Advert of the year 2011

SOMETIMES, the adverts are the most annoying part of a commercial TV show, especially during a tense gameshow or dramatic soap episode.  Normally, these three minute interludes are the perfect excuse to use the toilet, put the kettle on, text someone important on your phone and so on.  However, sometimes adverts, despite being at times, completely pointless, can have you in stitches or even leave you feeling emotional.  Here are my favourite 20 adverts of 2011;

20           Virgin Atlantic – Star Role

Virgin Atlantic's advert isn't quite as good as BA, but they needed to try something if they want to keep getting customers interested in their flights.  This is called 'living the high life.'  It works for me!

19           BMW – 6 Series

This advert is really uplifting and uptempo, promoting the 6 Series model from BMW, with catchy music and dynamic water fountains, alongside the stylish machinery.  It does what the advert says, promotes the joy of driving.

18           Lynx – Perspiration

As men, we all want to have fun and get the most attractive girl possible and when it gets in the way, it really does get in the way.  Like Suremen Xtra Cool, I'm not entirely sure about how or if it would work, but I guess I've never been in that position before.

17           Santander – Lego Car

Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton help their dedicated workers build a lego version of a Formula One McLaren in this advert.  Ignore the announcer's promotion of its banking deals, appreciate the art in 60 seconds.

16           Suremen Xtra Cool – Ice Skater

I'm not 100 per cent convinced by the product, but it is a catchy way to promote it, by having an individual go through a day on his ice skates.  It certainly would go with the current type of weather we are experiencing in the UK!

15           Direct Line – Free Cake!

Comedians Chris Addison and Alexander Armstrong's first entry is where a pitch needs reworking for Direct Line's car insurance.  So, what better to do that than by promoting free cake to your customers, even if the salesman doesn't know anything about this incentive!

14           Boots - Soltan

When I first saw this, it had me in stitches and I certainly don't want to look like this in future!  That is all!

13           Fiat – Fernando Alonso

Ferrari driver Fernando Alonso has a busy and very social lifestyle, as indicated in this commercial.  Someone doesn't know how to take it easy, but then again, life would be boring if it was too easy.

12           Halfords – Crocodile

Easter's promotion at Halfords was to release a crocodile into a family home and force them into the car and off to take advantage of their 'stunning' deals.  Let's be honest, it's not everyday that you get a crocodile in your home!

11           Skoda – Made of Sterner Stuff

Skoda's famous cake car advert is replaced by a meaner version in 2011 of how to put a car together!  Obviously, the makers didn't want the company to have a soft feel to this advert and it had to be made of sterner stuff.  It's not a favourite of mine, but even still, would draw the attention of the normal individual.

10           Cravendale – Cats!

To many of us, cats are seen as lovely pets to have, even if they can do their business in the most inappropriate places!  This commercial sees the cat show their frustration at not getting the milk they crave for.  As the narrator says; 'Jog on Kittens!'

9              Specsavers – Space Shuttle

'Should have gone to Specsavers!'  Well, Luton Airport will never get a Space Shuttle land on their airport runway anymore.  Maybe these astronauts don't realise that having vision is an important part of our lives.

8              British Airways – To Fly, To Serve!

British Airways have had mixed fortunes in recent years, but have a distinguished history, which is reminded in this advert through the ages.  It provides us with a memory of flying with privilege with the world's favourite airline.

7              Vauxhall – Supporting a Nation

British manufacturer Vauxhall began sponsoring Home Nations football in February and promoted their commitment to the England team, with this advert which has the nation lining up everywhere, with pride and tradition.  Features England players, both old and new and ends in Wembley Stadium.  Throw in Noel Gallagher's new song with his new band, and it makes it a memorable advert.

6              Argos – Christmas 2011 (Aliens)

Panic buying is at the top of many people's stresses around this time of year.  It could be so much easier if you reserved and collected your xmas shopping, especially when Argos and the aliens come into the equation.  Apparently, it's just as popular as Justin Bieber, but I'm not surprised by this!

