Head & Shoulders Dandruff Shampoo with Old Spice launches the “Season of the Whiff” ad campaign with two new commercials featuring Anaheim Angels pitcher C.J. Wilson and his teammate Josh Hamilton. The "Catch" and "Microphone" ads were set in Cincinnati's Great American Ball Park where the Angels meet with the Reds in the first inter-league opening day matchup.
“They're funnier and more surreal than last year's Joe Mauer work, more like Head & Shoulders ads featuring Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Troy Polamalu during NFL season—or Wieden & Kennedy work on Old Spice,” notes AdAge. “Head & Shoulders Brand Manager Michael Sabbia, himself an Old Spice veteran, terms it 'Old Spice visiting Head & Shoulders.'"
Created by advertising agency Saatchi & Saatchi New York and Marina Maher Communications, New York.
The creative team at A&E called on long-time collaborators at entertainment agency BIGSMACK to help conceive, write and produce a hilarious Season 3 promotional campaign for their biggest runaway hit in the cable net’s history: “Duck Dynasty.” Under the creative leadership of Head Creative Andy Hann and Senior Creative Director Matt Hall, the BIGSMACK team collaborated with A&E’s in-house team to write, produce, and post for an extensive campaign, that is being rolled out now, as a daily countdown to the launch of the third season on February 27th at 10/9c.
Hann and director Scott Whitham co-direct an unbelievable 21 spots in just two days (view them all on YouTube HERE. The BIGSMACK team shot in the deep rural bayou of Louisiana in the dead of winter, up against tremendous challenges.
Duck Dynasty’ has literally become a phenomenon for A&E, being their highest rated show to date,” says BIGSMACK’s Hann. “It has huge fan appeal, so we were thrilled when they asked us to take a crack at what appeared to be the impossible. We jumped in with the A&E creative team and literally fleshed out and wrote a mountain of scripts over the course of a week. Kudos to the A&E marketing and creative team, who worked many weekends and late night hours to make sure this was a successful campaign. This project was a great opportunity for BIGSMACK to show what our company can do, pulling from all of our resources to make this roll-out campaign a reality, and a funny one at that.”
One of the most successful reality series currently on television, “Duck Dynasty” features the Robertson’s, a Louisiana bayou family living the American dream as they operate a thriving business while staying true to their family values and lifestyle. After creative concepting and writing In New York and Philadelphia was complete, the BIGSMACK production team flew down south from the east coast. They were met with seven inches rain soaked roads in early January, and show fans appearing on-set to get a peek at the Robertson’s, known for their signature long beards. CD Hann and Whitham directed the 21 spots with just two days to shoot the show’s main characters. Strategically planning the logistics for the shoot, they had two crews shoot simultaneously at an enormous Bayou location in Monroe, Louisiana.
“We went in with a plan of course, but due to the volume of spots, unpredictable weather and an unfamiliar location, a lot of adjustments and improv had to happen in Monroe days and hours before the shoot,” explains BIGSMACK’s Head of Marketing Andrew Kobliska. Mud soaked roads, trucks and equipment coming from hundreds of miles away, and crew arriving the night before were part of the challenges the production team was up against. “While Andy was directing one spot, he had to think about the next two spots so we could have a crew set things up ahead of time. The crew was awesome: great hustle; great attitude. The DP's Andrew Turman and Patrick Loungway were absolutely incredible. Because of the circumstances, the DP's had to act essentially as Co-Directors, and they really came through. The members of the Robertson family were all good sports. They hung in there with us and they were willing to do whatever we asked, which included being submerged in freezing water! They have natural talent, and great comedic timing. They really are a wonderful, funny family, which is why they are loved by so many fans worldwide.”
Credits: Project: 21-spot promo campaign for the launch of “Duck Dynasty,” Season 3
Client: A&E EVP, Head of Marketing: Guy Slattery Creative Director: Maria Pecoraro Senior Writer/Producer: Keith Kopnicki Director of Operations: Brett DiPretoro
Advertising Agency: BIGSMACK Executive Creative Director: Andy Hann Head of Marketing: Andrew Kobliska Executive Producers: Heidi Erney, Kevin Lahr Writers: Tom Pace, Joe Nelms, Bob Shea, Andy Hann, Laura Gillespie
Production Company: BIGSMACK Directors: Andy Hann, Scott Whitham DPs: Andrew Turman, Patrick Loungway Producer/AD: Michael Dean AD: Nick Conway press via: Hypeworld
Right on the heels of three extraordinarily successful projects — garnering record breaking ratings for their clients — BIGSMACK unveils a new promo campaign for the National Geographic Channel. The energy-packed, mind-tickling campaign for the channel’s newest series “Brain Games” broke earlier this week in anticipation of the series launch on Monday, April 22nd at 9 p.m. (ET/PT).
