My shots Monday: Jeff Labbé

Today, Academy Films announces that the company will now represent director Jeff Labbé for the global international advertising market.

Starting his career as a trailblazing agency creative on the West Coast of America, Labbé won awards around the world for his campaigns including Nike Beautiful.

In his first year as a director he won multiple gold Lions at Cannes, Pencils at D&AD, British Arrows, APA Crystals and almost every other award available. To coincide with his new representation deal (he will be looked after by RESET in the US as part of Academy’s partnership arrangement), below Labbé reveals his favourite five commercials as guest editor of our latest My shots Monday feature.

Dear shots,

Thanks for the consideration and reaching out to me for an opinion about my top five favourite ads of all time. That being said, what a TOUGH FUCKING ASSIGNMENT this is.

Being a director, I guess it would be like building your dream reel. That’s at least one way to look at it, or perhaps it’s tainted because of some of the folks or production companies you know. Basically it’s hard to remove any preconceived bias.

With my humble list I have tried to remove all factors to compile a list of work that for one reason or another resonates with me. From concept, to writing, to execution, director vision, filmic value – shit, even client briefs that some agency team had to work so hard within and figure out.

Here goes nothing, in no particular order… and remember a wise old man once said: “Opinions are like assholes. Everybody's got one and they all stink”.

Guinness Dreamer

One of the most exciting ads I’ve ever seen. An encapsulation of pure emotion, thought, fantasy and confusion… and all the while through the journey not a beat of the concept or premise is lost. From sound design to visual exploration, brilliant direction and writing to the best animal performers ever in an ad… nothing about it is ever lazy or simple.

Levi’s Drugstore

Having worked with the brand for years as a creative and now director, I know they can be tough. Everything is not as simple and free as it appears. Anyone who cracks it knows the time and sweat that goes into figuring out the objective. In my opinion it’s flawless! Now when I look at a Walker Evans’ photo I can only think of Gondry’s dreamy interpretation of irreverent youth. Casting, subtle performance, tension, hormones, lust, virginity gone and dad left standing with no recourse… it’s all there. Just frigg’in cool!

Canal+ The Bear

What a great, epic story perfectly executed. Very involved as a narrative, with a great three-act structure. But the resolve is the KICKER - a tremendous, unexpected twist you never see coming. Spot on.

Guinness Swim Black

A two-hour movie encapsulated in 90 seconds. Clear, precise, enormous depth, backstory, dynamite characters with pitch-perfect editorial and music pacing. In my opinion every frame is glorious. I walk away from that ad knowing every character in that town. Brilliant.

Nike Write the Future

I bow down to the ground to anyone who wrangled that ad… director, producers, editor, post house, agency, client, etc. It exploits every aspect of pop culture and when put in a vault will say a lot about our advertising times long after we are all gone. Forever residing in a truth and insight into the athletic mind.

But this sucks because the list I had to exclude is so brilliant as well.

Nike Tag, Leica Soul, Lynx Getting Dressed, Guinness Bet on Black, and Smirnoff Love.

Thanks for asking me to participate… and remember what the wise old man once said.