5              Direct Line – Hoax!

Comedians Alexander Armstrong and Chris Addison make the list for a second time, with this advert in the mini Direct Line series.  This time, the customer produces a publicity stunt which goes horribly wrong and to the salesman's annoyance, brings the police in!  Until now, car insurance adverts were boring, so thank you Direct Line for bringing these two funnybones together!

4              Muller Yoghurt – Wonderful Stuff

When I first saw this advert, I wasn't gripped by it, but it is actually catchy and I don't even like yoghurt!  As we all know, Muller is clearly made of Wonderful Stuff.

3              Pepsi Max – Business Meeting

Pepsi Max have a history of producing commercials that are totally ridiculous.  However, these made me laugh.  'What the heck is that parrot doing here?'  Let's be honest, drinking Pepsi Max and watching the racing is a million times better than a tedious Friday afternoon business meeting.

2              Carling – Refreshed

A long day at work, yep we all know the feeling!  So, what's the best feeling to become totally refreshed, well it's simple.  Has to be over a pint of Carling according to the makers.  It's not a bad vision, I must admit.

1              John Lewis – Christmas 2011

This is my advert of the year and such a touching and memorable commerical too.  It is one of the best ever Christmas adverts I've ever seen.  A young child is waiting for the big day to arrive, but it isn't to receive gifts, but to give one to his parents.  His anguish in the slow countdown is clear to see and it reminds us that Christmas is totally more than receiving presents.  A masterpiece of an advert if there ever was one.

Sebastian Vettel - A legend in the making

# a special blog on the new double world champion replaced my regular Finishing Straight blog on the Korean Grand Prix.

THE word greatness is often used far too much in sport.  So too is the word, legend.  In the world of Formula One, you can only be considered a true great in the sport if you win the world championship twice.  Winning the title back-to-back is even harder to achieve, especially when you think of the current Formula One field.  The paddock may have been deprived of Robert Kubica this year by his pre-season rally accident, but this current crop of F1 drivers is probably the best in-depth we have had for over 30 years.  Multiple winners Rubens Barrichello, Mark Webber and Felipe Massa, combined with superb British champions Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button and former conquerors of Grand Prix racing, Michael Schumacher and Fernando Alonso.  So, this makes Sebastian Vettel’s record-breaking achievements in 2011 all the more special.  He truly is a legend in the making.

       Vettel’s F1 career has been full of highs and he made a name for himself from day one in an F1 cockpit.  He set the fastest practice time in Turkey 2006; his first appearance on a Grand Prix weekend as a third driver for BMW Sauber.  When Kubica was ruled out of the 2007 US GP following his aeroplane-like crash in Canada, Vettel stood in for the Pole.  He became the youngest driver to score a world championship point, coming home eighth.  BMW were keen to hold on to this starring talent, but Sebastian was part of the Red Bull young drivers programme and he ended up in a Toro Rosso later in the season, replacing Scott Speed from the Hungarian Grand Prix onwards.  A few races later, he starred in Japan, running a stunning third in the wet at Fuji Speedway before crashing into the back of Mark Webber’s Red Bull behind the Safety Car.  The youngster was devastated and had be consoled by his team for the embarrassing crash, but he bounced back in stunning style to record an outstanding fourth place finish just seven days later in Shanghai.

       Paired with Sebastian Bourdais for the 2008 season, Vettel struggled in the early races to repeat his form from the beginning of 2007.  Unbelievably, he was involved in three first lap accidents which took him out on the first lap in three of the first four races (Australia, Bahrain and Spain).  Once Toro Rosso produced a new car, he started to show his true class, in a car which frankly, would have been doing well to beat Honda and Williams.  Sebastian began a string of points scoring finishes from Hockenheim onwards, but it was Monza 2008 that really made him into a real star of the future.

