Ajab Samrai grew up as the son of first-generation Indian migrant parents in a deprived part of the UK. He discovered advertising after it became apparent that his dream of becoming a fine artist was not going to pay the bills, and famously got his foot under the table at Saatchi & Saatchi in the late 1980s after he squatted at the office after a work placement finished - he and his creative partner lived far from the office, and did not want to leave.
Learning the ropes under Paul Arden, he went on to have a stellar career and work for some of the world’s biggest brands.
We asked him to cast his mind back and pick out what he thinks are the greatest ads of the past 40 years, to help celebrate 40 years of Lürzer’s Archive.
Honda: Sound of Honda – Ayrton Senna 1989
This piece of work inspired me so much I moved to Japan where I ended up working for five years. The creative team had a daunting brief, it started with dry driving data from Aryton Senna’s F1 cars on-board telemetry system which had recorded the world’s fastest lap in the 1989 Japanese Grand Prix. Taking this data, the team came up with the idea of re-enacting that famous lap with sound and light utilising a mix of hundreds of speakers and LED lights positioned around the Suzuka circuit. The result was fusion of light and sound that managed to bring a dead man back to life, it was like watching a ghost drive around the track. It gave viewers goosebumps and brought a tear to the eye, and you can’t say that very often about a car ad.
Levi's: Creek
Inspired by the iconic black and white photography by Ansel Adams of Yosemite National Park, two Amish sisters spy on a topless man bathing in a river. A choral soundtrack sets an uplifting religious mood but soon gives way to heavy guitar riffs that build the sexual tension but then untimely lead to an unexpected twist for the sisters. Every frame of this film is a thing of beauty, nothing is wasted, and the viewer is transported to 1800’s America.
Shiseido: High School Girl?
A good old-fashioned product demo at heart, this Japanese cosmetics company fooled audiences with their gender-switching youth ad. A sublime example of misdirection executed in a seamless single camera move. In my opinion one of the most underrated pieces of work in the past 40 years. Exceptional craft, Japanese aesthetic genius.
Castlemaine XXXX: Sherry
This little gem really is of its day and would fall foul today’s accepted values. It portrays the laddish culture of the 1980s, encourages heavy alcohol consumption, stereotypes Aussies, and a dose of sexism thrown in at the end. The film had a distinct bright yellow and red look that transported you to searing heat of the Australian outback which made you thirsty watching it. You can’t deny the brilliant scriptwriting here with a killer punchline that is one of the best of all time.
Britvic: Orangeman
Made with a modest budget from the punk agency of the day, HHCL, this spot left the big production likes of Coca Cola stunned. Here the product benefit is front and centre. This iconic spot features an orange man slapping a Tango drinker as a metaphor for tasting the hit of oranges. A controversial 40 second spot when it was launched, it had kids up and down the UK mimicking the ‘Tango slap’ in school playgrounds. And an endline ‘You know when you’ve been Tango’d’ entered the language.
IKEA: Lamp
Masterfully directed by Spike Jonze and accompanied with a sad tinkling piano soundtrack, this spot lures the viewer into feeling sorry for an inanimate object, a discarded IKEA lamp. The sadness builds until a Swedish spokesperson steps into shot and brings the whole mood crashing down and chastises the audience for pitying an electrical appliance.
Apple: Here's to the Crazy Ones
Many brands ‘talk the talk’ but do they really ‘walk the walk too’? The Crazy Ones summed up Apples philosophy and vision perfectly. A poetic piece of copywriting with the voice over by Steve Jobs himself. It was not only inspiring for customers but an internal company cry Apple staff too. You could run this ad tomorrow, and it would still hold true to the brand and resonate with millions around the world. And not a product in sight.
The Guardian: Points of View
The commercial features a skinhead who appears to be wrestling a man’s briefcase from his hands. But the same camera then cuts and viewers see that he is in fact trying to rescue the man from falling bricks. A clever, intelligent piece of advertising that really made you think about the editorial slant and bias of the newspaper you were reading back in the day. Media owner advertising at its very best.
My personal highlights
These are all ideas that I’ve written and art directed over the years.
Commission For Racial Equality: Junk-mail, Criminal, Worst Marks, Jobs, Babies
An ant-racism campaign that shocked the UK, sparked conversation, and won awards in 1994. It was written from personal experience: a racist poured petrol though my parents letterbox in the night and set our house alight, I was only a child when it happened, but the horror of that day always stayed with me. When you write something from personal experience there is a greater depth and honesty to the ideas.
Sagawa: Fish, Octopus, Onions, Mushrooms, Okra
I’ve always admired the Japanese design aesthetic, the best in the world in my opinion. This was my opportunity to submerge and indulge myself in it. This campaign was a joy to craft.
Coca-Cola: Masterpiece
A very recent piece of work with pioneering use of AI
