Ad break: HBO's Game of Thrones, EastEnders' Who Killed Lucy

HBO Go: 'What's He In' (starts at 00:06) - US

There's a hint of the Channel 4 hit Gogglebox in this brilliantly observed portrayal of family life for the US TV service. While their son and daughter watch with every muscle in their faces contorted with tension, mum and dad speculate about the characters and actors of Game of Thrones.  Thanks to great performances, you can truly feel their pain.
Agency: SS+K
Director: David Shane

Barclays: 'Chris McCausland' (starts at 00:45) - UK

Standup doesn't usually come across very well in commercials so asking a relatively unknown comedian to draw attention to an aspect of your service was certainly a risk. But blind comic Chris McCausland is genuinely funny and director Susan Ayton has skilfully captured his ruminations on using a cash machine when you can't see it.
Agency: Red Bee Media
Director: Susan Ayton

EastEnders: 'Who Killed Lucy?' (starts at 01:30) - UK

Eastenders is investing a lot of hope in a plot surrounding the murder of one of the Albert Square regulars and this intriguing trail takes a look at those with an apparent motive to shuffle Lucy Beale off this mortal coil.  This stylised approach is so much more interesting than the programme itself that the uninitiated could be forgiven for thinking this is a trail for the latest Nordic noir on BBC4.
Agency: Red Bee Media
Director: Paul Gay

The National Autistic Society: 'Sensory Sensitivity' (starts at 02:34) - UK

It was very ambitious of Kit Dayaram of The News and Rattling Stick's Steve Cope to try to describe autism from within the minds of its sufferers. The barrage of sensory overload leaves little doubt that the condition is incredibly hard to cope with and seems likely to generate sympathy and promote greater understanding.
Agency: The News
Director: Steve Cope

Axe: 'Don't Rely On Fate' (starts at 03:46) - UK

A star-crossed couple are fatefully prevented from getting it on in this amusing ad for Axe (marketed in the UK as Lynx). The attractive pair pop up in a number of historical guises but always fail to make that special connection until – in the modern era – the application of the advertised spray seals the deal.
Agency: Bartle Bogle Hegarty
Director: Tim Godsall
 
Jason Stone is the editor of David Reviews