Creative Corner: The Wurzels in AI, talking fish and IKEA cooks up an Aussie classic

From cider-fuelled anthems by The Wurzels, to talking fish courtesy of the German O2, Fanclub's Paul Lucas rounds up the week’s creative highlights.

Bank Holidays, half term; time is a bit of a surreal concept at the moment. It’s probably why this week, I’ve been attracted to a couple of deliciously left-field creatives that deserve a mention, alongside a comforting pie moment. Enjoy a bizarre dose of nostalgia from The Wurzels, an eccentrically absurd offering from 02 in Germany and a bit of Aussie culture from IKEA in, you guessed it, Australia.

The Wurzels go full 'cutting-hedge'

Ahoy there me lovers! Somerset's finest, The Wurzels, famed for their cider-fueled anthems and celebrations of the combine harvester, are back. But their latest single, "Wurzel Me Up," isn't just another rustic banger; it's a product of artificial intelligence.

Yes, you read that right. The band, whose members are now mostly in their 80s, have plugged into the AI matrix after realising it had been a while since their last hit. According to 84-year-old singer Pete Budd, they needed some "cutting-hedge" technology (wish I could claim that great pun). Tommy Banner, 85, added that they wanted to explore this "new artificial world" to see if it could help them analyse their back catalogue and inspire a new release.

While Budd acknowledged the music industry’s "genuine concerns" around AI and plagiarism, he assures everyone that they've "strived to only plagiarise ourselves." The new single comes complete with an equally bizarre YouTube video that looks like it has used every conceivable technology out of the box gizmo too. Who said you can’t teach an old dog new tricks?

Purveyors of real human artistry will be glad to hear that the resulting AI-inspired track isn’t up to the band’s old classics. Guess they didn’t add the prompt ‘pen a hit song after consuming a bottle of scrumpy’.

Talking fish speaks the truth: absurdity that's off the scales

Alright, prepare yourselves, because Germany's O2 has just dropped an ad that's swimmingly bonkers. 

Imagine a fish being held in its catcher’s arms. Now imagine that fish having a conversation with the catcher’s bemused family. Not just gurgling, but full-on yapping about free internet installation whilst flapping its fins, and dripping all over the carpet. Why? Who cares!? It’s deliciously Mike Lynch-esque right down to its last line, "Thanks for the info, Mr. Fish! Now, it's time to fry you up real good."

That's what you get in O2's latest 60-second spot. The genius behind this fin-tastic (couldn’t resist) absurdity is veteran director Andreas Nilsson, fresh off his "Poo! Poo! Poo!" triumph for Andrex (equally brilliant).

And, refreshingly, this isn't some post-production trickery either. The bionic carp boasts a bionic skeleton, individually controlled fins, eyes, and mouth, allowing for real-time puppeteering on set. The result of over 800 hours of work is a fish that looks so real, you'd swear it was alive.

To get everyone in the right headspace before the shoot, director Nilsson even hosted a fish paella cooking class.

The campaign is now splashing across TV, digital, and social. Definitely one to reel in if you can.

IKEA cooks up an Aussie classic

If you’ve ever been to Australia, you’ll know that a meat pie and a sachet of sauce is Aussie takeaway kryptonite. And it’s this cultural phenomenon that IKEA has turned to as it celebrates 50 years of serving up flat-pack furniture Down Under.

In a meeting of two icons, IKEA has brought together the classic Aussie pie and filled it with Swedish meatball goodness, gravy, and even a dollop of lingonberry jam to create the Meatball Party Pie. And because IKEA is, well, IKEA, there's a plant-based option too. This isn't just a snack; it's a guaranteed nostalgic salivator.

Available free for customers in all 10 of IKEA’s Australian stores tomorrow (Saturday, May 31st), this culinary creation is being served up as a thank you to the millions of Australians who've welcomed the Swedish giant into their homes since 1975.

Australians are serious about their pies, and I’m told this one is a winner thanks to a partnership with Loftus Pies in Sydney, whose Chief Pie Officer (really?) admitted it was a challenge perfecting the meatball-to-gravy-to-pastry ratio.

Seeing as half my family now live on the other side of the world, I’ve had the pleasure of tucking into an Aussie meat pie or two, dipped in red sauce (always red, apparently), so I can vouch for their popularity. It’s a neat gesture from IKEA, which I’m sure will sell out quicker than its iconic POÄNG armchair - also 50% off to mark the half-century milestone.

Well, that wraps up another Creative Corner!

As ever, if you’re launching something that deserves a spot in Creative Corner, or have seen a campaign you just love, please do share it with us. Email paul.lucas@fanclubpr.com