Under the creative leadership of Founder/Head Creative Andy Hann and Senior Creative Director Matt Hall, BIGSMACK collaborated with National Geographic’s in-house creative team to complete the creative concepting. BIGSMACK wrote, produced, and created extensive CGI and graphics for the new launch campaign. http://www.bigsmack.tv/work/nat-geo-brain-games/
Hosted by Filmmaker and TED Talks icon Jason Silva, the new television series will use illusions, mind games and interactive experiments to reveal the inner workings of the human brain. Each episode of “Brain Games” will explore a different topic. These will include attention, fear, perception, sense of time and memory. Silva is a self-professed "wonder junkie," who has spoken widely about neurology, the human brain, and technology. The timing of the show is perfect, as President Obama announces a broad new research initiative to invent and refine new technologies to understand and map the human brain. Silva is joined on “Brain Games” by “The Gentleman Thief” Apollo Robbins, a deception specialist.
“National Geographic Channel has been a great, long-term client of ours,” says BIGSMACK’s Hann. “We worked on the promo for the “Brain Games” special last year, and it was so popular and successful that Nat Geo decided to turn it into a series. We were thrilled when they came back, and asked us to work on the promo campaign for the new series. We have a very collaborative relationship with Nat Geo. They really utilize us as a collaborative creative agency, and we work very well with their in-house team. They have a great deal of creative trust in us, which we really appreciate. This was a hugely fun campaign for the BIGSMACK team to work on. One of the biggest challenges was the research that we needed to do in order to find fun, and thought provoking examples of brain puzzles and teasers; as well as the choreography of the spots which required the cameras, experiments, and the on-screen talent to be in sync. Many of the shots were all done in one-take, which was quite a feat.”
Hann shared the director’s chair on set with BIGSMACK’s Senior Creative Director Matt Hall, since a great deal of the work was done in CGI and post, after the studio production wrapped. “The series host, Jason Silva, is renowned for his ability to improv,” explains Hall. “So we gave him an outline, but he added a lot of the material on his own while we were shooting. Because of the improv, most of the CGI/effects were added in the postproduction phase, without a lot of pre-planning. The creative process was truly an evolution, with BIGSMACK working with the in-house team at Nat Geo. At every stage, something new was added on-screen, continually making the spots that much better, and leading to a great end result.”
Due to the outstanding success of promo and show launch campaigns created and produced by BIGSMACK in the last 6 months, the team has been hard at work in the studio. “I couldn’t be more proud of the quality of work that continues to come from Andy and our BIGSMACK team” says Head of Marketing Andrew Kobliska, “The idea generation is endless, and this team truly understands how to create a successful campaign for our clients.”
Credits: Project: Multi-spot promo campaign for the launch of new series “Brain Games” Client: National Geographic Channel SVP/Group Creative Director: Andy Baker CMO: Courteney Monroe Design Director Marketing & Creative: Carla Daeninckx Director Ad Sales & Cause Marketing: Allison Mitchell VP Creative & Consumer Marketing: Emanuele Madeddu Producer: Valerie Carrillo Agency, Production & Post Company: BIGSMACK/New York & Philadelphia Head of Creative: Andy Hann Senior Creative Director: Matt Hall Head of Marketing: Andrew Kobliska Executive Producers: Heidi Erney, Kevin Lahr Senior Producer: Rich DiNublia Senior Writer/Producer: Laura Gillespie Production Coordinator: Meg Hughes Director: Andy Hann EFX Director: Matt Hall DP: Andrew Turman Line Producer: Larry Schwartz Design/Animators: Jason Harmon, Rick Malwitz Graphic Artist: Dan Hoffman Editor: Mark Farkas Mixers: Bob Schachner, Mike Taylor Colorist: Janet Falcon
Last Wednesday night's back-to-back season premieres of "Duck Dynasty" became the #1 telecasts in network history! An astonishing 8.6 million viewers tuned in to see America's favorite family, making "Duck Dynasty" the #1 nonfiction series on cable. Perhaps even more impressive is the record-shattering 5.0 million adults 18-49 and 4.9 million adults 25-54 who tuned in; as well as the incredibly successful Social Media campaign that led up to the premiere.
The original press release and "The Quack is Back" spot below:
The creative team at A&E called on long-time collaborators at entertainment agency BIGSMACK to help conceive, write and produce a hilarious Season 3 promotional campaign for their biggest runaway hit in the cable net’s history: “Duck Dynasty.” Under the creative leadership of Head Creative Andy Hann and Senior Creative Director Matt Hall, the BIGSMACK team collaborated with A&E’s in-house team to write, produce, and post for an extensive campaign, that is being rolled out now, as a daily countdown to the launch of the third season on February 27th at 10/9c.
