Novelty is a useful tool. Although in these fast-paced digital times you could say it’s a little over-valued. But in advertising, marking yourself out as different from your competitors is a vital tactic.While putting together this monthly chart of the top video advertising, we noticed something - that the really great content is about not only doing something different, but doing it with vision and skill too.

Bombay Sapphire, Room 8 (from the Imagination Series)

Once Bombay Sapphire made the decision to make imagination one of their brand values, they had to walk their talk. Rather than making a pretentious 30-second TVC, they went with the idea of the Imagination Series - a competition where entrants interpreted a script from Oscar-winning screenwriter Geoffrey Fletcher in the most imaginative way possible. The entries where whittled down to five winners, including James W. Griffiths’ mind-bending entry. You can see the rest here. It’s an interesting approach to promoting a brand and certainly much cooler than all those booze ads depicting impossibly glamorous parties.

First Direct, Unexpected

Remember when commercials for banks used to extoll the virtues of professional integrity and clever ways to make your money go further? Yeah, we don’t really get those anymore. Now we have platypuses talking in inconguous northern accents about their leftfield interests. Like so many banks today, the message is “we’re not like other banks,” but the randomness of this ad genuinely stands out from the rest of the category. It’ll grab people’s attention and despite its blatant attempts to be zaney, Barry’s got a sophistication to him that’s somehow reassuring.

giffgaff, Don’t Be Scared

It looks like Matthias Hoene been typecast as the go-to zombie director since his recent feature flick Cockneys vs Zombies. There are worse genres to get stuck in, especially as zombies have been having a bit of a renaissance in TV commercials of late. Simultaneously taking up the whole ad break on three channels when it aired, giffgaff’s epic is another light-hearted approach to the zombie myth in the legacy of Shaun of the Dead. Full of clever visual gags, it’s good bit of fun that’s perfect for the budget mobile service’s target audience.

Channel 4, Mating Season

We don’t know exactly how it went down, but we hope this idea began with the image of a giant tortoise sticking his head through a glory hole. That’s certainly the image that stays with you. MPC submitted this for our considerartion and their VFX really brings Arthur the tortoise puppet to life as he searches for love in the modern world. It's a rip-roaring adventure as he descends from the more sophisticated kinds of dating into a dark sexual underworld and through to one devastating hangover. It’s a journey that Channel 4’s audience will easily identify with.

Vodafone, Lake

It’s rare that you encounter a commercial as elegant as this. The idea is so simple the script could barely be more than a few words and yet it feels like it completely deserves the 60 seconds it takes up. Following his recent Vodafone spot, The Kiss, director Frédéric Planchon proves that less is more, allowing the beautiful location of the tranquil lake to do all the work.

A heck of a lot of work goes into making films for brands. Whether it’s a 30-second TV commercial or an hour-long branded documentary made for YouTube, you need dozens of people at the top of their particular game to bring it all together. We like to make sure these people are appreciated, so here’s a list of films – each with a crack team of experts behind it – that we think are top notch.

Vodafone, The Kiss
Directed by Frédéric Planchon, Academy

Ah, the old whole life compressed into a single minute thing. We’re familiar with this idea. It has been used to great effect, but it’s often used as a cheap way to make that emotional connection with the consumer that so many brands want these days. We’re not sure what it actually says about Vodafone’s product, but under the discerning eye of Frédéric Planchon it’s turned out to be a beautiful film that will ultimately reflect well on the brand, despite (or possibly because of) featuring old people snogging.

IKEA, Time For Change
Directed by Mike Maguire, Biscuit Filmworks

With Mother’s charming ideas behind them and carefully selected directors helming, IKEA ads are on a bit of a roll at the moment. This one continues that trend, depicting an epic pitched battle between humans and garden gnomes. And it really is epic. Standing up to human dominance was a mistake, as it turns out. Their more advanced weaponry turns it into a massacre reminiscent of colonial Africa. The music is a strange choice, but that oddness sort of works with the Swedish brand.

