A guerrilla make-over to promote Holland’s largest DIY, Gamma’s wallpaper. The pay-off: “Isn’t it beautiful?” Well, if you’re asking our opinion; no this wallpaper is not beautiful. But the idea is though. Created by TBWA\Neboko.

Yacco Vijn leaves digital agency Kong (N=5′s digital sibling) to become Managing Creative Director at TBWA\Neboko alongside Bas Engels. It was a hard decision for Vijn, but the fact that TBWA has been so consistent in its creative success over the past decade and the fact that he leaves Kong in good shape, made him decide to accept this new adventure. By hiring Vijn TBWA wants to incorporate digital in its DNA, which is different from previous attempts to found separate digital agencies; first agency.com and a few years ago Flow – both attempts failed. When we asked Vijn what he thinks of becoming MCD at an agency known for being especially good in making (Dutch) TVC’s, he told us that ‘digital’ is becoming obsolete: “The term is slowly eroding; when I go to a shop to buy a camera, I’ll ask for a camera, not a digital camera. It’s obvious that it will be digital – everything is. I think the time is ripe to stop putting digital labels on agencies and go for integrated by default“. Wise words. Floris Hülsmann, who ironically enough left Flow last year to join Kong, will be taking over Vijn’s role until Kong has found a replacement.

After the newsreader has finished covering the news on the Danish troups still fighting the Taliban in the Southern Afghan province Helmand, she switches to less important news; the weather – presented by the ever sexy Marjon de Hond. On the other side of the split screen the footage continues to build up to the climax of one of the wounded Danish soldiers being taken care of by a medic and clearly in shock – his pupils are huge. The footage is not news footage, but the documentary Armadillo that follows the Danes very closely in their fruitless efforts to bring peace to Afghanistan. And the pay-off ‘Keep watching’ aptly explains that documentaries continue where the news ends. Though this commercial is not as spectacular as last year’s fictional trailer (still using the wonderful pay-off ‘you can’t make up reality’) it again very convincingly conveys the message that everyone should visit the International Documentary Festival Amsterdam (IDFA). Created – for the fourth time already since 2008 – by TBWA and directed by Mirko Dreiling (25 FPS).

With 13 shortlist nominations in film and 7 in film craft, Amsterdam should be able to win some more Lions tomorrow night. Of all these nominations 4 go to Nike ‘Write the future’, 3 to Heineken’s ‘The Entrance’, and one to Heineken’s ‘The Date’, which adds up to an impressive 8 film (craft) nominations for Wieden+Kennedy Amsterdam. Write the future also has a nomination for Titanium (integrated), though this case was sent in by Nike. BSUR also does well with 4 nominations for MINI Countryman’s ‘Flow’. Philips’ ‘Wake up the town’ by Tribal DDB has 3 film nominations. Other film nominations go to Volkswagen (DDB), Centraal Beheer (DDB) – we personally liked this more subtle Centraal Beheer film a lot better – De Bijenkorf (Selmore), IDFA X-ray eyes (TBWA) – a very smart film – and the beautiful Sire film ‘Marked for life‘ (180). We’ll keep our fingers crossed!

Quite an honour for Amsterdam based TBWA\Neboko; Heineken’s Walk-in fridge was the runner-up in CBS’ ‘Clash of the commercials’ – Volkswagen The Force, created by Deutch LA, was the winner. To finish second in the ‘Best commercial of all time’ competition – representing ‘The World’ (vs the US) – is something to be proud of. Congrats, Neboko.