Hann and director Scott Whitham co-direct an unbelievable 21 spots in just two days. The BIGSMACK team shot in the deep rural bayou of Louisiana in the dead of winter, up against tremendous challenges. To view a selection of the creative results, go here: http://wdrv.it/VVWojD
“’Duck Dynasty’ has literally become a phenomenon for A&E, being their highest rated show to date,” says BIGSMACK’s Hann. “It has huge fan appeal, so we were thrilled when they asked us to take a crack at what appeared to be the impossible. We jumped right in with the A&E Senior Creatives Maria Pecoraro and Keith Kopnicki, and fleshed out and wrote a mountain of scripts over the course of a week. Kudos to the A&E marketing and creative team, who worked many weekends and late night hours to make sure this was a successful campaign. This project was a great opportunity for BIGSMACK to show what our company can do, pulling from all of our resources to make this roll-out campaign a reality, and a funny one at that.”
One of the most successful reality series currently on television, “Duck Dynasty” features the Robertson’s, a Louisiana bayou family living the American dream as they operate a thriving business while staying true to their family values and lifestyle. After creative concepting and writing In New York and Philadelphia was complete, the BIGSMACK production team flew down south from the east coast. They were met with seven inches rain soaked roads in early January, and show fans appearing on-set to get a peek at the Robertson’s, known for their signature long beards. CD Hann and Whitham directed the 21 spots with just two days to shoot the show’s main characters. Strategically planning the logistics for the shoot, they had two crews shoot simultaneously at an enormous Bayou location in Monroe, Louisiana.
“We went in with a plan of course, but due to the volume of spots, unpredictable weather and an unfamiliar location, a lot of adjustments and improv had to happen in Monroe days and hours before the shoot,” explains BIGSMACK’s Head of Marketing Andrew Kobliska. Mud soaked roads, trucks and equipment coming from hundreds of miles away, and crew arriving the night before were part of the challenges the production team was up against. “While Andy was directing one spot, he had to think about the next two spots so we could have a crew set things up ahead of time. The crew was awesome: great hustle; great attitude. The DP's Andrew Turman and Patrick Loungway were absolutely incredible. Because of the circumstances, the DP's had to act essentially as Co-Directors, and they really came through. The members of the Robertson family were all good sports. They hung in there with us and they were willing to do whatever we asked, which included being submerged in freezing water! They have natural talent, and great comedic timing. They really are a wonderful, funny family, which is why they are loved by so many fans worldwide.”
Credits: Project: 21-spot promo campaign for the launch of “Duck Dynasty,” Season 3 Client: A&E EVP, Head of Marketing: Guy Slattery Sr. Creative Director. Brand Creative: Maria Pecoraro Senior Writer/Producer: Keith Kopnicki Director of Operations, Brand Creative: Brett DiPretoro
Advertising Agency: BIGSMACK Executive Creative Director: Andy Hann Head of Marketing: Andrew Kobliska Executive Producers: Heidi Erney, Kevin Lahr Writers: Tom Pace, Joe Nelms, Bob Shea, Andy Hann, Laura Gillespie
Production Company: BIGSMACK Directors: Andy Hann, Scott Whitham DPs: Andrew Turman, Patrick Loungway Producer/AD: Michael Dean AD: Nick Conway
Editorial Company: BIGSMACK Senior Creative Director: Matt Hall Senior Writer/Producer: Laura Gillespie Designer/Animator: Rick Malwitz, Jason Harmon Editor: Rob Graham Sound Engineer: Bob Schachner
Wendell Phillips, a young paleontologist and geologist, headed one of the largest archaeological expeditions to remote South Arabia (present-day Yemen) from 1949 to 1951. Accompanied by some of the leading scholars, scientists, and technicians of the day, Phillips was on a quest to uncover two ancient cities — Timna, the capital of the once-prosperous Qataban kingdom, and Marib, the reputed home of the legendary Queen of Sheba — that had flourished along the fabled incense road some 2,500 years earlier.
Phillips stands with Yemeni men, including Sheik Al-Barhi (center), a leader of the Bal Harith tribe, and a child in the desert. Courtesy American Foundation for the Study of ManExhibition Highlights
Through a selection of unearthed objects as well as film and photography shot by the expedition team, the exhibition highlights Phillips’s key finds, recreates his adventures (and misadventures), and conveys the thrill of discovery on this important great archaeological frontier.
