More than half a century has passed between that old Soberano commercial proclaiming that cognac was “a man’s thing” and the recent J&B campaign claiming trans diversity. A look at advertising over the last few decades lets us see Spanish society’s giant leap towards equality, curbing macho attitudes and expanding social rights. She (Ella), created by agency El Ruso de Rocky for whiskey brand J&B (Diageo), is an emotional tale that tells the story of a grandfather who, as a sign of solidarity and empathy, decides to do his makeup at Christmas dinner with his trans granddaughter The campaign, a true reflection of the reality in which the LGTBIQ+ community operates and the slow but steady conquest of freedoms, this Saturday won the Grand National Prize for Creativity, an award recognizing the most innovative work in Industry Communication Awards Gala, held at the Kursaal in San Sebastián and hosted by comedian David Broncano.
The J&B ad, which triumphed in the awards organized by Creative Club (C d C), was designed for Christmas 2022 under the concept of “Christmas homosexuality”, with which the brand expresses its commitment to inclusion and the normalization of diversity wanted. a message addressed to people who are afraid to show themselves as they are for fear of not fitting into the family, social or professional environment. She delves into this universe with a sensitive narrative that, for the President of the Jury, Oriol Villar, is “pure emotion”, a work “bold and connected to the moment”. Above all, the most important thing about the campaign for him is that it “opens a path for the future in the relationship between the brand and its audience”.
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Chosen by a jury of 35 professionals and chaired by Villar, founder and creative director of OV, the winning piece of the C d C Awards is a 3-minute mini-film shot to the sound of the song She by Charles Aznavour , in the version by Elvis Costello , which tells the adventures of Álvaro’s grandfather. She mysteriously begins to buy all kinds of cosmetics and clumsily and secretly learns to use them at the Christmas dinner on the eve of the family reunion. Before sitting down expectantly at the table with the rest of the family, she appears with Álvaro, transformed into Ana, smiling and perfectly made up by her grandfather, while all the guests smile, applaud and show signs of complicity. The actress Ella di Amore is responsible for bringing to life this charged narrative, which according to its authors is characterized by realism and truthfulness, while at the same time wanting to excite and shake the conscience.
brave spirit
The award-winning work, along with the other pieces recognized in this edition, “represents the essence of these difficult times in which we live,” according to Villar. They show “the spirit and bold role that brands want to play in people’s lives” and in the case of J&B and El Ruso de Rocky “they shine with their own strength and show once again that a client and an agency understand each other and work together, the results are undeniable”. For the President of the Creative Club, Mónica Moro, the brand speaks “of identity” and of a new “social scenario”. Keep in mind that this isn’t the first ad featuring a trans person, but this time it was developed in a “favourable” environment, a few months before Congress passed legislation opening the door to gender self-determination. “Advertising lives in its time, opening up conversations that at any given point in time will have greater reach and relevance. The ad speaks of celebration, of sharing regardless of identities or beliefs, and asserts a set of values of a community that makes itself heard,” he explains.
For J&B, the campaign carries a message of acceptance, respect and tolerance that capitalizes on the strength of the bond between a grandfather and his trans granddaughter. A Christmas story that breaks down barriers and prejudices, the antithesis of those stale and demeaning advertising full of clichés that have littered the advertising catalog in Spain. In the 1970s, the industry accepted acts of violence and tantrums by husbands, such as throwing a plate on the floor because he didn’t like the food and slapping his wife in the face. This featured a Sovereign campaign (unimaginable today) in which the woman in question desperately turns to a fortune teller in search of a recipe to calm her angry spouse. “Your husband works long hours a day and he has the right to find a pleasant welcome when he comes home. Make sure he never misses his glass of cognac. You will see how it does not fail”.
The play in which the actor José Luis López Vázquez appears surrounded by slender women in bathing suits did not escape the display of the most outdated machismo. “But what are you giving them?” asks an off-voice. “Well, what they all want: a quality national product, Mc Pepito.” With messages of this caliber, advertising reinforced gender roles in the collective imagination. The famous biker in the red leather jumpsuit said: “Jacq is a big, strong, very special man. He doesn’t back down from anything.”
The President of the C d C points out that advertising is a reflection of society and that ads like El Soberano are unthinkable today, but she recalls that until 1981 women were not allowed to open a current account in a bank without their husband’s permission. “Sometimes advertising lags behind a society that is moving faster in mentality, vision and ideology. Years ago, all people in advertisements were pretty and kitchens were full of women cooking or washing up. Not anymore,” claims Moro. In a self-critical tone, he claims that advertising has become a victim of itself. “We learned from mistakes. We professionals have regulated ourselves. We reflected to analyze what is happening in the profession and what stereotypes we represent. For a long time it was out of laziness, not exploring new things or looking for shortcuts. Over time, brands have learned to tell stories to engage the consumer in a responsible way.”
This edition of the C d C conferences has been marked by “attitude”, a concept that, according to Mónica Moro, stands above talent and encourages never giving up and reinventing yourself. “We belong to a profession with an optimistic worldview. In the face of uncertainty, advertisers have an inspirational mindset that raises the bar for creativity.” This idea forms the backbone of the debates that have been going on since Friday at the Kursaal in San Sebastián, with Ukrainians Max Burtsev and Olha Burtseva, directors of Arriba !, one of the most renowned agencies in Ukraine, how important it is not to give up in extreme situations and how extensive their work is at Volonterska, a foundation dedicated to the care of refugees, with which they have been working for a year, as a Russian troops invaded their country.
In this edition, the jury awarded 22 gold medals (10 in Craft, six in Ideas, three in Strategy, two in Innovation and one in Content), 30 silver and 29 bronze medals. All these metals will become part of the XXIV Yearbook of Creativity, made up of a total of 154 projects corresponding to 348 pieces that the C d C will present in the autumn. The agency with the most awards was Ogilvy with 12, followed by El Ruso de Rocky with 11 (including Grand Prix), PS21 with seven, Lola MullenLowe with six and David Mad with five.
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