Write the future did what most of us expected, it won big last night at the Dutch Art Director’s Club (ADCN) Awards: the Standing bulb (read: Grand Prix) and three golden bulbs (Integrated, Film, and Print/Magazine). Massive Music also won an award for the music in this commercial. Overall, TBWA\Neboko won most awards, taking home 2 golden (in Film for Pearle and in Print for Heineken’s Social Networks) and 4 silver bulbs. Live Interactive billboard (n=5) won gold in Outdoor. Bavaria’s DutchDress (Selmore) – causing such a big stir at the World Championship football last summer – also received a very deserved golden bulb in Activation. Christian Borstlap’s posters for the overview exhibition of Dutch advertising classics won gold in Graphic Design. In Interactive there was no gold. This could mean that digital creatives are still mostly tech driven, rather than aiming for the big idea. It could also mean that the ‘traditional’ creatives (the largest part of the Jury) are not able to fully appreciate digital innovations. Or it might be a bit of both. In any case, there were three silver bulbs in Interactive for Philips ‘Wake up the town‘ (Tribal DDB), Live Interactive Billboard (see above – a big digital idea, created by a ‘traditional’ agency), and Vodafone’s Madame TreSesti (Achtung!). Our very favourite film ‘Drama Queen‘ for the Young Director Award (TBWA Helsinki, directed by Rogier Hesp) got a bulb in the category Young Directors, but unfortunately not gold.

There’s a Dutch saying about ‘shitting 7 colours’ when you’re really scared. And since the Dutch love their fireworks, dogs – and cats, for that matter – have a hard time around New Year’s. On this poster created by TBWA\Neboko the dog food brand Pedigree offers some  preparation tips on its website for dogs that are terrified of fireworks. A real sympathetic gesture translated in a strong ad. One thing that is fairly…um…let’s keep it polite…clumsy; on Pedigree’s website there’s not a word about fireworks – unless they hid it somewhere. Does Pedigree know about this ad at all?

Draftfcb will be the sole lead agency for Beiersdorf – owning personal care brand Nivea – as from January 1st 2011. The agency won a lengthy international pitch with among others TBWA\. For Draftfcb the pitch was led by international Chief Creative Officer Jonathan Harries and Amsterdam based ECD Dagan Cohen. For years both Draftfcb and TBWA\ were working on different Beiersdorf brands/products, which didn’t exactly create a situation of strategic and creative coherence. This should now change.

180 Amsterdam has made a series of new hires. From left to right in the picture: First of all Ben Hartman and Neil Durber from Rainey Kelly Campbell Roalfe London joined the agency. They will primarily work on 180’s newest account DHL. To further reinforce the creative department, creative David Chalu is also joining the agency as Senior Copywriter – he came from McCann Erickson London. Earlier this year, in September, Galen Graham was appointed as Creative Director – coming from DDB Chicago.

As from January 1st, next year, healthcare will become more expensive. That’s why the Dutch Consumers’ Association (Consumentenbond) asks its members to go online and check the ‘Zorgvergelijker’ (care comparer) to see whether their current insurance matches their personal situation. It made us think of the good old advertising adage “When everyone screams, you gotta whisper”. Or, to put it differently, if everyone tries to change 30 seconds into a visual orgy, you just keep it sober. Though you could argue that throwing buckets of golden CG paint on an ambulance, is not exactly sober, it will probably stand out nicely in your average overstimulated commercial break. What’s more, the distinctive style gives the concept years of mileage. Created by TBWA\Neboko, produced by Beautiful Minds, and directed by Marcel Christ – who calls himself a still life photographer.

Delta Lloyd ends it relation with Lowe & Draftfcb. There will be a pitch, but the insurer hasn’t decided which agencies will be joining it. In 2006 Delta Lloyd ended its contract with TBWA\Neboko, the agency that invented the pay-off ‘…zeker Delta Lloyd’. Lowe & Draftfcb kept the pay-off but completely changed the tone of voice from humorous to serious. The first series of commercials Lowe created for Delta Lloyd were the best within its kind.

Amsterdam Worldwide has won the global Olmeca tequila account. Pernod Ricard took the brand away from M&C Saatchi (London) and forwarded it to Amsterdam Worldwide without a pitch. It wouldn’t surprise us if the agency’s multi-awarded work for ArArAt helped the smooth transition. Though in Holland tequila is not very popular – we had never heard of the brand – it is the fastest growing spirits category globally over the past 5 years. And Olmeca is one of the biggest brands within this growing category.