Plaque with inscription and phiale held in protruding right hand Yemen; mid-1st century BCE Bronze Gift of The American Foundation for the Study of Man, Wendell and Merilyn Phillips Collection, S2013.2.203 On view will be eyewitness videos, photos, diaries and first-hand documents alongside over 80 of the most important documented collection of Yemeni artifacts outside of the country, dating from the 8th century BCE to 2nd century CE.
The exhibition will highlight a famed pair of striding Hellenistic bronze lions surmounted by a figure of Eros, the Greek god of love. Known as the “Lions of Timna,” the skillfully cast sculptural forms — once featured on Yemeni currency — exemplify the vibrant cultural exchange between the Qataban and Greek empires, and inscriptions on its base allow researchers to reconstruct the home it came from and explore familial relationships of its affluent owners.
Head of a woman (known as Miriam) Yemen; mid-1st century CE Alabaster, stucco and lapis lazuli Gift of The American Foundation for the Study of Man, Wendell and Merilyn Phillips Collection, S2013.2.44 Also featured is an iconic translucent alabaster head of a young woman, with lapis lazuli eyebrows and an Egyptian hairstyle. Unearthed in the cemetery of Timna, the head was named “Miriam” after the daughter of a member of the expedition.
Other excavated objects featured include precious incense burners, delicately carved alabaster ibexes, finely articulated funerary sculpture, and a wealth of inscriptions that offer unprecedented insight into the life and times of the ancient people of Arabia.
Where: The Arthur M. Sackler Gallery
When: Oct. 11, 2014 to June 7, 2015
Source: Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery [August 06, 2014]
The new Volkswagen Polo. It's a confidence thing. The TVC takes a whimsical look at one of the leading scenarios in which confidence is key at approaching potential partners - and provides characters with the confidence that can only come from the most confident of drives, the Volkswagen Polo.
Creative Credits: Ad Agency: DDB Sydney Director: Tim Bullock Chief Creative Officer: Toby Talbot Creative Group Head/ Copywriter: Simon Veksner Creative Group Head/ Art Director: Noah Regan Executive Producer: Adrian Shapiro Head of Broadcast: Brenden Johnson Planner: Sam Payne Agency Producer: Claire Seffrin Managing Director: Nicole Taylor Production Company: Bullock Line Producer: Julianne Shelton Digital agency: Tribal DDB Media agency: Mediacom
DDB New York just launched a new global campaign, featuring supermodel Miranda Kerr, for Reebok's new Skyscape shoe...and looks looks stunning in it.
Official Press: Reebok, the fitness brand at the center of women’s footwear innovations for more than 30 years, today revealed its new campaign with international supermodel Miranda Kerr for its new shoe, Skyscape. Created using new materials and techniques for a feeling of unparalleled comfort, the international style icon kicks off a global integrated marketing campaign for the shoe, which is so comfortable, you’ll forget you have it on.
An everyday shoe for active and casual wear, Skyscape features 360 degrees of foam comfort in a fun, flirty silhouette that pairs perfectly with jeans, skirts or yoga pants. The challenge behind Skyscape was to create a stylish shoe that would keep women comfortable when they are on their feet all day running errands, meeting friends, commuting to work or going to the gym. Rather than just thinking about comfort underneath the foot, Reebok wanted the foot to be enveloped in comfort. In the research and development phase, Reebok looked to other industries for inspiration. For the pillow-like design of the sole of the shoe, the inspiration came from the home furnishings industry, while for the upper, the inspiration came from the lingerie industry – and specifically, molded foam bras.
The Skyscape upper is crafted using the same manufacturing techniques and processes as molded foam bras, but using materials that have been optimized for the stresses and strains placed on the feet all day. The seamless, 2-way stretch material creates a soft, comfortable envelope around the top and sides of the foot, while allowing for natural foot movement and breathability. The sole of the shoe resembles cloud-like pillows, and provide cushioning, comfort and flexibility for all-day comfort. The flirty lace-up silhouette comes in a broad range of colors to match any outfit or mood.
A fully integrated marketing campaign featuring style icon Miranda Kerr will launch the shoe, which hits retail outlets globally in March. With TV, print, retail, PR an digital components, the campaign works on all channels to demonstrate the way Skyscape feels and will have women everywhere wondering about the shoe that’s so comfortable, you’ll forget you have it on. Both the film and static elements of the campaign playfully center on this idea and were brought to life by legendary fashion photographer Gilles Bensimon, who captured the static imagery, and famed music video director Dave Myers who shot the TVC. DDB New York is the creative agency behind the campaign.
