Roanna’s comment: ‘Chicken Licken’s‘The Homecoming’, directed by Pete Pohorsky, is a quietly entertaining piece of storytelling, the kind that lands its punchline with a straight face and trusts the audience to catch the joke. It follows one man’s determined journey through the wilderness, led only by the scent of fried chicken, and plays it totally straight. Which is exactly why it works. The cinematography adds the weight to the  journey: beautiful, wide, dusty frames, honest, natural light, no unnecessary frills and intentional framing. It’s confident, considered, and never tries too hard. The standout however, is the restraint that elevates the idea. It’s not trying too hard. It just is.’

Xander’s comment: ‘This is a very not k*k ad. Well done’

Karien’s comment: ‘Nice characters, easy performances, concise storytelling, conceptually clear – a rewarding ramp up of the humour at the end. It’s easy to overlook the craft that goes into something as simple as this, but sometimes, directing is knowing what not to do. Neat, Pete‘

Juliet’s comment: ‘I was sucked into the story right from the start, meeting our hero and then being rewarded along the way with some excellently dumb jokes (‘finishing the treadmill’ being my personal favourite). The larger-than-life story and proud narration held the commercial together and the messaging was clear. When you don’t stand a chance, give them Chicken Licken. All in all, a feel-good piece, beautifully crafted and I can feel how much fun was had on set and in the edit suite. Editing, grade and music all elevated the craft to make Mr Mgijimi so memorable. Well done to everyone involved.’

Justine’s comment: ‘April was a killer month for commercials. The sheer scope of tones, genres, and styles was overwhelming, and the level of craft was incredibly inspiring.  So many of these pieces felt like the “grand old ads of yore”. They are a joy to watch.
Ultimately, however, it all came down to the Barbenheimer of the South African industry – KFC vs Chicken Licken.
The scale of the works is SO big and the craft that went into both pieces is so remarkable that it’s a pretty impossible choice.
But here goes: ‘

Direction: Peter Pohorsky
‘I have always loved Peter’s work; his approach to comedy shines through in this hilariously absurd piece. You can feel the amount of brainstorming that went into these scenes. Every shot and every detail is geared towards strengthening the joke.’

Roanna’s comment: ‘This one put a smile across my face. Taking inspiration from Mel Gibson’s speech in ‘Braveheart’, Pete Pohorsky has successfully managed to turn a bunch of DIY cowards into motivated and inspired can-do home fixers. You can see that the direction has really been considered and thoughtfully told. It’s an idea that without the right director could easily have not worked. But in this case – Pete nailed it. The lead actor driving a mini-tractor and gloves (from Builders) is a great touch. The sound of its engine is also really funny. The delivery of the speech makes you really feel like you CAN-DO it. I also enjoyed the interjection of the comment “Saturday!” and cut away characters which helps the arc of the storytelling and keeps you engaged. The direction of this piece is definitely making a stand against ugly.’

Kirk’s comment: ‘This spot is simple and funny, the characters are great and the music by Rob is, well Hee hee haa haa. A great little touch. It is well-written and beautifully performed. You can see the energy that went into the casting and the performances. Very well done all.’

Sam’s comment: ‘My craft mention takes a hard left turn back into Adland and the acerbic universe of Peter Pohorsky. Here he takes aim at the woes of today’s hyperinflation. His dry comic timing and performances of his cast are on point in his portrayal of a series of hero’s and victims of “Shrinkflation”. The antidote of course – is Burger King’s generous portions. I thought all the elegant retro stylings from camera work, to colour and wardrobe ‘ala Stranger Things’, really served the piece well leaving one with a warm nostalgic feeling of when portions possibly were bigger.’

Amy’s comment: ‘The whole thing is flawlessly executed. We’ve all been tasked with having to get non-actors to act and it is frequently cringe-worthy, so kudos to Peter for the on-point performances from actual Springbok rugby players.’

Judge’s comment: ‘Yes, this is extremely funny! That you cannot ignore. But humour isn’t easy and a joke is just not enough. All the elements making up this piece just feel so right, from the casting to the styling, to the last little touches on the end frame. All considered, all adding to the humour. It’s more than just the joke and the craft has made it so pleasurable to watch. Well done Pete!’