In 1939, Ernest Vincent Wright wrote a whole novel, Gadbsy, without using the letter E, the most common in the English language. It was feted as a creative achievement, but I’m not sure what the fuss was about.
“Onc upon a tim thr was a husband and wif who livd in a hous nxt to a massiv cratr.” Took me like 20 seconds that. Now, let’s watch some videos…
Aussie meat ad pokes fun at everyone to illustrate the generation gap (3 mins)
The overarching idea here is quite odd – that lamb, yeah the meat, is the only thing that can unite Australia. The execution is magnificent, bringing the generation gap to life through a series of funny, layered vignettes packed full of clever details.
No generation escapes the ad's gentle mockery and yet somehow by the end, I felt a renewed sense of fondness for all of them. (Watch on YouTube)
Slick Apple spot gets us excited for Usher’s Superbowl show (1 min)
Usher (Usher, Usher) is playing this year's Super Bowl half-time show, and Apple Music released this anthemic trailer to begin the countdown to his much-anticipated performance.
There is an awful lot packed into this, but it builds to a coherent crescendo and doesn’t take itself too seriously – the oven door is a particularly nice touch. (Watch on YouTube)
Make-up mockumentary explores the murky world of cosmetic crime (14 mins)
Siri, explain culture in 2024 – “Make-up-brand e.l.f. cosmetics has released a true crime mockumentary, and it's really good.” Toying with the Netflix tropes with which we're so familiar, it tells a ludicrously silly story in a strangely compelling way.
Too many of these kind of projects rest on the laurels of, wow isn't this random? But this builds on the core concept with good characters, great jokes and funny situations, like a key scene playing out on a log flume.
Oh, and don't believe what we keep being told about attention spans being decimated – nearly 850k people have watched this in just six days. (Watch on YouTube)
Spanish football club Atléti rises above petty rivalry in poignant Christmas spot (2m 45s)
Last year, Norwich City was widely praised for its gut-punch film for World Mental Health Day. It underlined how organisations are increasingly willing to tell stories outside of their traditional purview.
Here's another, made for Christmas by Spanish club Atlético de Madrid. It's the story of a kind gesture that goes above and beyond the tribal factionalism that can make football so unpleasant.
If you're not a football fan, Di Stefano is a famous ex-player for Real Madrid, Athletico's bitter rivals. (Watch on YouTube)
120 ski instructors create a stunning dance on the slopes of St. Moritz (1m 30s)
Avoiding ski bores is a veritable pastime at this time of year – actually Jeremy, I don't care how alive you feel on your "annual pilgrimage" to Val Thorens.
But tbf this is magnificent – 120 ski instructors create a synchronised performance on the slopes of St. Moritz for the Bogner ski brand. Come back Jeremy, all is forgiven! (Watch on YouTube)
Adidas x Ant Edwards collab goes back to the future (20s)
Everything about this Adidas spot with basketball player Anthony Edwards feels joyfully retro, from the art direction to the script.
This gives the spot – part of a series of films to launch the AE1 shoe – a timeless feel that elevates it. "Tell 'em Ant did" feels like a slogan that's been around for years. (Watch on Instagram)
Netflix evokes your different TV tastes in clever Spanish spot (1m 30s)
Really fun work for Netflix, which takes the app's "Who's watching?" profile screen and spins out this simple question into a meditation on the multiplicity of our TV watching selves.
There's a nice sci-fi feel to it, especially in the bus scene, where different versions of the main character pepper the protagonist with programme suggestions. (Watch on YouTube)
Disney artist draws the first cowboy for Louis Vuitton (1min)
As the big houses launch their fall-winter collections, there's been a glut of interesting videos from the major fashion brands in the past few days.
The ace in the pack for me is this Louis Vuitton spot, featuring acclaimed Disney illustrator Ron Husband sketching out the first cowboy, and reflecting on the empty page. Pharrell just doesn’t miss right now. (Watch on YouTube)
Storytelling brings Indian adventures to life in tourist board spot (2m 20s)
Given how much interesting material they have to play with, I'm often baffled by the lack of creativity in travel videos made by tourist boards. But this spot promoting India's Madhya Pradesh region is an exception that proves me gleefully wrong.
It mixes live action and animation to sing the praises of the state's eclectic delights, told through a singer who captivates her audience with her magical tale. (Watch on LinkedIn)
Wired finally explains what the hell the Rabbit R1 is/does (1m 15s)
Lots of organisations want to make slick and inspiring videos, but there's a lot to be said for less flashy, but incredibly useful video content.
The Rabbit R1 AI-enabled assistant was one of the most-hyped new products unveiled at the CES conference in Las Vegas. I saw the brand's launch videos all over social, often accompanied by bewildered comments asking what the hell it actually does.
Wired stepped in with this clear and informative video which explains in little over a minute how it works – 24-carat value-add journalism. (Watch on Instagram)
We artists are indestructible; even in a prison, or in a concentration camp, I would be almighty in my own world of art, even if I had to paint my pictures with my wet tongue on the dusty floor of my cell.
Pablo Picasso