Cif, Burglary
Directed by Börkur, Nice Shirt Films

This is an amusing little film. Our cunning hero’s attempts to outsmart the police and his house insurers are inventive and will definitely provoke a few chuckles in the ad break. The concept has some thought behind it and Icelandic director Börkur has coaxed a fair bit of subtle comedy out of the script, which is absolutely mental when you consider that this ad is in the same category as “Hi, I’m Barry Scott!”

Jaguar, Desire
Directed by Adam Smith, RSA

This is something new. Jaguar aren’t just churning out a bundle of shots of their new car on a picturesque road with a well dressed bloke smirking behind the wheel here. You do get that. But it’s also got a story with proper dialogue and everything. It’s a very stylish film and the smug bastard in question is Damian Lewis, so there are plenty of reasons to share it online, which is clearly where it belongs, because not many countries have 13-minute ad breaks.

National Geographic, The 80s: The Decade That Made US
Directed by Hoku & Adam, Partizan

The visual concept behind this trailer is strikingly simple, but actually making the film must have taken some serious thinking. Especially when you consider that Hoku & Adam used a real Rubik’s Cube with stickers on it, with minimal post trickery. You’ve also got to applaud the skill of Simon Crawford – the speed cuber from Nottingham whose skilful fingers do the business in the film. The final result is pretty neat.

Some brands are easier to advertise than others. But just because a product is mundane doesn’t mean its advertising has to be. This is just one of the lessons that our selection of the past month’s best commercials has taught us. Watch and learn. You might even enjoy yourself in the process.

Le Trèfle, Emma
Directed by Bart Timmer, Henry de Czar

There’s something about this pushy dad that we instantly dislike. It’s probably the fact that we all know someone like this, looking down on us for using technology that’s been around for longer than five minutes. Bog roll doesn’t have a glorious history in advertising, but thanks to this clever piece of comic sadism, the French might now have a toilet paper ad that they remember, which is quite something, really.

Vigorsol, Captain Ice
Directed by Rafael Lopez Saubidet, Stink

This gum makes your breath fresh – it’s a message we’re quite familiar with, thank you. This commercial recognises that they don’t need to ram the idea down our throats and instead focuses on telling a short story that we’ll find entertaining. The idea could have fallen flat without good execution, but the over-the-top Hollywood action here is as familiar as the well-observed social awkwardness in the supermarket. It achieves that rare sweet spot between funny and well polished.

Cuprinol, Whimpering Garden
Directed by Suthon Petchsuwan, TWC Films

Fence- and shed-care ads don’t usually stimulate much creativity, but this one takes a bit of a leftfield approach. Comparing your neglected shed to a needy infant isn’t the most obvious link to make, but it makes a lot of sense when you think about it. While most commercials in this category work just fine by listing facts, this one takes a leap of faith into a surrealist narrative. We think it pays off.

Somersby, The Somersby Store
Directed by Mat Kirkby, RSA

Conditions are perfect for this jokey ad. With the Church of Jobs at a zenith, its devotees are ripe for ridicule. Samsung gave it a good effort a few months back, but it was only a matter of time before an apple-based product seized this opportunity. It’s been seized with gusto, though, without a single pun wasted. They must have had a great laugh writing this script and the result is an ad as warm as the summer sun they hope will eventually arrive to sell the product.

Samsung, Charge
Directed by Romain Gavras, Somesuch & Co.

This is a big spectacular for a brand in the ascendant. While the Korean tech giant gobbles up markets, they must make sure their commercials don’t go unnoticed. This won’t. Anyone familiar with Romain Gavras’s music videos will recognise why he’s just right for this – like a lot of his work, it’s obnoxiously cinematic, combining speeding cars, galloping horses and stampeding crowds. He’d never done all three at once until now, but we’re so glad he did.

There have been quite a lot of good commercials for beer over the years; the same goes for charities and cars. They are the sort of products that traditionally allow space for a good idea without too much detailed selling. But all these products have their clichés too, and what this month’s selection of the best ads do is defy these clichés to get your attention.

