The Snickers campaign that kicked off with a classic turn by Betty White has had plenty of executions - including a New Zealand version with schlock-jock Paul Henry - but none have really come close to the spirit of the original. 

This one stars Rowan Atkinson in his Mr Bean character and it's genius. My only question is the questionable tag-line which seems not only tacky but tacked on - as if it is a committee compromise to ensure the campaign got through. 

Still, A for effort and execution. A reminder that the Ninja skills of keeping a campaign going and evolving, scripting self contained ideas that a interesting narratives without oblique cultural references and in-jokes and simplicity all still work powerfully well.

Jerry Seinfeld appeared in some ads for American Express - doyens of consumption, immediate gratification and faux status - then bites the hand that feeds. I'm ok with that. 

I used to think advertising was a noble cause - promoting choice, letting the market decide and ll kinds of capitalist/materialist bullshit. Now I just think that if you have a product you think is good enough to market then you should try to get it into the hands of people who might find it useful. You may as well promote it in a way that isn't toxic and (this I have always believed) doesn't insult the intelligence of not only the people you are talking to but also innocent civilians who might unsususpectingly come across it in their daily routines. 

Its only advertising. Done well - it can be an ok thing - but it's not the second coming. Marketers shouldn't pay too much for it or expect too much of it. 

What do you think?