The new crop of best ads awarded at the British Arrows on Wednesday night -- for T-Mobile, Ikea and Match.com -- offer a peek at the U.K. work likely to do well at the Cannes Lions festival in June.
The prizes -- formerly known as the British Television Advertising Awards -- were given a re-brand this year to reflect the increased importance of online distribution of commercials, but they are still there to honor the best in film advertising.
Saatchi & Saatchi's "Welcome Back" spot for T-Mobile was named the best TV commercial of the year. The ad revives the brand's tradition of "flashmob"-style spots, starting with "Dance," which was set in a London train station and gained global viral popularity two years ago as well as airing on TV. Continuing T-Mobile's "Life Is for Sharing" campaign, "Welcome Back" features a lively human orchestra, with only imaginary instruments, musically greeting passengers at a Heathrow airport arrivals gate.
Mother was named most successful agency of the year, picking up two gold awards. The first was for Ikea's "Kitchen Party" spot, which features a re-working of the 1980s synthpop tune "You'll always find me in the kitchen at parties" by Jonah Lewie, who also makes a cameo appearance in the ad as groups of people have fun in the very different Ikea kitchens that are the heart of each party.
Mother's other gold was for "Piano" for dating site Match.com. An initially shy couple meet in a music shop and spontaneously compose a song together, revealing their compatibility.
The British Arrows jury was chaired by Nick Gill, executive creative director, Bartle Bogle Hegarty, London, and included Damon Collins, executive creative director at Rainey Kelly Campbell Roalfe/ Y&R, and Wieden & Kennedy London creative director Tony Davidson.
