My shots Monday: Remembering David Abbott
A look at some of the creative chief’s iconic work, as well as ideas he has inspired and spawned through the years.
The weekend saw us learn of the sad passing of one of advertising’s greats. On Saturday (17 May), creative icon and AMV BBDO co-founder, David Abbott, passed away at the age of 75.
Abbott was behind some of the most recognised and remembered advertising work, and breathed creative life into a company recognised by all in the industry as one of the UK’s top shops. Below we pay tribute to Abbott, noting a few of his creative highlights as well as ideas that have been born from his legacy.
An elderly man enters several second-hand book shops in hope of finding a book, Fly Fishing, by author J.R. Hartley. It’s one of the most iconic ads on record and was created by Abbott in 1983 for the Yellow Pages. At the end of the ad the man returns home in disappointment before his daughter suggests a store listed in the trusty telephone directory which has a copy of the book much to the man’s delight. The elegant ad has become legendary in the British advertising archives and is certainly one of Abbot’s standout creative highlights from over the years.
Abbot may not be listed on the creative credits of this work, but it is from the J.R Hartley spot that the idea was born. Taking the same concept and applying a modern twist, a music DJ, Day V Lately tries to track down one of his own vinyl classics, paying a trip to various record stores with no success. Arriving back home, he is greeted by his daughter who suggests he use Yell’s app to enhance the search.
Much to his surprise, he is given good news over the phone and reveals that the track was actually produced by him, echoing the scenario in the original ad. The fact that the campaign was remade and, so many years later, delivered to a new generation of viewers is a tribute to the creative prowess Abbott was gifted with.
Maybe one of the more out-there pieces of work Abbott was involved with, and highlighting a diverse ability when it comes to TV creative, this ad is directed by Tony Kaye and shows a psychedelic series of events unfolding, with an interesting series of people and props appearing on screen to promote Dunlop tires. Equally bizarre and mesmerising, the ad is definitely one to note on this list and demonstrates Abbott’s confidence to conjure a bold idea and disrupt the airwaves with a piece of standout content.
You won’t need us to tell you that his agency also created one of the most celebrated ads of all time in Guinness’ Surfer. Directed by Jonathan Glazer, the spot sees a surfer making waves in the water after waiting for the perfect rush of current. The artistic film sees horses appear behind the pack of thrill seeking surfers and is set to a powerful narration and soundtrack; the commercial is recognised as a timeless masterpiece.
Creative trailblazing is something Abbott did with pizazz and this offering for Volvo doesn’t hold back on the entertainment value to convey its message in a bold manner. Featuring a series of outrageous scenes from Britain’s motorways the ad throws the Highway Code out of the window and the footage, captured on CCTV cameras, plays on the unpredictable nature of the open road.
Ending with the tagline ‘Volvo – because you never know who’s round the bend’, the ad is set to a soundtrack from the band with the same name as the spot’s title and is another example of a great, traditional piece of work.
It’s safe to say that Abbott has left an admirable legacy as co-founder of one of the most-talked about, respected and prolific creative forces in advertising, AMV BBDO.
To watch David Abbott's creative highlights click here.
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