Mother

Mother London for Gu, which makes chocolate pudding.



Mother London for Match.com.

Mother does some...eclectic work. It's hard to categorize or describe what they do because their work is so diversified, and their style is oftentimes a little odd or bizarre. These two spots feel characteristically European; they both feel like a mini movie with cinematic filming, complete narratives, and accents. The first spot for Gu leaves you feeling uncomfortable about eating pudding in public, so I don't know how effective that ad was for their product. The second spot is sweet and has a calming, bohemian feel to it, but the spontaneity in both ads is flat out confusing. The situations presented in both of these ads are so unrealistic that I question every action taken by the characters in the ads: Why does the lady in the Gu spot leave her dog and walk inside a house for no apparent reason? Why does the girl in the Match.com ad burst into song? Or why are there two young, attractive people in an antique shop?...no one does this stuff. In a way, the actions taken in these spots are so unrealistic, but the acting and filming makes the spots feel normal and completely real. Maybe this is just the Euro influence at work. European sensibility in advertising feels odd in comparison with American advertising because it often incorporates very unusual or outrageous scenarios into commercials, whereas American commercials are cluttered with product demonstrations and "real life" consumer testimonials. Despite its peculiarity, European ad work has a heightened level of artistry and culture, which I think is due, at least in part, to the lessened restrictions and social openness to a variety of subject matter. America is so censored that at times, we are forced to censor our creativity, at the risk of offending anyone.