Cannes Contenders: Ireland

Three Mobile - Jeff's World 

A couple of months ago I was sitting at home and saw this ad on TV for the first time. I didn’t know what brand it was for until the end but it had all the ingredients to keep me engaged. I remember thinking that it was fun and well executed, and I pressed rewind to watch it again. 

Jeff's performance is spot on, he's having the best day of his life. Great direction, super VFX, lovely cinematography and production topped with a well chosen classic track from Bonnie Tyler to accompany Jeff's daydream. 

National Lottery - 90% Goes Back 

One of my favourites from Ireland this year. No one in the town believes Marian when she says 90% of the lottery money goes back into the community. Not that she's particularly phased, she knows what's what and doesn't mind taking the lie detector to back herself. 

This ad is ticking all the boxes - pitch perfect performances, great comic timing, well written, fantastic direction, production and another solid track to keep the energy up. The world and characters are believable, the messaging comes across clearly, mission accomplished.

Allianz Ireland / Women's Aid - The World's Strongest Women

A powerful and clever ad for Women's Aid sending an important message to the one in four women in Ireland who have been in a relationship and have been abused by a current or former partner.

As the film opens we follow four women doing various exercises, running, wall sits, squats, stretching. You could be forgiven for thinking that it was a campaign for a sports brand but then the reality is revealed, they are protecting themselves. 

It feels very authentic and strikes a strong chord. We know that other women, just like the women in this ad, are out there suffering through various different abusive situations. We see our women standing up, leaving, dialing the number for Women's Aid.

It's an apt title, the women who are enduring those relationships and the women who have escaped are the world's strongest women.

AIB - Tough Can't Quit

There’s a great energy in this ad. It's about determination and perseverance and we can feel that shining throughout. We see real GAA players and clubs from around Ireland. You can feel the comradery, the connection between the teammates. 

The direction gives us an authentic and gritty view of the reality of their world, there's an immersive feel to it and a lot of that credit is due to the striking cinematography and rich sound design which carries the narrative perfectly throughout.

VHI - Cristín

This ad features an actual VHI customer and family. Told through animation and the eyes of Cristin, we hear the story of her baby Alex. Cristin and her husband knew something wasn't right, Alex wasn't hitting the milestones so they brought him to VHI who gave him a diagnosis and put them on the right treatment path.

At the end of the ad, it seamlessly transitions to live action and we see the real family. It's a lovely piece, sensitively addressing the difficult, challenging and scary situation that many parents find themselves in. The animation is beautifully executed and the team made great use of the 40 seconds to tell Cristin and Alex's story.