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LASSE CATO
⮑ Reviewer: Andreas Nilsson, 52
This Andreas Nilsson is a Senior Lecturer in Business Administration at Örebro University. He is a very nice man and a scholar. We are not scholars, and we have no idea what it means to be a senior lecturer. Which is why we’ll call him Professor Nilsson in this article.
Professor Nilsson tells us that he doesn’t really watch films or TV that much but when he does see a commercial, he enjoys the ones with a twist. He hasn’t really heard of our Andreas Nilsson before, so it should be a pleasure to show him that Andreas’ films are basically nothing but twists.
⮑ Meow Wolf / Convergence Station (2021)
Our Description
A surreal and mezmerizing spot for an exhibition in Denver by arts and entertainment company Meow Wolf.
What does Professor Nilsson think?
“This challenged me as a viewer. I watched some of Andreas’ work before we talked, and it was quite minimalistic, but this was not that at all. At first, I thought it was a commercial for an actual station, but afterwards I had to check it out. Learning that it was an exhibition of sorts made it more funny. He twisted it over the top, a little bit Monty Python-esque, which is good in my book.”
⮑ VAN SHE / IDEA OF HAPPINESS (2012)
Our Description
The thong-wearing German early-internet sensation String Emil takes center stage in this dreamy, happy, and strange music video.
What does Professor Nilsson think?
“I don’t know what to say about this. I don’t think I really got it, perhaps I should have listened more to the music. Usually, lyrics are very important to me when I listen to music. But here, I got distracted by the visuals. Very much of it didn’t make any sense.”
⮑ Reviewer: Andreas Nilsson, 58
Here’s an Andreas that really got our blood pumping when we found him. Just look at the front page of his official website! If this combination of confident smirking and graphic brilliance doesn’t get your blood pumping, you don’t have a heart.
And guess what? His resume is as good as his magnificent first impression. Andreas is a trained actor who has done both theater and TV and had a couple of very productive decades as a voice actor on Swedish TV, playing everyone from Donald Duck to James in Pokémon. Let’s put it like this: If you watched cartoons in Sweden in the 90’s, you know his voice.
Inevitably this guy must be referred to as Andreas the Actor.
⮑ 3 / i switched to tre (2022)
Our Description
A commercial for Swedish telco 3 packed with surrealism and dead-pan humor.
What does Andreas the Actor think?
“I liked it because it is a bit Roy Andersson-ish with this kind of amateurish but strict play by the actors. And then a twist. I thought it was good. Wouldn’t get me to switch to 3, but that’s just who I am. I don’t get tempted by commercials. I just watch them as films. I’ve done too much myself to get tempted.”
⮑ 2 chainz feat. kanye west / birthday song (2012)
Our Description
2 Chainz throws a birthday party on acid in this bright and extremely entertaining music video.
What does Andreas the Actor think?
“Not the proudest moment for the MeToo movement, this. It’s fun but I think it is Andreas who puts the fun in it because the lyrics are quite harsh. His visuals make it easier to take the message of the song. I feel sorry about the clown, though. He incorporated a lot of things that made it fun to watch despite the lyrical content. You couldn’t do this in Sweden, you would be burnt on the bonfire. But I guess you can still do it over there.”
This Andreas Nilsson might look like the sweetest man on earth, and after talking to him we are confident he actually is. Andreas sells kitchens for a living, has a background in teaching journalism and creative writing at college level, and honestly, he is like a tsunami of kindness.
Normally, we really appreciate people being brutal to the work we show them, but in this case there was none of that. Just long, excited, eloquent monologues about the films we showed him. Let’s just call him Sugar Nilsson. You know because he’s sweet like sugar.
⮑ okx / what is okx? (2022)
Our Description
This spot for the cryptocurrency exchange takes a delightfully absurd detour to answer the simple question: What is OKX?
What does Sugar Nilsson think?
