The Automotive Focus

From the people putting vehicular stories on the screen to the tech that's changing how we engage with them, this month's in-depth Focus puts automotive in the driving seat.

Talent

On the road to success with Kit Lynch-Robinson

From sending three second hand Jaguars 'skiing' down a mountain to helping to launch the new Bentley Continental, automotive director Kit Lynch-Robinson isn’t afraid of navigating the industry at breakneck speed. Natalie Mortimer speaks to him about his career, creativity and the future of car ads.

Talent

Alice Bottaro: Creative journeys and changing everything

One of the greatest heroes of the automotive industry was a women - a fact that few people outside of the historically male-dominated sector knew about until Mercedes-Benz launched its film about Bertha Benz this year. Through this campaign and more, Alice Bottaro, Creative Director at antoni, Berlin, is helping Mercedes-Benz connect with a female audience in a job that she considers to be the best in the world.

Talent

Andre Moreira on steering Toyota's creative journey

To begin this month's automotive special Tim Cumming talks to Andre Moreira, European ECD of Toyota's in-house agency at The&Partnership, about tinkering with car brands and building an agency model for the future.

Talent

Changing the face of automotive advertising

Spindle's Aldona Kwiatkowski has fused automotive commercials with a fashionable flare, notably with her work for Mercedes. David Knight talks to the Polish-born director about her 'melancholic mindset' and the necessity of the female gaze.

Insight

How to... survive a car shoot in extreme conditions

Mark Lindley, ECD at Spark44 Birmingham, has been involved in every Land Rover and Range Rover model launch for the last 15 years. He tells us how to get through shooting in some of the most inhospitable locations on earth, and how he survived falling through the ice!

Insight

Nothing to see here: Why invisible cars are the ultimate VFX

Big Buoy MD, Colin Sumsion, discusses why good VFX should go mostly unseen when it comes to viral car ads.

Insight

How entertainment can save automotive advertising

Ben Hampshire, MD of specialist automotive creative and production company Carnage, acknowledges that the automotive ad industry has to embrace the entertainment evolution.

Insight

How BMW's The Hire ushered in a new era

Nearly 20 years ago a car campaign changed the playing field not just for the automotive sector but for advertising as a whole. Joel Meadows revisits BMW's The Hire to examine the tread marks it has left on the industry.

On My Radar: Spiro Razatos

Electric cars will put design in the driving seat

How to... design for the future

Insight

Can’t buy my love: Why it's time for a revolution in car marketing to women

Pink it, shrink it, or ignore them all together; it's 2019 but car marque’s still treat women as if they are a niche audience. Nicky Kemp, Managing Editor at BITE, asks why motoring is too often seen as a man's game.

The Nostalgia Focus

Fings ain’t what they used to be... but do we wish they were? Are the complexities of modern, bot-driven life behind increased yearnings for yesteryear’s vinyl, dumb phones and vintage styles? Last year, we tackled the Future Focus; this year, we’re exploring the past and asking if advertising is driving or mirroring the revival of retro.

The Animation Focus

AI-driven tools, deepfakes, real-time 3D game engines and improvements in kinetic typography – a whole bunch of new technologies have been impacting the art of animation. Yet there’s a lot of love for simple stop-motion and old-school 2D drawings. This month, shots speaks to masters in the medium about trends in toonworld.

The Sustainability Focus

It’s the burning question – with humanity facing an existential threat more potent than war, famine or disease, how can an industry full of world-class communicators talk about the climate crisis? shots discusses low-carbon film production, greenwashing and the paradox of consumerism vs planetary survival.

The Neurodiversity Focus

With growing awareness that an estimated 20 per cent of the global population is neurodiverse - the fact that advertising needs to get on top of the spectrums is a no-brainer. This month, shots speaks to experts, commentators and ADHD/ASD-powered adfolk about battling stigma, enhanced creativity and making more ND inclusive campaigns.