McLaren, Courage
Directed by Marcus Söderlund, A+

When it comes to telling a brand story (a buzzword we all know and love) the inspiring personal tale of a company’s founder is one of the most powerful routes to take. McLaren have the incredible story of Bruce McLaren’s life and tragic death. 50 years since their founding, it’s surprising they haven’t used it before. The film, helmed by Marcus Söderlund, uses understated visuals that slowly unite with the voiceover to tell a poetic tale.

Kronenbourg, A Taste Suprême
Directed by Ivan Zachariás, Stink

This is a clever idea and bang on the money for the brand, managing to squeeze footballers, subtle comedy, supercars and the charming Gallic countryside all in without any awkward shoehorning. It’s a good job they got Eric Cantona on board, because we can’t think of anyone else that could have made this idea really work. He’s just a lovable guy.

Fosters, Anticipation
Directed by Daniel Kleinman, Rattling Stick

There’s not a lot to the script of this commercial. It’s basically just some old-fashioned Aussie blokes standing around in the heat waiting to hear if another bloke likes their new beer. But when you take into account that the heritage aspect is secondary to the idea of waiting for refreshment you can see the inspired direction of Daniel Kleinman doing its job. It might just make you thirsty.

Marie Curie, Symmetry
Directed by Tom Tagholm, Blink

Cancer care charities have a default format that they almost always fall back on – showing the grim effects of cancer on people and their loved ones. And fair enough. It’s tried and tested and it strikes an emotion chord with almost everyone that might lead to them donating to help others. This one takes that default and puts an interesting spin on it with the first/last format. Sensitively handled by Tom Tagholm, it’s a touching film.

Citroën, Baby
Directed by Tom Kuntz, MJZ

A baby. With ridiculously long hair. On a white stallion. On a beach. Soundtracked by Spandou Ballet. No, that wasn’t a dream. You just saw that. Where this idea came from is a mystery that should probably remain inside that creative’s head. The fact that Citroën let them make it is pretty incredible though. Just imagine reading the script for this. Like Spandau Ballet, it’s crap, but you still enjoy it when it comes on.

We’ve made it out of January feeling all shiny and new, obviously having stuck to our New Years’ resolutions to the letter. The advertising is upbeat and positive and we’re generally feeling like 2013 is going to be the year it all comes together. We’ve been spoilt for choice when it comes to quality advertising too – the industry seems to be starting the year as they mean to go on. It’s all very inspiring. We’re just hoping clients have some money left for the rest of the year.

Virgin Atlantic, Flying in the Face of Ordinary
Directed by Antoine Bardou-Jacquet, Partizan

It’s hard to pull off glossy without seeming pompous, but somehow Virgin Atlantic ads manage it every time. As the travel sector cashes in on the dreariness of January we’ve been swamped by cut-price holiday commercials with breathy voiceovers; we don’t normally get slick two-minute X-Men trailers that turn out to be advertising flights. So when a brand has the audacity to put one out, we pay attention.

MoneySupermarket, Astronaut
Directed by The Glue Society, Independent

It’s all too easy to compare this campaign to its catchy-yet-infuriating competitors – the meerkats and their comrades. But not only is this less annoying, it’s also built on the clever promise of making us feel “epic”, which roughly translates as “smug”. The Glue Society have completely nailed that The Top Gun/Apollo 13 feel here, too, rounding off a neat piece of work that ticks a lot of boxes.

Lynx, Fireman
Directed by Tim Godsall, Biscuit Filmworks

Astronauts seem to be in vogue. Like the MoneySupermarket commercial, this ad is just so Hollywood. Explosions and Die Hard-grade action all over the place. Lynx have a pretty impressive track record for delivering both visual spectacles and blokey comedy and this ad justifies their reputation. Its tone is spot on. Gone are the beer-and-pizza, Nuts magazine days of lad culture. These days Lynx’s alpha male has a PhD in astrophysics and a radiation-proof suit.

