Toby And Bec

Just ute try to do better

2007-10-10T20:27:00.000+09:30

Top marks to the post house on this one for bringing to life a technique our mate Raj invented at college and would have used on an idea Bec and Me had for Cental Coast Curtains in 2005 had the budget not been so piss poor.

GM Holden Director of Marketing: Phillis Brook
Creative Director: Vince McSweeney
Creative Team: Vince McSweeney & Alf Lee
Account Service: Anthony Keck,
Director: Mark Toia – Zoom Film & Television

Pure Bombshell

2007-10-10T11:58:00.000+09:30

Well, what can we say about this gem by our good friends at Clemenger BBDO? I'll restrict myself to five or six or seven salient points.

1) The soundtrack is excellent, but Bec and me both noticed a little glitch in the mix just before 'Cherry Pie' kicks in. A minor point, as is the fact that Bec thinks there might have been better choices than 'Cherry Pie'.
2) Great casting but what about a more even handed racial mix. Asian girls can be dead hot and could increase the appealingness of the spot. To assume that 'utopia' is all blonde is a bit cliched.
3) Cinematography. Three lightbulbs.
4) Grade: Ditto
5) Concept. We really love it and have lots of ideas for a follow-up.
6) Award potential. Unlimited. especially as bec and me have had a couple of rock-solid indications that we will be jury regulars in 2008-9.
7) Paul Middleditch should stand by for our next script. HE IS WORTHY! HE IS WORTHY!

James McGrath (Executive Creative Director)
Emily Hill and Cameron Hoelter (Creative Director)
Emily Hill (Copywriter)
Cameron Hoelter (Art Director)
Roz Ruwhiu (Agency Producer)
Peter Masterton (Producer)

Director : Paul Middleditch
Prod. Co. : Plaza Films
Country : Australia

Sound House: Nylon Studios (Simon Lister)
Post-Production: Animal Logic (Angus Wilson)
Editor: The Editors (Peter Whitmore)
Music: Level 2 Music (Karl Richter)

Crash Hot

2007-10-09T21:33:00.000+09:30

Love this sick. Bec and me got a job once using the methods illustrated so dramatically in this spot. We just wandered into a (shit-hot) agency, found a spare desk and churned out some awesome work for three and a half weeks until the ethnically minor cleaning crew complained about having two extra desks to remove cups and cans from. Was worth it to rub shoulders and lock horns with some of the industry luminaries who were gutted they couldn't formally hire us before security showed up. This ad, therefore, speaks to us. Two lightbulbs.

Agency: George Patts Y&R
Production Company:Black Lab International
Creative Director:Tom Green
Director:Ryan Renshaw
Writer:Andrew Thompson
Producer:Noelle Stevens
Art Director:Tom Green
Producer:Tamyson Power

NEW! I Spy With Toby And Bec

2007-09-19T20:03:00.000+09:30

Fuck, we're excited. And we know the creative world at large will be too. Our good friend Raj has shown us how to embed excellent - and crap - ads we see out and about and on You Tube (for which,
incidentally ,Bec had an identical idea in 2002, but let's not cry now that the horse has bolted).

We will comment on these ads in a constructive way and hope others will also. You are more than welcome to submit your own ads or those of people who shit you.

Please send us any ads that have caught your eye or turned your stomach to us, along with credits, your comments, and the You Tube url to tobynbec@hotmail.com

iCould've

2007-09-19T13:15:00.000+09:30

Wish we'd done it. Almost did. No idea who's putting their name to it. Anyone? Anyone?

Smells like gold to us

2007-09-18T21:50:00.000+09:30

How the fuck did you guys get this one through! Respect! We have been trying to get some flatulence into every ad we have written since (and including) AWARD School but obviously you work with a much looser crowd than we find ourselves burdened with. Any jobs going down there? In the meantime, you've inspired us to clench our teeth amongst other bodily parts and let our creativity rip. Four lightbulbs.

Agency Leo Burnett Melbourne
Creative Director Jason Williams
Art Director Ricky Walker
Writer Andy Woodhead
Agency Prducer Mal Herbert
Producer Nathan Earl
Director Bradley Howard
Prod Co Monkey House

Almost there undies

2007-09-18T21:34:00.000+09:30

Bec and I have sweated over this one. All good, but we feel that it would have been better if we had SEEN a road tragedy rather than heard it in script form. Of course we are generation Y-ers and very visual. We suspect the team got screwed by a penny-pinching suit so have our sympathy as well as our congratulations. One and three quarter lightbulbs.

Agency IDEAS
Art Director Max Landrak
Writer Mel Coenen-Eyre
Agency Producer Julia Jackson
Director Damien Toogood
Production Co Luscious

Are Fat Kids Our Fault? Reflections on an industry's responsibility.

