrew Lewin’s view of that one – as they say in the London bus fraternity “all change please”… Continue reading here   COMPETITION This month we jetted off to Palm Springs to capture images of the World's best tennis players at the ATP Indian Wells Masters, to use in our 2011 creative campaign for the ATP World Tour and Barclays ATP World Tour Finals.  To win an Apple TV, just 'like' our Facebook page and answer "which tennis legend is the subject of our photo album from this years shoot?" Not sure? Check out our blog for a BIG clue here Goodbye for now! We'll be back with another edition next month but why not visit us on facebook, follow us on Twitter, drop us a mail or even give us a ring! THE BIG SHOT, 10 FITZROY SQUARE, LONDON, W1T 5HP +44 (0)20 7874 1570 View it in your browser Unsubscribe to this newsletter

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