Friday 16 November 2007

John Lewis Christmas advert, "Shadows"


We are big fans of the concept behind the new add but are disappointed with the end shot, the climax to the advert.
Maybe this is just because we are aware of where they got the inspiration, Tim Noble & Sue Webster.
Noble & Websters shadows are beautiful and importantly show clearly the subject matter. This is where the John Lewis ad fails, the final shot is supposedly a woman holding a glass, with a dog. However it just isnt clear enough, when compared with Noble & Websters work.

See some more of their work here and here.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

it's not just noble and webster they've ripped off but shigeo fukuda, fred eerdekens, the shadow puppeteers of the 1890s and anyone who's ever made a shadow of a dog on the wall with their hands. how dare they do stuff with shadows?
i mean... SHADOWS! don't john lewis know that noble and webster own shadows and if anyone ever does anything with shadows again they should be strung up and that includes kids mucking around at home.
the noble and webster shadow police are out and on the streets near you.
and if anyone suggests they ripped the whole thing off fukuda than they should be shot because they are true originals, they invented shadows after all and without them there would be no shadows at all.
in fact they're suing the sun as we speak for having the temerity to use shadows on a daily basis.
check here for other people who have dared to use shadows in this way:
http://www.pantherhouse.com/newshelton/freeze-frame-screen-the-shadow-hot-heads-under-silent-wigs/
most of them before N&W (the genii).

James & Joe said...

Haha! Brilliant!
The site you linked is great, perhaps it's something to have a play with myself.
So if Noble and Webster own shadows, what would I like to own? I guess air would be good fun.
Or not...Imagine the whole world relying on you, it could be hard, all that expectation.
Perhaps If I could bring air to the water, so I could breathe underwater - that would be ace. But no..surely the 'ace' factor would come as a result of flying....Is that something to consider? perhaps you could ride air in such a way it could be like flying.

Joe

p.s. If anyone's stuck for christmas present ideas, Shadows are taken. But air is still for grabs, and so is the mole next to my navel - I'd happily lose it if there are any takers out there? No? Well, it isn't great..but it's reassuringly circular.

p.p.s. If you don't want to rush into any purchases, check out http://www.coloribus.com/admirror/ to see what's taken already. There's not a list of everything (Imagine if there was!), but hey.