2007-09-16T20:39:00.000+09:30

Contrary to popular belief, Bec and me are interested in more than just our awards and salaries (and the symbiotic relationship they have with each other). We are vitally interested in issues such as global warming, the plight of the homeless and the prevalance of diseases such as breast and prostate cancer. As much as anything, these offer great opportunity for pro-bono, reel-building work.

One that's very close to home for Bec, particularly is childhood obesity. Bec was massive as a kid (thankfully I did not know her then) and was teased mercilessly. I have pointed out that she was from Launceston and had dykes as mothers so the teasing could have been about more than her too-tight tunic but she reckons being fat was the killer. Bec now has an eating disorder, maybe two, so is happy to tackle this 'weighty' topic head on.

Now, as we go about our daily lives, talking to cab drivers, models, heads of industry, public policy makers and some vvv cool directors, we often find ourselves caught up in the 'should advertising junk food to children be regulated?' argument as does any creative worth their artery-clogging salt.

The question really should be, 'do ads aimed at kids work?'

Well, we know for a fact that they do not. We wrote a freakin' awsome ad in 2002 for a locally (Launceston) made breakfast cereal called 'Coco Caramel Chewbaccas'. It had more sugar in a bowlful than nine packets of TimTams (Choice Magazine Dec 2003). Kids should have gone nuts over them. However, our ad, which featured a couple of hungry Chinese kids with empty bowls, a track by U2 (or close enough) and the words - "Three quarters of the world's kids are starving, the rest are eating Coco Caramel Chewbaccas" sold maybe two hundred 345g packs over a year and a half.

The client blamed our ad (shot and cut by my good mate Raj, now working in Laos). We reckon Contemporary Cereals' second-rate distribution channels had a lot to do with it. But whatever it was, Coco Caramel Chewbaccas were taken out of production and Contemporary Cereals went belly-up.

Our opinion is therefore thus: go for your creative lives, 'cause although the jury is out on whether or not your work makes kids fat, it can definitely make you famous.

Baa up everyone!

2007-09-10T11:55:00.000+09:30

Everyone is talking about this latest effort from our good friends at BMF for lamb. Very tasty indeed. Even Bec is licking her lips and she's a vegetarian (shellfish OK). A subtle idea that could so easily have been butchered (as has happened to us on oh-so-many occasions). This is a succulent treat of a spot from snout to curly tail. Pass the sauce. And the gongs. Three lightbulbs.

Agency BMF
Creatives
Executive CD Warren Brown
Art Director Shane Gibson
Writer Dennis Koutoulogenis
Producer Mandy Payne
Director Charley Stadler

Lightyears Ahead

2007-08-15T20:54:00.000+09:30

Everyone we have spoken to loves this, as do we. The soundtrack is especially hot and makes 'I Still Call Australia Home' sound even crapper than it did when Hugh Jackson first sang it in the seventies. But we digress. This is a cool spot that is nothing like when Buzz Lightyear escapes from Als Toy Barn in Toy Story 2. If the team would like to get in touch with us, Bec and me have heaps of ideas for ambient and POS. Two lightbulbs.
Writer Nancy Hartley
Art Director James Burchett
Director Hamish Rothwell

Rum makes Poms spew

2007-08-15T20:48:00.000+09:30

Bec has cousins in England (near Sevenoaks, Kent) and sent this to them. Bec rarely forwards anything from YouTube as she reckons YouTube was her idea the first place. Still, she sent this one and she hates sport so that must count for something. Nicely shot and cleverly crafted lyrics but the melody of the music is droll. Two lightbulbs.
Creative Director Mark Collis
Writer Stephen Coll
Director Guy Manwaring Therapist Films

Fat chat?

2007-08-09T11:38:00.000+09:30

Great effort by the Palatial team on this one for 3. Bec especially likes it. She hates fat people and is always looking for a concept that makes them look mean as well as ugly. Two Lightbulbs.

Director: Paul Middleditch - Plaza Films
Producer: Paul Masterton - Plaza Films
Agency: The Campaign Palace
Producer: Meredyth Judd
CD: Georgia Arnott

How Much Are You Worth? A TobynBec Tool

2007-08-01T14:39:00.000+09:30

So many people ask our advice on how to set realistic yet rewarding salary expectations. Here is a simple 'calculator' we have developed to help. It has proven invaluable to us and has helped many a CD understand just why we command the $$$ we do. This calculator is in today's currency.

Years experience (4) x $20K =$ 80K
Major awards (inc finalists) (16*) x $10K =$160K
Mentions in CB (8) x $15K=$120K
Meetings with David Droga (1) x $25K= $25K

Tota =$385K pa*

* Bumper year at Burnie Penguin Awards
**This total applies to me only. Bec was not at the airport that day so has never met David Droga. She adjusts her salary demands accordingly.

