Robinsons new ad: The right dose of sweetness?
Remember the good old days of playing with your friend at the park, teasing each other about the opposite sex, and carrying your exhausted chum to bed? The latter probably not so much, but that’s where the sweet twist lies in Robinsons new TV ad Pals.
Debuting after ITV’s Britain’s Got Talent at the weekend, the advert comes from Bartle Bogle Hegarty (BBH).
As the majority of adverts nowadays rely on annoying jingles (Confused.com springs to mind), or celebrity promotion (think of an ever-bronzed Gary Lineker), it’s nice to see an ad that has a sweet message – even though it might be a tad too sickly for some. The new Robinsons video bears similarities to some of the ads on television during the festive period – most notably John Lewis’ The Journey which got everyone talking.
The TV advert features two friends playing - having a kick about, throwing stones in the river, mucking about down the park, and re-enacting scenes from Star Wars with sticks. After this fun-filled day, the boys run home to glug down the drink at the centre of the ad, Robinsons squash.
Exhausted in front of the telly, one boy falls asleep while the other takes his shoes off and carries him to bed. If you haven’t seen it yet (you can watch it here by clicking on the image above) I won’t spoil the twist for you, but the line “It's good to be a dad. It's better to be a friend” might give you a clue.
The 60-second advert was directed by the duo Si & Ad of Academy Films, who have worked together for over ten years on brands such as Morrisons, Honda and insurance company More Than. Filmed in Cape Town, it was lit by BAFTA-winning DoP Barry Ackroyd, and The Mill handled post-production.
What do you think of the ad? Too schmaltzy or just the right dose of sweetness? Let us know via our Facebook page.
