Through this commercial Volkswagen introduces the Blue Motion Technologies (BMT) in the Netherlands. The pay-off ‘Easy on the engine, Easy on fuel’ clearly communicates that this new technology saves energy. We’re no car experts, but to us BMT sounds a bit like a marketing invention, rather than an innovation that will prevent the north pole from melting. However, we think DDB did a great job in explaining it in a simple way. In fact, the metaphor of the bicycle, the clean visual identity and the distinctive execution fit very well with VW and even make BMT look sexy! DDB creatives Dylan the Backer and Joris Kuijpers asked Paul Postma and Yani to direct the commercial – the DDB team earlier told Adformatie they were inspired by the leader the creatives made for the TV program 12 murders. We hope the commercial will persuade many consumers to buy an environmental friendly car. Or better even, to ride their bicycle more often.

We had to view this Sony commercial a few times, before we could fully appreciate it. The reason is that if feels a little corporate. As if Sony told its agency: make a big budget commercial, throw in massive special effects, show that we spend lots of money on R&D and please feature some of our fantastic entertainment titles. Oh yeah, and make sure everybody likes it. As said, a little corporate. What we like about it, however, is that Sony for the very first time in its history positions itself as a complete entertainment company that offers movies (2012), games (Motor Storm, Pacific Rift) and music (Hey Monday). We also like the on/off button as ad property, combined with the pay-off ‘make.believe’. It says: we are a ubiquitous, full service entertainment company that makes everything you can imagine. It makes Sony look confident, ambitious and ready for the next century. The commercial was created by 180’s Amsterdam and LA offices, directed by Noam Murro and given special effects by Animal Logic.

Already since 1924 Holland has a tradition of Kinderpostzegels (children stamps). The stamps are issued once a year by TNT Post, distributed by school children throughout their neighborhood and sold with a surcharge. The money of this charity goes to projects that focus on the welfare of vulnerable children. Every year the stamp has a different theme and this year it is ‘let the children learn’. The distinctive and clean design of the stamps and this commercial was done by Christian Borstlap and brought to life by director Paul Postma. And the catchy music by Hopkins and Kenjamin tops it off nicely!

For several years internet provider Het Net ran an advertising campaign with a very distinctive colour (purple) and character. Fred (‘Fred from Het Net’ rhymes!) was a bit of an odd character. But together with Het Net’s proposition, transparency, he became a strong ad property and the brand built up a fair amount of clients since 2004. However, since a few years mother company KPN (formerly the only national telco provider) is consolidating its brand portfolio and decided to kill Het Net – earlier it already gulped down the brand ‘Planet’. KPN asked Lowe/Draftfcb to kill Het Net in style though. The agency built a dedicated website (don’t go there, if you don’t have broadband) where Fred gives away all the props that were used in 5 years of advertising. He even takes off his wig and moustache! On the website you can click on the different props and leave your name and contact details – aha, quid pro quo! – if you want to have one. Although it might be inspired by agency 2009 giving away its inventory at the end 2008 (when its name changed into 2009), it is a sympathetic move of KPN and might be a smart way to prevent Het Net clients from reevaluating their internet contract in the extremely competitive market of internet providers.

This year Amsterdam is hosting the Eurobest festival, so as Amsterdam Ad Blog we thought it would be appropriate to pay a little more than average attention to it. As you you’ve been able to see in the banner on our website – that has probably become a little annoying by now – the festival will be held on the 25th until the 27th of November. Yesterday the jury was announced. The following Amsterdam Creative Directors have the privilege to judge the best of Europe’s advertising: Chris Baylis, Tribal DDB (traditional); Sicco Beerda, Euro RSCG (jury president interactive); Coen Weesjes, Downtown (direct & sales promotion); Eugene Bay, VBAT (design); Andy Fackrell, 180 Amsterdam (jury president integrated) and Magnus Olsson, Saatchi & Saatchi (integrated).

At the IMC Awards the Heineken ‘Trompet’ (a drum disguised as a hat for football fans, which was a follow-up of the speaker hat – a hat disguised as a speaker) by TBWA\Neboko won a golden IMC Award. Upload Cinema for De Uitkijk by Lowe/Draftfcb, also won gold. The Heineken Trompet was distributed around the European Championships 2008 as a premium – together with 8 cans of Heineken. We earlier wrote about Upload Cinema – creating long form content for a cinema, by making a compilation of long tale, short form content from the internet. All in all Amsterdam scored very well. And with 16 prizes in total, the Netherlands was the best awarded country in Europe.