"There's No Taste Like Home"

1 July 2025

60s

Water wonderful world.

This Ribena commercial from agency Bartle Bogle Hegarty and director Maceo Frost leaves a bittersweet taste in the mouth. As they knock back some blackcurrant squash, a man and a woman notice every homeowner's worst nightmare: water leaking through the ceiling. Rather than call the plumber and worry about what the insurers will say, the two dance in the rain like Gene Kelly's red-haired protégés.

To the strains of Nena's '99 Luftballons', both are soaked to the skin. Would they have it any other way? Not a chance. It takes them back to when they were young—a time when someone had to tell them to come inside. That person, as is so often the case, was Mum... and this brother and sister miss theirs whatever the weather.

It's an unexpected note to end on, but not unearned after ninety or so years on the market. The brand has Frost to thank for that—note the way puddles are used are to dreamy effect—and the result is a spot that encourages viewers to reflect, reminisce, and refresh. They may want to keep an eye on that leak, though, as it may be a burst pipe and not a link to the past.

UK

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