Don’t know about you, but I’m already getting sick of watching the same ads over and over during the Tour de France coverage. This year’s batch is rather ordinary too, it must be said.
Skoda
http://youtube.com/watch?v=RJ5frAujSck
Same idea as last year’s ad, just not as good. Also, what a rubbish premise…”10 years supporting the Tour and not a single breakdown.” No shit. Given the cars are new each year, you’d hope no bloody breakdowns. Even if they are Skodas. Hardly compelling.
H&R Block
http://youtube.com/watch?v=OxlP3yt4f_s
An okay idea with a clear message (also clear is it’s been shot on the cheap) but the same ad as last year, no doubt to save even more money. Seems a bit lazy to me.
QBE
Little more than a fancy slideshow. Looks like the work experience kid did it with some new 3D editting software, Windows Movie Maker anyone? I’m sure they have volumes of research to suggest otherwise, but for mine the premise seems rather shallow too. Zzzzzzzz.
Colonial
Pretty uninspiring and forgettable, but in keeping with their masterbrand, I guess. Which is something. Beige.
Huon Salmon
http://youtube.com/watch?v=Ylok-DOYfcE
Easily the best of a bad bunch. Nice production values, albeit a pretty formulaic idea. First time I saw it, it did make me smile. And at the risk of sounding ignorant I never realised Huon was salmon salmon beforehand, so I did learn something. Great to see a nice looking campaign leveraging an NRS team sponsorship.
Swisse/GreenEDGE
Nice job for the production folks, given it looks like the spots were shot in Europe. If the creative team got to go too, pure genius. As for the ads themselves, they’re okay. But nothing worth putting on your reel. Robbie McEwan’s ‘race radio’ VO sounds more wooden than the Dunc Gray floorboards.
Carbon Addiction 
You are so right Pete, and
There is one thing it pisses me off time and time over, and that is each time when this commercials are shown, [ SBS producers I guess ] It usually happens after the peleton or group have just summited a climb and are about to plunge downhill at neck-break speeds, the very part that is the most exciting is put to us with commercials of the sort you mention.
Just to piss them off back I would choose a different product or company if I can help it.
It is SBS after all, originally there were little and spread out ads, now they must be competing with ” commercial ” tv stations on the length of time of commercials to content.
Love your site
Silvio
Are the Skoda ad events real? eg. did someone really drive off the road to avoid cows during the race?
No. It might have happened once, but these ads are scripted, the cows have been dropped in by a post-production studio.
Cheers! BTW how bad is the Dewars whisky ad? Loving your blog – the Cav interview in particular!
TDU…Dry your eyes with a kangaroo.
At least we don’t have to put up with erectile dysfunction ads this time round.
Erectile dysfunction, cured!