Multi-award-winning titan of ad world, Australian-born John Mescall is a writer and creative director who rose through the ranks of McCann Australia to become Global Creative Council President at McCann Worldgroup, before taking his current role as Creative Chair at TheNetwork.
A creative leader who values nurturing creative talent and keeping his own hand in, we were intrigued to ask which ads he thought were the best of the past 40 years, chosen to celebrate Lürzer’s Archive 40 year anniversary.
Cadbury: Gorilla
This is an absolute triumph of feeling over thinking. The ultimate expression of how powerful advertising can be when it’s unburdened by the need to be overtly logical, when emotion really is at the core of the brand proposition.
Blackcurrant Tango
Hilarious, exuberant, irreverent, the product of a mind that is obviously slightly unhinged, all in service of making me want to be a part of the success of a can of blackcurrant soda. This is what happens when you really, truly commit to the gag.
Sony: Balls
A very basic brief, no amazing insight, but the most perfect piece of advertising craft that I was compelled to buy a Sony TV a couple of weeks after I first saw it. Not because I needed one, but because I needed to reward this work.
Epuron: Power of Wind
Odd, weird, off-kilter, compelling, dark, but undeniably human storytelling. You got me to empathize with wind. To care for it, feel for it, and even though it’s invisible, to understand its power. Proof that no problem is impossible to solve if you’re prepared to let genuine creativity loose on it.
Guinness: Surfer
Is this art masquerading as commerce, or commerce masquerading as art? Probably both. But what it most definitely is, is a perfect piece of advertising. The respect this work shows for how special Guinness is elevates the brand and the product to almost mythical levels.
