For over a decade, thousands of people have flocked to gawk in awe at some of the finest pop culture wares of our neighbors across the pond. This year the tradition continues, as the British Television Advertising Awards returns to the Walker Art Center. This hour and a half film showcasing industry highlights will be playing December 5th-30th in the Walker Cinema. Reprising his role from last year, BTAA administrator Peter Biggs will host the opening night screenings.

The concept of paying money to watch advertisements might invoke skepticism in even the most avid pop culture whores. However, there is something to be admired about the delightfully fresh approach Brits take with commercialism.

Strung together loosely to create a charming Frankenstein of a feature film, it is immediately clear that the British advertising industry is an entirely different animal from its American counterpart. Sleeker, more inspired, and definitely higher brow, these ads are more like art shorts that treat you like you actually have a brain.

Dean Otto is the curator for the Walker’s Film and Video department. He was kind enough to let me prod him for information and find out more about what makes this event so buzz-worthy.

W: What prompted the Walker to start hosting this event?
DO: At that time we had been presenting the Cleo awards, which was sort of like the American version of the BTAAs. The Cleos were actually incredibly popular because a lot of the local advertising agencies had won awards and loved to bring their clients here to the Walker. In the mid 1990’s the Cleo program went bankrupt, but we had a lot of people in the advertising community who were still really interested in seeing similar content. We started showing the BTAAs and the program grew expontentially since then. We have gone from starting with two screenings and now this year we are screening it 66 times.

W: Are you at all surprised at the success the BTAA showings have had here?
DO: Definitely. I think a lot of this has to do with the large anglophile community within the Twin Cities. These are the people who are watching reruns of British sitcoms on stations like PBS or BBC America. That audience has really taken to the program. It’s greatly broadened out from people who are just working in the advertising community.

W: It seems clear that after watching this film, one can draw a fair amount of conjectures about the difference in attitude towards media here versus in the UK. What are your feelings on this subject?
DO: I think there’s a tendency in British commercials to cajole or not really “hard sell” [the product] like they do in America. Especially in using a sense of humor or really sharp wit, I think that makes people want to associate with that, which is important with the incredible growth of viral advertising in Britain. In Britain these ads will be released online and people will share them with each other through email and cell phones. People really trust something that someone they know is sending them rather than something that is broadcasted.

W: How does this year’s BTAAs compare with those in the past?
DO: I think they are longer in form this year, especially with the Martin Scorsese piece, which is spectacular. In Britain there’s also a longer history of cinema advertising than in America, so that factor plays in favor of that format as well.

W: The floor is open. Pitch this event to our readers.
DO: This is one of our most successful programs of the year. I think one of the reasons why is the timing. Especially between Christmas and New Years. When people are looking to go out with their friends or family members to see a film, this seems like a safe bet because there is something for everybody. Additionally, people are always watching TV by themselves. When you’re with a packed audience, it is such a different experience. We are also creating a more friendly environment for attendees. Food and drink sales are much more available then they have been in the past. It is also important to note that when you buy a ticket for the film it includes free gallery admission. You can’t beat that!

W: What do you foresee in the future for the BTAA’s at Walker? Any plan¬s to expand the event?
DO: There are a couple programs circulating that are similar to this one, but we seem to focus on this because it is just so consistently good. We are really happy with the incredible success and each year it just keeps growing.

The Walker’s 2008 British Television Advertising Awards start on December 5th and go until the end of the year. Tickets are $10.