Toby Applies Creative Comfort In B&T

2007-07-04T18:54:00.000+09:30

If you're the type that is happy to read a seven month old copy of B&T when you're waiting for your dubs at The Lab, get thee to a newsagent (or you MD's in-tray), if only this week. Toby's words of wisdom feature on page 28 upon which he offers his advice to an unfortunate writer struggling for ideas. It is a testament to Toby's compassionate and empathetic nature that although this problem is alien to both him and Bec he is able to offer far sounder counsel than the other heavyweights they invited to contribute. B&T has a cover price of four dollars something, but the advice is priceless! No doubt a three way bidding war between B&T, Ad News and Campaign Brief (UK) is imminent as they try to tie the Tobester down. (Pic Indicative Only)

The Concept Clinic

2007-06-28T11:00:00.000+09:30

Have you got an idea that needs a little Viagra? Shoot it through to us and we'll be happy to give it the Toby & Bec treatment. Our opinions and advice have taken many concepts from silver to gold. Admittedly, few of them have been ours, but often a little distance is needed to give an objective opinion. Perhaps you are a client looking at a 70% piece of work, or a CD looking down the barrell of a 'promotion' to the Shanghai Office. Whaever you are, and whatever is causing your blockage, we can help. We don't ask for money (but are open to offers to put your problem at the front of the queue), just the inclusion of our name in the books. Post your comments here or email us directly at tobynbec@hotmail.com

Ambivalent About Ambient?

2007-06-08T20:30:00.000+09:30

So many people are, and it's a shame. It's doubly a shame that most of them work where we do. How's this for an idea we had for one of our clients - a major chain of six florists, based in Brighton le Sands.

We (Bec) sneaks into all the brothels we can find in Sydney - our CD's rolodex should make that simple enough - and we put stickers above all the beadheads saying ''WHEN YOU'RE DONE, GIVE THE WIFE SOME (FLOWERS, THAT IS)"

Talk about being Johnny On The Spot! Ambient is the way of the future, and the way into annuals but no one seems to care but us. Are we wrong?

Toby And Bec's Cannes trip Canned?

2007-06-07T21:04:00.000+09:30

Despite all her efforts, it appears Bec has been unable to convince the Financial Controller at the dead-end agency for whom we slave to sign off on our business trip to the French Riverena.

The ECD, CD, CEO, MD, CFO, COE, GAD and 4 ADs and a Planner are going. They fly out this weekend.

There is still some hope as Bec found a couple of pics of the ECD at the Caxtons on Hamilton Island (2000) that may be a suitable trade-in on his ticket. We will swap it for two economy - that's how keen we are to go.

If that doesn't work, we will try to remain positive. Just think of the work we will get through with that lot out of our faces.

What's in Bec's Drawers?

2007-06-07T07:23:00.000+09:30

From Toby: I’m hoping this can be a regular column. There is so much good stuff in there we could spend weeks rummaging around.

Last week I found an old layout Bec had done for the Vegan Society that showed a woman sinking her teeth into Topher Grace’s shoulder. The headline: “We said eat tofu, not Topher.” Hilarious. And yet the Vegans weren’t prepared to back their initial reaction (amazement) and take it to Topher’s agent. Hell, we’re busy people, but even we’d have flown to LA to meet with his people if it meant creating another piece of advertising gold – and having a real impact on the world’s dietary habits.

What do you think? Is this idea too good to stay in Bec’s drawers?

Got a problem? Ask Toby and Bec.

2007-06-03T17:43:00.000+09:30

In our combined seven years in the industry, there aren't many challenges we haven't met or problems we haven't solved. If you've got a stupid suit or a prick of a planner to deal with, we've got the answer. All you other creatives out there are welcome to give your five cents worth too. DISCLAIMER - TOBY AND BEC TAKE NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR DECISIONS MADE ON THE BASIS OF ADVICE OFFERED BY INDIVIDUALS OTHER THAN OURSELVES.

Ads We Wish We'd Written

2007-05-25T16:10:00.000+09:30

10 Amazing Truths About Toby

2007-05-25T15:52:00.000+09:30

• I have never flown economy
• I am allergic to corn
• I was tempted to play tennis professionally
• My favourite film as a six year old was ‘A Clockwork Orange’
• I have had nine serious, long term relationships
• My favourite ad of all time (not done by me and Bec) was ‘ Kitty Litter Coffee’ done by a Boston agency in ’73.
• I am mates with the guys from Silverchair and am waiting for the right brief to exploit that
• You Tube was my idea
• I have written 3 sitcoms, two realities, a doco and five feature films
• I know how Harry Potter dies

No doubt your mind is teeming with thirst for more details - happy to satisfy them.