Guardian, Own the Weekend
Directed by Tim Godsall, Biscuit Filmworks

Another gem from the BBH/Biscuit Filmworks partnership and another ad that borrows from the Hollywood we know and (occasionally) love to get laughs. It’s good to know that the Guardian can take the piss out of themselves (that couple are well-observed caricatures of the paper’s readership) although the dystopian future it shows us does have a worrying hint of prophecy to it. Hugh Grant might be an unnecessary evil, but we suppose he’s relatively harmless.

Diet Coke, Gardener
Directed by Rocky Morton, MJZ

The women in the office have confirmed that this works for them. This gent’s not quite an astronaut (in fact, on the basis of this little sketch, he seems a bit of a dullard) but he’s certainly easy on the eye. It’s a resurrected classic with all the ready-made hype that comes with that and with Rocky Morton directing it’s a suitably vivid objectification of the male form. And what a form it is.

We’re just entering the arse-on-the-photocopier humiliation season. So, naturally, the season of having jolly festive clichés rammed down our throats in three-minute blocks has now been in full swing for a couple of weeks. Thankfully, some of the kind-hearted people of Adland have punctuated this torture by putting some thought and effort into their commercials. Here’s our selection of some of the best aforementioned goodwill.

John Lewis, The Journey
Directed by Dougal Wilson, Blink

This commercial combines the potency of two cultural events to devastating effect. People tend to get a bit excited when a new John Lewis ad airs. And rightly so, considering their recent track record. Combine that with all the consumerist hullaballoo that Christmas whips up and you’ve got about as close to mass hysteria as a department store is ever likely to generate. It manages to be a cinematic festive feast whilst standing out from the sea of cosy dining rooms.

Morrisons, For Your Christmas
Directed by Si & Ad, Academy

The Christmas kitchen sink ad is definitely a thing. Every other commercial you see this time of year features the cosy interior of someone’s inexplicably well decorated and maintained home. In that sense, there’s nothing much new about this ad. But the visual gags that run through it are brilliantly envisioned. Plus, in times of festivity, it’s always nice to have a good old-fashioned British whinge.

BGH, Summer Hater
Directed by Juan Cabral, MJZ

Bizarrely, it’s summer in Argentina at the moment. And, as much as it pains us to say it, they’re probably having a great time eating steaks and frolicking on the golden beaches. We would never begrudge them that. But this man does. The idea of advertising an air conditioning company with a Hitchcockian sociopath was a masterstroke of originality. Max respect to the client for going through with it.

Canvas, Tourguide
Directed by Kristoffer Borgli, CZAR

For one week only Belgian TV Network Canvas celebrated Norse culture by dedicating their broadcasting to Scandinavian films. What better way to celebrate it than with a mini documentary about a Norwegian who hates the cold mountains and wants to open a bar in Spain?  The jokes are subtle, the dialogue minimalist and the visuals breath-taking. A very clever idea, executed with all the attention to detail you expect from a Scandinavian director.

GE, Ancient Invention
Directed by Andreas Öhman, ACNE

There are two sides to most coins. For example, when General Electric aren’t filling the world with toxic waste and acrid smoke they’re working on diagnosing people’s illnesses through innovation and computing. It’s not particularly clear what the advertised gadget does, but that is largely eclipsed by the powerful animated visuals on show here. It’s striking imagery, smoothly executed by the skilful people at ACNE.

There are some great commercials on at the moment. So when you’re trying to catch up on three weeks of missed Downton Abbey and you’re tempted by that 20x fast forward button, there’s a chance one of these will come on and make you think twice. Watch our pick of the month’s five top ads and see if you still want to hit that button. There’s a bit of testosterone this month, so prepare for some action.

HP Sauce, HP Sauce of Manliness
Directed by Ulf Johansson, Smith & Jones

Following in the wake of Yorkie becoming a man-centric brand some years back, here’s a reassuring collection of blokey truths, destined to provoke a smile and maybe a grunt of approval from the hairier, less subtle half of humanity. The facial hair comment is brilliantly timed to coincide with Movember, in which many young men – this reporter included – will be craving applause and charitable donations for their laughable attempts at lip fluff. Mantastic.