      On a weekend where the championship challengers struggled in unseasonably wet conditions, Vettel came to the fore.  He delivered an impeccable performance on Saturday to become the youngest driver ever to earn a Formula One pole position.  24 hours later, he drove away from the faster McLaren of Heikki Kovalainen with consummate ease.  He won the race at a canter, to become the youngest driver to ever win a Grand Prix.  It was one of the finest drives I’d ever seen in Formula One and many in the Monza paddock that weekend had the same opinion.  Further point’s finishes in Singapore, Japan and Brazil earnt Sebastian eighth place in the championship final positions, whilst Toro Rosso ended up ahead of senior team, Red Bull in the constructors championship. 

     With David Coulthard going into retirement, Vettel was the perfect fit for the senior Red Bull squad, moving to the team for 2009.  In China, he overcame reliability problems in qualifying to take the team’s first pole position.  On raceday, foul weather conditions greeted the drivers and teams, but once again, Sebastian’s control at the front was total.  He showed his true class to record Red Bull’s first ever race victory.  It was a 1-2 for the team too, with Webber following his new team-mate home.  He also won from the front at Silverstone, Suzuka and Abu Dhabi to finish an excellent second in the drivers’ championship, only being knocked out of the championship running by a poor Q1 in Brazil which saw him drop out of contention.  He did make mistakes, such as colliding with Kubica in Australia and crashing at Monte Carlo, but the potential of this new German was really coming through.

      2010 started frustratingly for the Vettel/Red Bull partnership, thanks to reliability problems.  A broken exhaust saw Vettel limp home to fourth in Bahrain and a loose wheel nut sent him spinning out of the lead in Melbourne.  He won in Malaysia, but struggled with the Red Bull chassis and started to come under pressure in the team from team-mate Webber.  It triggered an extraordinary collision between the team-mates in Turkey.  He also drove into Jenson Button’s sidepod at Spa, labelled after that race by McLaren managing director Martin Whitmarsh as “the crash kid.”  However, he came back with fourth at Monza and crushing victories in Japan and Brazil to leave him with a chance of the championship going into the final event in Abu Dhabi.  It was a four-way title shootout and Sebastian drove like a champion all weekend.  He started on pole and won the race.  With an early Safety Car period allowing the likes of Nico Rosberg and Vitaly Petrov to leapfrog Fernando Alonso and Webber, it was enough for Sebastian Vettel to be crowned the 2010 FIA Formula One World Champion; the youngest in the 60 year history of the championship.

      This season, he has been in a class of his own.  The signs were ominous with dominant victories in the first two races in Australia and Malaysia.  A risky tyre strategy nearly paid off in Shanghai, but this time, he had to settle for second behind a hard-charging Hamilton.  After a heavy crash in Turkey practice which ruled him out of any dry running on Friday, he returned to Istanbul Park 24 hours later to take pole position by nearly half a second.  Race victory was a formality.  Vettel’s best two wins of the season came in Spain and Monaco, when his package was not the fastest on raceday.  In the latter, he held off the stiff challenges of Jenson Button and Alonso, having been on a worn set of Pirelli tyres for nearly 60 laps.  Canada brought a rare chink in the armour, running wide on the last lap to allow Button in for a gigantic victory.  He stormed to victory in Valencia and when he couldn’t win, Sebastian would consistently finish second, as he did at Silverstone and in Hungary.  In between this was a torrid home event at the Nurburgring, where he was second best to team-mate Webber all weekend and had to settle for fourth; the only event in 2011 when he hasn’t finished on the rostrum.  After a run of races without a win during the summer, he recovered to win at Spa, Monza and Singapore, again leading all three from the front.  A cautious third place at Suzuka by his own high standards was good enough to secure his second world championship and success last time out in Korea means he can still match Michael Schumacher’s record of 13 wins in a season, set in 2004.

