Dani’s comment on Direction & Final Mix Craft: ‘I love the quirky world that this piece sets up and that the humour is played straight (which is always the way to go for me). Many of the familiar ad choices aren’t made in this piece which gives it an appealing edge – and there is a lot of love and craft in the playful details.’

‘This ad was the complete package, and the sound is a big part of it. It has a lovely quirky darkness to it. Was there a little bit of White Lotus 3 inspo in there? (tbh made me love it more if there was).’ – Danni Pinch, Executive Creative Director at Accenture Song

Snooze’s comment: ‘A clever and captivating spin on KFC’s classic platform of the lengths people will go for the taste. The director brings an inanimate character to life (quite literally), with storytelling and pacing that build just the right amount of tension. Performances, tone, and atmosphere are finely tuned, all leading to a perfectly timed twist. A timely piece, masterfully crafted.’ – Mbeu ‘Snooze’ Kambuwa, Executive Creative Director at Ogilvy South Africa

Disclaimer* I was involved in this project. That said, I can confidently speak to the director’s dedication and craft. I also believe the work stands on its own merits among this month’s entries.

Shane’s comment: ‘From the opening scene until the end logo, I was grinning from ear to ear. How refreshing to see a commercial this irreverent and playful, in this day and age. I can only admire and appreciate every choice made by Bruno Bossi to make this piece so memorable and fun. The cast and performances are great (and even more impressive considering the challenges of directing talent in a foreign language). The combination of in camera practical effects and VFX work together seamlessly as does the sound design and score which elevates both the tension and humour of this piece. A shout-out to the editor Julian Redpath for the pace and timing of each cut that makes this two and a half minute commercial not feel long and laborious to watch, but rather leaves you wanting more.
I’m sure there will be much talk and discussion this year about an international commercial being done by a South African agency, but hopefully this can be an inspiration to some of our local clients and a reminder to ourselves, that when you let South African creatives play. Magic can happen. Silly magic. But magic.’

Justice’s comment: ‘Cake by Bruno Bossi is hands down my favourite. It’s such a simple idea, but it’s done so beautifully. Everything about it feels effortless and clear, and that’s what makes it so strong for me. Even with all the VFX, it doesn’t feel over-the-top or tricksy. It’s done so well that it just fits and nothing feels out of place or like it’s trying too hard. The world Bruno and his team created is amazing. The characters feel so real, even though their world is heightened. Watching it, I felt like I was right there with them, caught up in everything that was happening. It’s stylised, but in such a subtle way. It never feels like it’s trying too hard, and that’s what makes me love it. This is the kind of work that makes me wish “I did that.”’

Tshepo’s comment: ‘You wouldn’t be wrong to assume that all car commercials are the same but it in this case you would. It’s revealed in the first 10 seconds what the ad is about but you still want to watch it until the end. The director managed to give such a great personality to the car. A gentle tale about an off road vehicle? It takes a special director.’

Neo’s comment: ‘I appreciated the unconventional approach to the story and how the director skillfully managed to keep it cohesive. The portrayal of the frantic Game Show world offers a visual feast. The character choices were particularly noteworthy, contributing to an intriguing world that highlights everyone as a winner. This is another example of craftsmanship where various departments, led by the director, excel in their delivery.’

Katlego’s comment: ‘A well-choreographed piece, with great comedic timing. Clearly a spot with many moving parts, sequenced very well by the director. The spot gives us a fun insight into the comedic sensibilities of East Asia.’

Marcus’ comment: ‘I loved Savanna’s satirical take on a high fashion ad. The shots of the models in their bright outfits contrasted against a city underwater are gorgeous. Great choice of soundtrack aiding the narrative of the silly seriousness of the situation.’

Thembalethu’s comment: ‘An elegantly constructed piece that I hope gets attention. The video captured and maintained my attention from beginning to end, with characters and places rarely given this kind of tenderness. Looks like a high-production documentary but feels like an intimate documentation of a familiar day.’