Oddsen, Hooligans
Directed by Hanrik Sander, Motion Blur

Norwegian betting company Oddsen decided to set their film about football hooliganism in England – the spiritual home of that proud tradition. Thankfully, the English lost out in the thuggery stakes to other nationalities many years ago, so this witty repartee between two street-level pundits is probably more likely now than the brutal pitched battle the opening shots predict. Still, it’s an entertaining idea, shot well in a brilliant “grim north” location.

Ikea, Playin’ With My Friends
Directed by Dougal Wilson, Blink

We all know what Dougal Wilson does – sweet, cosy films with adorable children being cute. But by the beard of Zeus he does it well. For those pure of heart and mind, what could be more fun than “playin’ with your friends”? Particularly if those friends are giant kids’ toys. With those guys hanging around, this ad could have got creepy all too easily. Thankfully, Dougal’s got the balance, as usual, just right.

PlayStation All-Stars: Battle Royale, The All-Star
Directed by Simon McQuoid, Imperial Woodpecker

Following his triumphal Michael commercial a year ago, Simon McQuoid returns to the PlayStation campaign with another epic battle. This game appears to be about chucking the protagonists of all the most popular PlayStation game franchises in together and watching them rip each other apart, so this ad runs with that idea, providing a well-choreographed action scene. It’s not complicated, but not every fight scene needs to be interwoven with Matrix-esque postmodernist theory.

Sony, Cat and Mouse
Directed by Baillie Walsh, RSA Films

Sony have so much product placement in the latest Bond film that they could have just used any scene from Skyfall as their TV commercial. They haven’t though. They’ve shot this new scene with lots of flashy, nonsensical gadgetry and incidental music as Daniel Craig races towards this woman’s techie lair. They’re certainly making the most of their association with the film. Daniel Craig’s face paired with such slick execution is a winning move.

The days are getting shorter, darker and wetter as autumn takes its hold. But don’t get down because our pick of the month’s best ads are here to make you laugh, smile and, hopefully, buy stuff.

Carlton Draught, Beer Chase
Directed by Steve Ayson, The Sweet Shop

You know that déjà vu you get every time a new lager ad airs? There’s always some smug sartorial bastard showing off and/or fulfilling all the dreams you will never achieve. In this Australian beer commercial we have scruffy, bearded criminals that are not only more believable, but infinitely more interesting and likeable. A masterful piss-take backed by triumphal Eighties power chords. Bonza!

Pot Noodle, Contain Your Excitement
Directed by Charlie P, Mind’s Eye Media

Pot Noodle continue with their unusual brand message here, following their classic “slag of all snacks” line. This time “you’re all wankers and we know it” just about sums up the message. It might offend some people, but those people probably aren’t the customers Pot Noodle are chasing. A daring idea that will get people talking. A forking good ad.

John Lewis, The Other Half
Directed by Ringan Ledwidge, Rattling Stick

Well isn’t this nice? It’s basically a chick flick in commercial form. But there’s no Hugh Grant in sight, which is a plus. It’s just the sort of thing we all need as the dinge of autumn descends – warm, fuzzy nostalgia that reassures you that despite all the wars, economic crises and problems with your internet browser, the world’s generally a lovely place because John Lewis are still here and they’ve still got that same grammatically-perplexing slogan.

Volkswagen, Smiles
Directed by Everynone, Epoch Films

Granted, there’s not much to this idea. It’s shots of people laughing, put together in age order. But what’s wrong with simplicity? Just look at how much fun they’re having. This ad is bang on trend, as Gok Wan might say, making people feel all warm and fuzzy inside. It proves that a smile is contagious. And with 1.8 million views on YouTube, these smiles are spreading like an airborne virus.

Talk Talk, Model Britain
Directed by Daniel Kleinman, Rattling Stick

You don’t need expert knowledge to see that this is a well-made piece of filmmaking. Following Adam Berg’s cosy Homes Within Homes commercial, we’ve got more miniature people “connecting”. This time they’re coming home to their stress-free, loving households after a hard day’s work. Expert craftsmanship brings a warmth and humanity to these little plastic people and the music fits perfectly. Surely one of the most memorable ads of the season.