       In qualifying, he has the natural ability of Senna to set a lap when it is required.  He has shown he can overtake to win races like in Barcelona on Massa and Button and Alonso in Belgium.  When he gets infront, he seems to be able to coast to victory without any trouble.  With 100 per cent reliability and a sensational pitcrew around him, it’s no wonder why he has been the one to beat in 2011. 

      What Sebastian Vettel has achieved not just this season, but in his entire Formula One career is truly remarkable.  We shouldn’t be moaning at the domination of one driver at the front, we should be hailing and witnessing one of the true legends of this great sport show their genuine class.  The Vettel dynasty in Grand Prix racing has only just begun; it looks like Schumacher’s records could be beaten after all.

Remembering Roland

FOR the families of Ayrton Senna and Roland Ratzenberger, it doesn’t matter how long it has been since their tragic deaths.  It could have been one, ten or seventeen years.  However, as the 17^th anniversary approaches on their deaths – I felt I would take the opportunity to remember the forgotten man of that ghastly weekend at Imola.

     The 1994 San Marino Grand Prix will go down as the most horrific weekend in the 61-year history of Formula One racing.  Two drivers and a race spectator were killed, four pitlane mechanics were injured by a loose wheel, other fans were struck by flying debris from a startline accident and Rubens Barrichello was lucky to cheat death in a spectacular crash during Friday’s official qualifying session.  Whilst everyone understandably remembers the accident of Ayrton Senna and his legacy on the sport, it is difficult not to forget the impact Ratzenberger had on the sport – even though it was a very brief Grand Prix career.

     Roland Ratzenberger was born in Salzburg, Austria on July 4, 1960.  Although the official records show this was his date of birth, Roland claimed that he was born in 1962 – in an attempt to help further his opportunities into motorsport.  He began racing in 1983 in the German Formula Ford series and finished second in the 1985 Formula Ford festival at Brands Hatch.  A year later, his presence on the car racing scene first came to serious attention as he returned to Brands Hatch, to win the prestigious festival.  It was clear that although he never looked like one of those racing drivers who would take your breath away, Ratzenberger had some quality and it is no accident for anyone to win these kinds of junior events.  

STALLED: Roland's British F3 career halted his momentum

    Two campaigns in the British Formula 3 Championship followed, but they bought little reward.  12^th placed finishes in both championship years meant the Austrian’s career had suddenly got bogged down.  He spent time racing for BMW in the World Touring Car Championship and the British Touring Car Championship – but as the 90s dawned, Roland Ratzenberger’s dream of reaching his ultimate goal – Formula One, were all but over.

     Although it wasn’t quite what he was hoping for, Roland was still determined to continue on his quest to join the Grand Prix paddock.  He was a very popular guy in any championship he contested and was friendly with most drivers, developing close friendships with JJ Lehto and Heinz-Harald Frentzen in his junior days.  Ratzenberger seemed to have settled on a successful career in sportscar racing.  He had five cracks at the famous Le Mans 24 Hours race, finishing fifth for Toyota in 1993.  Toyota had also resigned him for the 1994 assault on the event, but sadly, he would never make that destination.  Ratzenberger also worked out a successful career in Japanese F3000, racing against the likes of Eddie Irvine and former Indy 500 winner Jacques Villeneuve.  Again, Roland’s results were mixed, but that also was down to some of the equipment he had, rather than lack of driver skill.  A victory in the Suzuka round of the series in 1992 certainly caught the eye of some on the European circuit, especially as he still insisted that Austrian journalists should cover events that didn’t appeal to them.

BIG BREAK: Roland's pursuit of his F1 dream came true in 1994

     In 1994, Roland Ratzenberger’s dream of racing in Formula One finally came to fruition.  He held off competition from the experienced veteran Andrea de Cesaris to become the second driver at Nick Wirth’s newly set-up Simtek Racing Team.  Ratzenberger was initially signed on a five-race deal, as the team were always going to be looking for sources of financing, despite a powerful sponsorship with MTV.  He would join the Australian David Brabham, who had one season of F1 experience and was son of three-time world champion in the 50s and 60s, Sir Jack Brabham.

