Features

The 16 best ads from Paul Middleditch, the man behind ‘Big Ad,’ ‘Not Happy Jan’ and MLA’s new multicultural masterpiece

Yesterday Paul Middleditch hit new heights with MLA's joyous celebration of multicultural Australia. Arguably, Middleditch has directed more of the country's biggest ads than anybody else. Below, Mumbrella celebrates 16 of Middleditch's finest moments.

With more than 300 awards to his name Plaza Films’ Paul Middleditch is one of the world’s most celebrated commercial directors.

paul-middleditch

His latest work for Meat & Livestock Australia is an extremely early contender for ad of the year.

Middleditch tells Mumbrella that 2005’s The Big Ad, for Carlton Draught, remains his favourite creation, because of how it helped reset the tone in advertising.

“It was very much a parody of the industry itself, very much a parody of advertising” Middleditch tells Mumbrella of the work developed for GPY&R Melbourne .

“That’s why I love that ad, because its an ad within an ad. Also I think it was because I was getting to work with one of the great creative teams, that became famous in the history of advertising.

“When the Big Ad first came out I remember literally going to a number of different meetings in the week it came out and hearing it being played. And that was something I’d never heard before.”

Below are 16 of Middleditch’s best moments

1. Big Ad, Carlton Draught, GPY&R Melbourne

2. Not Happy Jan, Yellow Pages, Clemenger BBDO Melbourne

3. Slo Mo, Carlton Draught,  Clemenger BBDO Melbourne

4. Fridge, Bud Light, DDB Chicago 

5. Utopia, Pure Blond,  Clemenger BBDO Melbourne

6. Flashbeer, Carlton Draught, GPY&R Melbourne

7. Pepsi Nod, Pepsi, BBDO New York

8. Reflex Printer Guru, Reflex, CumminsRoss Melbourne

9. Johnny Come Lately, ANZ, M&C Saatchi Melbourne

10. Serious Play, HSBC, JWT London

11. Golf, Energy Australia, Leo Burnett Sydney

12. Budweiser Bridge, Budweiser, DDB Chicago

13. A Better Way to Fly, Air New Zealand, Host

14. ANZ with Apple Pay, ANZ, TBWA Melbourne

15. You never Lamb alone, Meat & Livestock Australia, The Monkeys

16. Celebrate Australia with a Lamb BBQ, Meat & Livestock Australia, The Monkeys

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