Sam’s comment: ‘This piece doesn’t beg to get noticed or shout with anything edgy, instead, it quietly gets under your skin. You’re generously invited into a world you know nothing about. And then asked to put all your expectations aside. In this way, it’s surprisingly affecting and confronting. An intimate, real, window into the world of the artist in his small hometown. A conversation between the director and the artist, spanning generations. From the street corner to the director’s grandmother’s house. And the layers of affection for the community in between. The visuals perfectly mirror the artist’s heart on his sleeve honest, raw, vocals, set to a jazzy R&B melodic poem and soulful bassline. This is a world we don’t see much in popular culture, and what a gift to see bits of the inner universe of an incredibly talented original musician, asking us to put all our preconceptions aside. Authentic storytelling like this is what we need to see more of.’

Suhana’s Comment: “The KFC Box Meals campaign is the kind of joy that demands repeat watching. The director could have overindulged here, milking performances and ‘hamming it up’. I like that restraint was applied and that the actors’ performances gave you just enough to want more. The food enjoyment is not hidden away and beautifully instigates the responses of the people caught in slow motion. Every choice was well considered – from art direction, to wardrobe, to music – resulting in the kind of effortless reward you want when watching a commercial.”

Chloe’s Comment: “This spot makes you work for it, and I like that! In a spoon-fed commercial world it was great to get a sense of something before making sense of it. I love how the voice drifts through the contrasting visuals, creating a tension and offbeat pace. It’s evocative and playful and cool.”

Fausto’s Comment: “Besides having a really cool name, Porteus also appears to be deft with his craft. This film stood out to me because beyond being gorgeous to look at, with a beautifully crafted and deeply considered edit, I felt intrigued and drawn in by all the elements together. The treatment of the voice and the typographic, extra bits to convey his story, there’s a level of consistent consideration that keeps it interesting but not all over the place. A strong marriage of the human story with the design elements of the car. Bonus points for making the car look incredible too. ”

Lebogang’s Comment: “I have always been a fan of Bruno Bossi, firstly he has a really cool name and surname and it would be an affront to his ancestors if we didn’t see this name as often as possible. BRUNO BOSSI BRUNO BOSSI BRUNO BOSSI. But more than a cool cowboy with a fancy name he is a director who is full of surprises, has mad depth in his skills that are rooted in an understanding of the game 360. He has been around but he is still growing.”

Judges Comment: “I have to give this to Jason Fialkov for a beautifully directed set of 3 short ads. The performances that make these films are so subtle and nuanced, very well directed, and excellently and simply told. It’s the restraint that makes these films work, which I think can be one of the hardest things for a director to do, particularly when tackling a difficult subject. The kids are completely believable in their roles and the casting and performances are fantastic. The films feel like a moment from a feature film rather than a ‘commercial’, and it leaves the viewer with a powerful truth and importantly, an immediate behavior that can be changed. I like that they inspire action instead of just awareness. Congrats to Jason the team who put this together.”

Judges Comment: “Rob Smiths film for Jeremy Loops is super original, somewhat strange but engaging piece. It’s one of those fun films that you want to watch and is a good bit of entertainment and an original angle, treatment and story.”

Judges Comment: “This one starts with a boy and a girl on a hill and ends with a haunting. I liked the visual intrigue of the seemingly natural changes of sky and light behind the characters as the camera moved around them. It was visually mesmerising but also made me feel like there was more going on here than was evident at first. Deceptively simple.”

Judges Comment: “The ability to hold attention in a very distracted world is epic. Weird yet compelling. Here the craft is more about the tension of the character.”

Judges Comment: “Special props to Bruno Bossi for his slick epic, Stuntman, for VW Amarok.  In this spot he manages to combine explosions, stunts, death-drop cliffs, a high-speed chase, a moving pantechnicon, base jumping and a super shiny Amarok, all with his signature polish.”

Judges Comment: “The first is Bruno Bossi’s Debt Busters spot. I think this ad is the perfect blend of tight editing, great sound design and well composed cinematography. But it all would have fallen horribly flat without the very believable performance of the lead character. Bruno does a brilliant job portraying the inner torment this man is going through as he progressively gets himself deeper and deeper into debt. By the end of the ad you have so much empathy for the poor fellow that you desperately want to try help him out yourself. And all of this achieved in a mere 40 seconds. Not easy. Unless of course you’re Bruno Bossi.”

Judges Comment: “The visuals are artful and drive the emotion of the ad, the sound design works so well. This is a visually rich ad that made me want to open a bottle of wine.”