Risking life and limb for the Boursin cheese

This ad from London's RKCR/Y&R for Boursin cheese takes the brand's classic, long-dormant "Du pain, du vin, du Boursin" campaign into potentially grisly territory. The lovers' cornfield picnic is nauseating enough to make one almost anticipate the "rather unexpected interruption" at the end of the spot. Boursin shows good sense in letting the ad go black before that pivotal moment, though. No sense associating its product with too much blood and guts.

—Posted by David Kiefaber

Published on March 6, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (2)
Filed under Boursin, Kiefaber, RKCR, Y&R

Virgin Atlantic marks a sexy quarter century

Before the first Virgin Atlantic flight took off on June 22, 1984, the flight attendants made a major exhibition of themselves, flaunting their assets as they strutted through the terminal, their impossible sexiness causing men to drool, women to fume and little girls to dream. At least, that's the scenario put forth in this new spot from RKCR/Y&R and Traktor celebrating Virgin's 25 years of flight. Our favorite Virgin Atlantic ad remains the one below. Not quite as sexy, perhaps, but entertaining nonetheless.

—Posted by Tim Nudd

Published on January 9, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (1)
Filed under Europe, Nudd, RKCR, Virgin Atlantic

London prepared to grab Olympic spotlight

The 2008 Olympic Games continue through Sunday in Beijing, but London's tourism officials are already elbowing in and reminding the world where the 2012 Games will be held. Visit London, the official tourism body, is launching a £4m global ad campaign this week from WPP agency RKCR to promote the city as a tourist destination in the lead-up to the 2012 Games. The main image from the campaign is a picture of London taking up the entire globe—an image perhaps inspired by British maps from the glory days of the empire. The tagline is, "See the world. Visit London." James Bidwell, CEO of Visit London, is quoted as saying: "In the words of one of the finest English authors, Samuel Johnson, 'There is in London all that life can afford,' and as we prepare to host the greatest sporting event on earth our campaign shows there is no other place to be than here." The London 2012 committee itself is remaining quiet this week, either out of respect for the Beijing Games or lingering embarrassment over its logo.

—Posted by Tim Nudd

Published on August 20, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (5)
Filed under Nudd, Olympics, RKCR