It starts off with a fantastical idea that voodoo is in fact real. The great thing is, we’re willing to accept it. Maybe it’s that there are so many Sci-Fi and fantasy films out nowadays, or maybe we all just want to escape the boring monotony of our ‘muggle’ lives (10 points to gryffindor for that excellent Harry Potter reference) Regardless of why, when the voodoo works, we believe that is the pretense of the ad. The voodoo is the humor. I’ve never use the word voodoo so much. Voodoo. Back on topic, the actual humor in this ad comes from realism. And I love that. It’s almost like the creatives say ‘gotcha’ at the end.

Now maybe it’s my love for this Ricky Gervais style humor or maybe it’s that yes, the boys and girls at Creature London ‘got me’, regardless, the moment they break the voodoo act I smile. Every time. And that’s a lot, this is one of those ads I just had to watch again.

While my favorite part is that ‘reveal’ I have to give credit to the set designers, stylists and the whole crew along the way. With great costumes and a set that reminds me of my house (just a whole lot better) around Halloween, the viewer doesn’t even bat an eye when the voodoo ‘works’. And i havent even mentioned the score yet, that’s a whole lot of genius in itself.

This ad totally brings out the giggly child side of me, the side of me that eats hot chips with my ice cream, watches comedy reruns till 3am and has me out buying sprinkles to make some good old fashioned fairy bread. Which has me questioning whether this ad effects the side of me that shows my ID and can figure out complex sums (ie. how many beers can I buy and still be able to afford to feed myself this week?)

Nowadays there are brilliant ads, but I do wonder sometimes on their effectiveness, for an ad selling alcohol just abiding by the rules while still getting your product name on screen is tough enough, so my thoughts, for this particular ad, is that the effectiveness comes with the brand recognition. They are using their two ‘brand ambassadors’, they boys who have appeared in previous Carling ads, so there is continuity, and the ‘feel’ of the ad is similar to past ones, plus the memorable ‘Its good, but its not quiet Carling’ tag, all ties in nicely. I’d like to think if I had the option for a Carling I’d give it a shot. Figuratively. I’m not in the habit of taking shots of beer.

However I won’t know for sometime as I have never seen a Carling beer in Australia, but I am one of those ‘I’ll have what s/he’s having’ when it comes to beer, so maybe its on tap every- where and I’m just oblivious. Do tell me if it is around, I enjoy being corrected on the internet. Either way, this ad deserves a slap on the back for its use of realism as the part of the ad that is ‘out of place’. Well done Carling. You got me.

And now for the credits; please hold your applause until the end.
Agency: Creature London
Creative directors: Ed Warren, Stu Outhwaite & Ben Middleton
Creatives: Lyd Raghavan & Steph Rohr.
Production company: Smuggler
Directors: The Sniper Twins
Audio post production: Factory

(Thanks australiancreative.com.au for collating this neat little breakdown of the worker bees, it would’ve taken me a whole 20 minutes to present it so nicely, and there are way to many cat videos I could be watching instead.)

Post by by Katrina Fowler