Multimedia artist, former Chief Creative Officer of Ogilvy China, previously Creative Director of M&C Saatchi, photographer, filmmaker, teacher, and winner of many, many awards …
The polymath creative gives us his nominations of the greatest ads of the past four decades, chosen to celebrate Lürzer's Archive 40 year anniversary. We also asked Graham to nominate a favorite ad from his own vast body of work.
Burger King: Subservient Chicken
A brilliantly-interactive piece that redefined online fan engagement before Twitter or Facebook’s public debut. It featured a person in a chicken costume appearing to act out typed commands. Ingeniously, over 300 pre-filmed responses were coded to match user inputs, fooling many into thinking it was a live webcam. The site’s clever design drew nearly 400 million hits within a year, sparking viral interest and boosting Burger King’s sales to surpass McDonald’s.
Volvo: Twister
I remember when this first came out - everyone was talking about it. Directed by the inimitable Tony Kaye, it left everyone asking, How did he do it? Stories from the shoot went viral around London. Back then, a Volvo was seen as a pretty boring car. Well, not anymore. Apparently, it was shot in black and white, with every frame hand tinted. I also love the music. Most would have chosen something dramatic, but the creative team went in the opposite direction. Completely unexpected. And that ending ... abruptly cutting off the film. Perfect.
Bangkok Insurance: Tire
It makes me laugh out loud every time I see it. Shows what you can do with a small budget and a big idea.
Samsonite: Heaven and Hell.
When I arrived in China in 2011 as CCO of Ogilvy, I saw this poster for Samsonite. A simple idea, exquisitely crafted. A powerful reminder of the perils of travel every time you hand over your luggage. A few months later it won China’s first ever Grand Prix at Cannes. The bar had been set very high.
IBM: A Boy and His Atom – The World’s Smallest Movie.
What about this for a big idea. Make the World’s Smallest Movie. Genius. As if animation isn’t time consuming enough - IBM did it with an object you can’t even see. So cool. Even cooler was the temperature the atom needed to be to move the damn thing. Minus 268°C. But what makes this really great is that it brought a topic that most people don’t understand into the pub and got talked about, whilst probably wondering if their child should grow up to be a scientist or an animator.
Thai Life Insurance: Peace of Mind
When it comes to tearjerkers, the Thais are arguably the masters. Thai Life Insurance created a legendary, long-running campaign that became iconic - this was the one that started it all. A classic case study in the ‘sadvertising’ phenomenon, it used storytelling that was as compelling as it was emotional. These ads were longer than usual, but the powerful narratives and heartfelt moments made them unforgettable, tugging at the heartstrings every single time.
British Airways: Magic of Flying
Posters are my favorite medium. But when they’re interactive, the impact skyrockets x 10. This has always been in my top 10 and I really wish I’d done it. Every time a British Airways plane flew over, the kid on the poster stood up and pointed at it, with the flight time and destination appearing. Absolute genius.
Shiseido: High School Girl?
I love ads with a masterful twist, and Shiseido’s 2015 campaign was the ultimate trickster. This ad didn’t just redefine beauty standards for a young audience - it fooled everyone, including every juror on the panel I was part of. The film opens in a classroom where high school girls are frozen in adorable, kawaii-style poses. But then the twist hits: as makeup is removed in reverse, we realize these “girls” are actually boys. The craftsmanship is astonishing - a true masterclass in detail. Once that rug is pulled, you’re compelled to watch it again, just to see how they pulled it off.
Cadbury: Gorilla
I remember turning on my TV one night and seeing the face of a Gorilla. He hardly moved. I was intrigued, especially as the background was purple rather than a jungle. After about 60 seconds of doing very little apart from sniffing the air, he started drumming! WTF? Another 30 seconds later it all made sense. Pure Joy. The ad mesmerised viewers, sparked national conversation, and boosted Dairy Milk sales. The buzz led numerous clients to rethink their approach, with many calling their agencies, saying, “We want a ‘Gorilla.’ And that’s what I love most about this ad, because it changed the way clients thought. I call it: The Gorilla Effect.
British Airways: Face
A cast of thousands, months of meticulous planning, and precision choreography, this British Airways commercial was brought to life under the direction of the legendary Hugh Hudson – the very same man who had directed the Benson & Hedges Swimming Pool ad. Everything in it was done for real. No digital people! I still look back on it with fond memories.