     It didn’t get off to a rosy start, as perhaps struggling through nerves and an old-spec Ford engine; he failed to qualify for the season opener in Brazil.  Three weeks later, he went to the TI Aida circuit in Japan, which would stage the Pacific Grand Prix.  Ratzenberger was the only driver to have raced on the circuit before, a real help with his Formula Nippon experience.  Although he qualified slowest, he made it onto the grid and also finished the race, albeit in 11^th place and five laps adrift of the race winner, Michael Schumacher.

     At Imola, the third race of the season, he looked set to qualify again, especially as Barrichello was out of the event after his crash and Paul Belmondo being absolutely inadequate in a Pacific Ilmor.  It even actually looked like he might be edging closer to his team-mate Brabham on genuine pace.  On Saturday 30 April 1994, Roland Ratzenberger went off the road at the Acque Minerali chicane.  Rather than choose the safer option of pitting to get the front wings checked, Ratzenberger went immediately for another qualifying attempt.  As he flew through the flat-out Tamburello kink, the aerodynamic forces weakened the front wing and it broke on the approach to the flat-out Villeneuve curve.  With no brakes and no front downforce, he had no chance.  Ratzenberger ploughed into the concrete wall flat-out at nearly 200mph.  The wreck of his Simtek Ford halted in the middle of the Tosa hairpin and from the lack of flailing movement in the cockpit; Ratzenberger was clearly in big trouble.  The Italian marshals crowded around his car instantly, which highlighted the general, concern, especially when the wreckage was surveyed.  Roland was taken to the Maggiore Hospital in Bologna, but was pronounced deal on arrival at the hospital.  His death was the first fatality in the sport since Elio de Angelis was killed in testing at Paul Ricard in 1986 and the first demise at the meeting for twelve years; Riccardo Paletti the last unlucky man in Canada 1982. 

     Formula One was sent into shock.  Ratzenberger’s death bought about the reformation of the GDPA (Grand Prix Drivers Association).  Brabham and the Simtek team bravely decided to continue.  Ratzenberger’s good friend Irvine took his place in the Toyota squad at Le Mans that summer, and finished in second place.    

ROLAND RATZENBERGER (July 4 1960 - April 30 1994)

     For many, it will be the death of Ayrton Senna that is remembered and rightly so, for his impact and genius on the sport.  However, Roland Ratzenberger is the forgotten man on F1’s nightmare weekend of all-time.  He was full of determination, humour and desire to achieve his dream.  At least he got the chance to make the grid and race before his tragic accident.  His death was a grave loss to Formula One, Austria and of course, his loving family. 

Seventeen years on, he will never be forgotten!  RIP Roland.

ROLAND RATZENBERGER (July 4 1960 – April 30 1994)

Honda Recalls Cars Over Brake Faults

JAPANESE car company Honda has continued the worrying trend of worldwide recalls over bugging technical faults.

Their announcement last Friday of a braking fault on some of the models came just 24 hours after bitter rivals Toyota announced a similar problem and had to recall over one million vehicles worldwide.  Luckily, Honda’s issue seems to have only affected cars in the US, so UK owners shouldn’t have to worry too much.

472,000 cars have been recalled, with the inflicted cars being Honda Acura RL saloons and Honda Odyssey minivans that were built and designed between 2005 and 2007.  A Honda spokeswoman confirmed that Honda’s issue is exactly the same as Toyota’s, as the braking parts were built by the same company, an independent make, Advics.

