Soreen is wonderful. Deliciously chewy and satisfying, it's a product where the benefit is immediately apparent on first bite. It also has a rich history of advertising across the decades, stemming from 1937 when the company was founded by John Sorensen in Manchester.
The 1960s brought us the catchphrase - "Hey! Where's the Soreen, Doreen!" - while the 70s sold the malty loaf as a health food in partnership with Adidas. It's hard to imagine two brands less alike than Soreen and Adidas nowadays, yet at one point they were firm friends. If you're organising the Agency Quiz, you might want to jot that down.
Soreen's last advertising campaign in 2010 was such a car crash I'm reluctant to make you watch it. Imagine this - It starts with a young boy breakdancing in the playground. His friends suddenly jump in and they leap up into a funky electro musical number. They wildly dance together, choreographed as one. ‘Nothing tastes like Soreen malt loaf. It's chewy, fruity, and keeps you going' says the narrator. We cut back to the X-Factor style dancing. Everyone has forgotten to take their Ritalin. These kids are not being paid enough. Okay, now they're jumping up! They're doing twirls. HOLY SHIT, THE DINNER LADY JUST JOINED IN! Cut to product. Cut back to kids bopping their heads in unison and eating Soreen. Narrator: 'Soreen. Chew it. Then do it!'
Christ, I feel lobotomised from writing that. For the love of all things chewy, don't seek the advert out.
The new ad which premiered yesterday is taking an entirely different approach by not being a piece of shit. It's a rather magical journey with excellent supporting music, beautifully shot, full of charm and whimsy. But when you stop to consider, this isn't just unbridled creativity; there's a sophisticated key insight at work here, quietly, artistically pulling the strings. We're both shown the versatility of the snack and the wonderful way we pick at it, scoffing it, demolishing it one chewy chunk at a time. I'm reminded of Blur's "Coffee And TV" which features the journey of an anthropomorphic milk carton.
Back in 2013, David Miller, MD of The Red Brick Road said 'Soreen is a fantastic British brand – it is great to be developing this ATL advertising campaign to support Soreen’s iconic powerbrand status.'
I'm pleased to see my favourite squidgy snack back in safe hands.
Follow Soreen’s Loveable Loaf on Facebook where he (it?) now has his own page: https://www.facebook.com/loveableloaf
Client: Soreen
Creative: The Red Brick Road
Media: Goodstuff
Creative Directors: Matt Davis, Richard Megson
Copywriter: Tom Hopkins
Art Director: Marcus Smith
Planning Partner: Ben Mitchell
Business Director: Matt Anderson
Account Director: Emily Pigott
Agency Producer: James Tracy, Natalie Kozlowska
Production Company: Blinkink
Director: Joseph Mann
Producer: Patrick Craig
Editor: Simone Ghilardotti
Sound: Miles Kempton @ Grand Central
Post: Big Buoy
Grade: Smoke & Mirrors
Music Publisher: Lawrence Jay Nachsin @ LJN Music and Sound
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Wow, David. Why didn't you write the ad because that TV spot won't sell anything. That cartoon looks like walking pooh.
Try #1
"Delicious. Chewy. Satisfying. Soreen wonderful."
Try #2.
Soreen. Chewy yum. First bite. Every bite.
Try #3.
Man on Couch
Gooey...
Woman on chair
(moaning)
Chewy ...
Man on Couch
(in yumming voice)
Chocolate-y.
Woman on chair
(moaning)
mmmm.
VO
First bite. Every bite. Soreen
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PermalinkWhile I admire your strong opinions, you haven't actually said what you dislike about the ad other than it 'looks like walking pooh (sic)'! Although your scripts are something quite special; I sense a creative soul of the highest calibre.
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PermalinkWell, David, I did not believe I needed to hold your hand through this. If only I had a sixth-like sense as you, then I could have sensed your need for s-p-e-l-l-i-n-g o-u-t e-v-e-r-y b-i-t o-f -c-r-i-t-i-q-u-e f-o-r y-o-u.
The ad fails at selling. The ad makers don't know selling psychology. That is what not to like about it.
I had someone else watch the spot. She told me the art work looks like walking feces. There isn't anything delectable about it.
As well, the song confuses. Is each watcher to believe he is the yum-yum the singer sings about? After all, the singer keeps singing, "you're my little yum-yum." No where do we see the VO singer crooning to the Soreen bar or whatever the product is.
The ad does nothing to suggest a future for the individual watching it. Where does the ad show the reward to the watchers? The ad fails to show watchers they will gain any of the key drivers of behavior by buying Soreen — praise, sex, love, respect, power, bodily pleasure — or suffer personal disadvantage through lack while others are getting and thus getting ahead.
What is the effect of the ad the makers intended? What are the ad makers claiming will happen to the watcher if he or she buys the product right now?
But you keep on with your oh-so special, high calibre retorts to the comments of others and that extra special je ne sais David that your readers or at least your friends have come to expect.
Oh and the pooh spelling is intentional as comment systems often block for blue words.
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PermalinkWell this one fucking doesn't so spell properly from now, pretty please. :)
(Actually it used to filter "accountmen" to spell "acuntmen" instead, but I was the only one in the world to find that funny and it's super childish so I removed that eons ago)
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