“I enjoyed this one very much. It’s a creative take on something that is very boring to most people. There is an abundance of apps like this, and this spot not only stands out, it also has a clever word play as well. In the hypothetical circumstance where I would be at all interested in trading with crypto currency, this could get me to use OKX. But it’s not for me. At least not currently. However, that doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy this commercial. Commercials nowadays are force-fed down our throats and they are very dull most of the time. This is creative, just take the part with the frog and the guy appearing out of his forehead. It’s creative, while also commenting on the fact that it is a hard concept to explain. I could be that guy in the commercial, I’m clueless when it comes to this.”
⮑ REEBOK / NAILS (2019)
Our Description
Cardi B’s nails outshine both the rapper herself and the Reeboks on her feet in this wonderfully patient spot.
What does Sugar Nilsson think?
“Hahaha! There’s another clever word play. Sport the unexpected is a genius slogan; both a reference to the athleticism represented by the Reebok brand and also encouraging people to be different and unique. Also, this kind of alien thing with her solution to not being able to bend down when people react to the shoelaces not being tied is very smart. There could be two possible outcomes to what this commercial is about: Either the shoes or some sort of nail extensions. It’s a nice way of showing a product without making it too obvious. They are there, but not the center of attention. Very well done, I truly like it.”
⮑ Reviewer: Andreas Nilsson, 38
The youngest Andreas of the bunch is in a business that any good youngster would like to see themselves in: The business of liquor. Okay, he is actually a consultant within wholesale of alcohol and although he did own a cocktail bar once, he got out of it to spend more time with his kids.
He is, in other words, a fully grown man. However, in the context of our other Andreas Nilssons who have passed half a century, he is a spring chicken. We see no other choice than to call him Youngdreas Nilsson.
⮑ Southern Comfort / Spray Tan (dir. cut) (2015)
Our Description
Three guys get bronzed to perfection in this dry-witted spot for the whiskey liqueur.
What does Youngdreas Nilsson think?
“When it started, I didn’t think Southern Comfort at all, but in the end it all made sense. To me, Southern Comfort is a real 80’s and 90’s staple so the choice of music and style was completely on brand. I don’t necessarily know if it’s a positive thing for a brand to be stuck in an era, but I personally liked it. And I do think that good commercials make a difference when it comes to selling alcohol.”
⮑ The Knife / Like a Pen (2009)
Our Description
An early animated music video from Andreas’ hand, that is a display of free creativity.
What does Youngdreas Nilsson think?
“This was very creative, dark, and deep. But perhaps that just goes to show different sides of Andreas. You could really analyze this for a long time without necessarily knowing that you fully get it. I think about whether it is about sex, looks, complexes? It’s hard to define, but it seems both dark and honest. It is both entertaining and well made. I really listened a lot to this album back in the day, and it is both nice to revisit and good to see a real music video with effort put into it since you don’t see that all the time these days.”
Andreas Nilsson is a remarkable person. For one because he is an award-winning comedic filmmaker with a personal style so distinct it has almost created a school of its own (his Volvo Trucks spot 'Epic Split' feat. Van Damme was named Ad of the Decade by Ad Age). And even more so because he also is a musician who has played in a band that was praised by Iggy Pop, and because he finds the time to do arts and theatre, while somehow managing to remain a wonderful person.
But not everything about Andreas is unique. His name, for instance, is actually very far from it. Sweden is flooded with people called Andreas Nilsson. Yell out “Andreas Nilsson” in any given Swedish waiting room, and you can be sure that at least one, but most likely two or three people will stand up. There are Andreas Nilssons everywhere you look and in all walks of life in Sweden. Just from our extremely limited research (Google) we found a bench press champion (Powerlifter Andreas Nilsson), a guitarist (Metal Andreas Nilsson), and a Magic Card player (Andreas Nilsson the Gathering) just to name a few (also Swedish Race Car Driver Andreas Nilsson, Saving Bank Foundation Representative Andreas Nilsson).
Which is why we took the opportunity to get in touch with some salt-of-the-earth Andreas Nilssons to review a few of our Andreas Nilsson’s classic films in celebration of his 50thbirthday. Some of his stuff they liked, some they didn’t, and quite a bit they just did not understand.
We recommend watching the films first to enjoy the critique to the fullest. Take it away, Andreas Nilssons.
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