Honda says that no injuries or accidents have been reported over this incident, and they will pray that it will stay that way too.  They have advised all customers with these models to double-check their braking capacity; otherwise it could lead to a far more serious issue.  Although that it is sound advice for the consumer, you can’t help but feel that Honda is already attempting to shift the blame onto the driver, should a terrifying incident occur.  Honda’s advice is that a leak is possible if the system is not checked, and if a spongy feel can be felt by the driver, there could be a dramatic decrease in braking performance.

So, that is Japan’s second highest-selling car manufacturer in trouble then, and the fourth this month who have had to recall models alone, following the trend of Toyota, BMW and Mercedes-Benz.  Lexus and Ferrari have also had to recall motors this year for fears over safety of mechanical parts.  I doubt whether this will be the last incident either this calendar year.

As the leaves get browner and the nights draw in, the short-term future of the car manufacturing industry continues to be called into question, especially if more of this occurs.

More Woe For Toyota

TOYOTA’S worldwide reputation, already having been completely battered in 2010, took another significant smashing on Wednesday.  The company announced the recall of over 1.5million cars worldwide to fix a brake fluid leak which was seriously harming the braking capabilities of some of its models.

Most of the cars affected are believed to have been in Japan and the US and the move is also said to be a precautionary one.  The Japanese company has confirmed that GS300 models built between September 2004 and February 2006 were the affected models.  It is thought that around 2,000 Lexus models, built underneath the Toyota name have also been recalled from the UK.  IS and RX models built between February 2003 and November 2005 could also have a smaller braking issue, caused by the brake master cylinder. 

Like BMW at the start of the month, Toyota has said that it is working closely with the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency to contact owners to tell them how to get their cars repaired.  No accidents have been reported by the glitches so far.  It is positive news that action is being taken instantly, but for how long Toyota can continue with these problems is another matter.

Mercedes are the Latest with Car Troubles

LESS than ten days after their competitive German rivals BMW revealed a braking fault, it is turn of Mercedes-Benz to announce recalls.  A potential power steering problem has been detected in some of its UK models, leading to the recall of 22,355 models in Britain.  In total, nearly 85,000 models are being recalled worldwide on a precautionary basis.

Mercedes says that there have been no incidents or accidents that have been reported, and are working closely with the VOSA (Vehicle Operator Services Agency) to write to those motorists who might be plagued by the recognised issue.  The power steering problems involves a loss of fluid in the system, and is believed to have affected C-Class and E-Class models that have been built between June 2009 and February 2010. 

A spokesman for Mercedes, Rob Halloway insisted that they aren’t taking any chances with such a problem: “We are checking every single car and writing to all affected owners inviting them to bring their vehicles into their local dealer.”

Mercedes insists that those who have concerns should get their cars checked out, and the repair work required would only need half an hour on each concern to sort out the plagued issue.

It has been a bad year for the car industry, with BMW, Toyota, Lexus and Porsche all having had to deal with recalls in 2010.

Braking Problems Put BMW On The Backfoot

German car giant BMW has announced a worldwide recall of 345,000 of its cars due to a braking problem.  Some Rolls-Royce cars, which are also made by the company, have also been recalled, though it is thought to be more on a precautionary basis.

A BMW spokesman has insisted that there have been no customer complaints and no injuries had been reported.  They have taken this step to ensure that there is no disastrous repeat of the problems that Toyota suffered with its faulty accelerators at the start of the year.  BMW, who pulled out of Formula 1 racing at the end of the 2009 season and are currently mulling over returns to both sportscar racing and touring cars in Germany are recalling nearly 200,000 cars in the US and 10,522 models in the UK.

The models affected involve the BMW 5, 6 & 7 Series vehicles from 2002-2010 models.  The diagnosis with the brakes is that a leak has been spotted in the power braking system.  As news came through of the recall on Friday afternoon, shares in BMW dropped by nearly 3% on the stock exchange, though that doesn’t come to great surprise. 

Any BMW owner who is worried about their car should call the BMW customer service number on 0800 325600.

Let’s hope that BMW’s quick action will prevent other manufacturers from running into similar issues in the future.