Tag Archives: advert

I’m a sucker for brilliant television adverts. I know they’re only doing it to sell us something, but you can’t deny the talent behind them. Therefore, I’m embarrassed to say that I am writing this review on a bank’s TV advertisement by choice, and sadly not being paid.

My favourite advert at the moment is the Lloyds Bank advert with the black horses running up the beach. Not only because they’re beautiful horses (I love horses), but because the perfect song they have matched it to.

If you haven’t seen it, this is it. Turn the sound up, and don’t be afraid to cry a bit. A lot.

Before this most recent one, there was their advert showing their iconic black horse running through the lives of people just as they’re making the next big step in their lives. Having a baby, proposing, funerals – special moments that require money.

I was concerned for the horse’s feet as they were running on concrete. I assumed it must have all been green screen, but actually the horses are running on either rubber matting or they are wearing rubber horse shoes to provide cushioning.

Here’s how they made it:

(While the horses are very well trained, they don’t always stick to the director’s notes:)

However, my favourite Lloyds advert will forever be this one. Mostly because of the final scene of the horse hacking it up the beach with school kids racing after it. I think I love it partly because it looks like a New Zealand beach, but it’s actually a beach in Wales – Rhossili Bay in Swansea.

I like emotional, melancholy adverts that are a bit nostalgic. I guess it’s pretty easy to get this effect though – slow motion footage against touching music. Still a brilliantly choreographed set of adverts.

PS. I’m proud to say that I have met one of these beautiful black horses in the flesh. It’s the one cantering through the forest in one of the commercials above. He’s an Andalusian and visited Dorset last year at the Dorchester show.