Gary Graf Newspaper, Magazine, Radio and Television Ads

     I'm flattered you want to see more. And gratified, thanks.
     Immediately below are thumbnails of more than 40 newspaper, magazine and billboard ads which once enjoyed prominence on my Print Ads page. (Just click on the ones you're interested in.) Again they're arranged as alphabetically as design constraints allow to avoid as much offense as possible.
     Then follow seven Radio Spots which used to be on a similarly titled page. An additional 10 of my TV commercials can be accessed by clicking TV.

Print Ads

Radio Spots

Remington Hot Comb .30	'Yak' Production company: Street Remley, voice-over: Street Remley I wrote this script for a Y&R Sydney client while on loan from the Melbourne office. I didn't realise it at the time, but the way Street worked, you gave him a brief and he took it from there. In this case, we faxed him my finished script (with pretty thorough instructions about the read), and he produced it with nary a change.
Speedo Jockettes .30	'Can I Go Home?' Production company: David & John, engineer: John Taylor When I started at Coudrey, Dailey, it was to replace two copywriters, and they had left a few briefs behind. Including a briefs brief. After the usual welcoming tour of the agency, I returned to my new office to find a queue of suits waiting. One of the most pressing jobs was a radio campaign for Jockettes, so I wrote four spots that afternoon. The master, Keith Scott, did the voices.
Speedo Jockettes .30	'Elementary' Production company: David & John, engineer: John Taylor (See above)
Ampol Atlas .30	'More Than Just Maps' Production company: David & John, Engineer: Danny Grifoni It seems the chairman of Ampol was into racing big time and since all his cronies listened to the results on 2KY (and 3KY), it was decided to run Ampol ads during this time slot. In casting George and Gerry (GG, get it?), the two race fans who meet every afternoon in the pub, I chose gravel-voiced, laconic Tony Barry and high-pitched, over-the-top Henry Szeps.
Ampol Outboard Oil .30	'Here Comes the Commercial' Production company: David & John, Engineer: Danny Grifoni (See above)
Ampol Multigard .30	'Virgin Visitors' One of the youth-oriented radio stations convinced our Ampol client that an anti-freeze would be an ideal sponsor for their ski report. Although no agency likes the media approaching their clients directly, I have to admit this proposition made sense to me. And since both guys and girls were just as likely to be virgin visitors to the snow, we did two versions. This one features the girl. The station in question produced.
RTA Speeding .30	'Blue Falcon' Production company: Take 2, engineer: Greg Crittenden To get the dialogue as accurate as possible, I went to see the head of the NSW Road Transport Association, himself a former truckie. Unfortunately, this spot proved too authentic. The day it went to air, a couple of ambulance drivers in Taree heard it and went screaming out of town and spent hours searching paddocks for the 'blue Falcon'. The spot was taken off air right after they got back and complained. Simon Westerway and Jamie Oxenbould play the truck drivers. TOP

TV Commercials

Breville Steam Iron .30

'Pffst'
Art director: me; John Clemenger/NSW
Director: John Bowen, Camfilm
I wrote this during my first week at Clemenger so I started fresh. One thing I wanted to avoid was the use of a housewife/mum type to do the pitch. By the same token, the presenter had to have suitable expertise. The social comment about the ubiquitousness of jeans is intentional.

Ethnor/Ripercol .30

'R.I.P.'
Art director: me; Madison Advertising Services
Director: Dave Deneen, Film Graphics
It's not everyone who can say he's written a TV commercial for a sheep drench...and had an Oscar-winning film house produce it. I'm repeating myself, but I love writing for people on the land. You can be nice and loose and down to earth. The voices belong to Kev Goldsby and Keith Scott.

Pizza Hut/Large Pairs .30

'Peek-a-Boo'
Art director: Dean Mortensen; Clemenger Sydney
Director: Trevor Hawkins, Zap Productions
Our budget was tiny, so the set was some cheap, block-of-units carpeting between two long flats with doors, and our talent were young would-be actors bused down from Newcastle, each with several wardrobe changes. But we didn't skimp on sound edits; there are 137 in these busy 30 seconds.

QUF/Pauls Private Bin .30

'A-O'
Art director: Dennis Hearfield; Y&R Sydney
Director: Fred Schepsi, The Film House
A few mildly interesting notes: the location was Fred's new house in Albert Park, this is Kate Fitzpatrick's first TV spot, the hapless date is Ian Smith and it's all done in a single take. After a week on air, sales had gone up 77%. Then the client took it off after a phone call from the former MD's wife.

RTA/Drink Driving .30

'Briefing'
Art director: Dean Mortensen; Clemenger Sydney
Director: Mike Hayes, Bray & Hayes
Real police station. Real cops. Real dialogue (with a bit of guidance). Because penalties are still the most effective way to change behaviour, we wanted to convince drivers who drove over the limit that the cops knew all their tricks...and getting done for DUI was "only a matter of time."

RTA/Seat Belts .30

'Click-Clack'
Art director: Dean Mortensen; Clemenger Sydney
Director: Julie Money, Window Productions
Parents would buckle their kids in, and the kids would quickly unbuckle themselves. The idea was to make the youngsters responsible for their own safety. So I travelled back in time to that age and eventually remembered how proud you feel when you accomplish something that big kids do.

Ricegrowers/Quick .30

'Fast Food'
Art director: Richard Dearing; Clemenger Sydney
Director: Peter McIntosh, Ross Woods Productions
When identified with this campaign, the question I always get is, How did you do it? The short answer is, Painstakingly. The model-maker, Justin Robson, would do some sketches. When Dickie and I were happy, Justin would build amazingly intricate moulds into which the rice was stuffed.

Ricegrowers/Sunwhite .30

'Around the World'
Art director: Richard Dearing; Clemenger Sydney
Director: John Ware, Ware & Hughes
Continuing...the form would be placed on a set in front of a locked-off camera. With the form removed and tidying up done, a few frames would be run off. Then out came the tweezers and people would take the sculptures apart in stages grain by grain, frame by frame. For five days.

Tooheys Flag Ale .30

'Coming Home'
Art directors: Warwick Majcher, Lou Principato; Y&R Sydney
Director: Ray Lawrence, Window Productions
Since I'd been in the country less than a year, I did feel a bit strange writing about "our diggers" steaming home. This was Window's first big job, and their pre-production included a trip to the War Museum in Canberra, sourcing authentic wardrobe, getting everyone to cut their hair short, etc.

Uncle Ben's/My Dog .30	'Sam' Art director: Rob James; Clemenger Sydney Director: Dena Ashbolt, The Film Business Although the actors that used to portray Lassie were dogs and not bitches, Sam is played here by a West Highland terrier named Penny (which necessitated a bit of retraining). His/her mistress is Karmen Raspovic. As with the Flag Ale spot, the pre-production was gratifyingly thorough. TOP