New Labour, New Danger

Demon Eyes, M&C Saatchi for the Conservatives, before the 1997 election Tony Blair's face on a black background, with a strip seemingly torn away across his eyes to reveal a pair of glowing demon eyes, above the line New Labour, New Danger. Creative director Martin Casson's idea works like a magic trick: one rip turns a smiling, modern leader into a threat, with no further argument needed. It was named the best ad of the year, but the Advertising Standards Authority upheld complaints and told the party to withdraw it, and many judge it to have backfired with voters. As a lesson in how far one visual twist can carry an attack, and its risks, it is still unmatched.