“I’m on the move all day so it’s important to have a pair of shoes that balance comfort, style and practicality,” said Miranda Kerr. “My Skyscape shoes are a wardrobe staple that come with me everywhere I go, they’re the perfect in-between shoe to wear to work, running errands or to the gym, and because they’re lightweight and compact they’re also great for travel. Skyscapes come in a range of fashionable colors so there’s a pair for every outfit!”
Martina Jahrbacher, Head of Reebok Walking, commented, “Reebok has a rich heritage in developing product especially for women and of looking outside of the footwear industry for the newest techniques, and I am proud to say that we have done it again with Skyscape. It took us more than two years to complete this shoe, as we were dedicated to creating a shoe that will perfectly support our active female consumer and, at the same time, was unlike any other shoe in the industry. At Reebok, we’re constantly looking for new ways to develop the best footwear and the innovative processes we’ve incorporated to develop Skyscape have created a shoe that you really have to try on to believe.”
Creative Credits: Ad Agency: DDB New York Campaign: “Layers Off” Client: Reebok Product: SkyScape Celebrity Spokesperson: Miranda Kerr
Chief Creative Officer: Matt Eastwood Creative Director, Art: Mariana Costa Creative Director, Copy: Julie Beasley Head of Production: Ed Zazzera Senior Producer: Heidi Baltzer Senior Business Manager: Lynda Blaney-Smith Global Business Director: Chris Tussing Management Supervisor: Damaris Marszalek Account Supervisor: Amanda Foderaro
Production Company: Radical Media Director: Dave Meyers Executive Producer: Jim Bouvet, Maya Brewster Head of Production: Frank Dituri Producer: Carla Tate
Editorial: Rock Paper Scissors Editor: Mikkel Neilsen Executive Producer: Eve Kornblum
Troy Polamalu is the piano man in Head & Shoulders newest commercial entitled "Virtuoso." Watch as Troy digs deep into his being to discuss his love of classical music and Head & Shoulders Deep Clean. While he tickles the ivories, we all learn a little something about how deep a man can really be.
Credits:
Advertising Agency: Saatchi & Saatchi, USA Chief Creative Officer: Con Williamson Creative Director/Copywriter: Neil Levin Creative Director/Art Director: Michael Vaughan Executive Producer: Gregory Hall Production Company: Harvest Films Director: The Hoffman Brothers
Director of Photography: Stefan Czapsky Executive Producer: Rob Sexton Line Producer: Francie Moore Editing House: Cosmo Street Editor:Craig Deardoff Producer: Jen Parik Executive: ProducerMaura Woodward Visual Effects Company: 3 NY NY VFX Flame Artist/Creative Director: Randie Swanberg Executive Producer: Angela Lupo Producer: Matthew Engele
The University of Oklahoma wanted to position its new cancer center as the best in the region with a message of hope. Milwaukee agency BVK didn't want a maudlin ad full of hand holding, hugs, and worried children. "How do we do another spot about hope that feels fresh?" asks creative director Mike Holicek. They chose to focus on the hair loss that comes with chemotherapy—an often traumatic experience for women, who feel they are losing their femininity. Their 60-second spot flips that script: It opens with a woman at her lowest point, alone at dawn, head bald, a tear falling down her cheek. Then, as she goes about her morning routine, her hair grows back, little by little, scene by scene, until she has a full head of hair. The change is so gradual that there's a sudden moment of recognition when the viewer realizes what is happening—a spark of delight that hints at the longer glow of hope the client can provide.
COPYWRITING: The ad is understated and uncomplicated—ordinary domestic scenes with "little moments of real life that are not spectacular," says director Rafael Fernandez. The woman showers, dresses, and makes a sandwich for her daughter. "It's the mother's struggle, it's her moment," explains BVK executive creative director Rich Kohnke. The action takes place over several months, but it's shot as though it were a single morning—which makes the healing process feel quietly magical. At the end, a female voiceover says: "When you have every resource for beating cancer, you have every reason for hope. Pioneering research and treatments from the new cancer center at OU Medicine. Another level of medicine." On-screen copy adds: "Oklahoma's only comprehensive cancer center," followed by the OU Medicine logo and Web address.
ART DIRECTION: The woman's hair is the main visual motif. The agency considered using CGI to show the hair growing continuously. That felt over the top. Instead, Fernandez shot everything in camera. He filmed the scenes in reverse order, and had the actress cut her hair between each one—seven trims in all. The spot begins in gloomy dark blues, and then brightens—but not excessively. "We wanted to stay within the same universe and just come to the brighter version of that world," says Fernandez.
FILMING: The ad was shot in a single day in a house in the Brentwood section of Los Angeles. The camerawork is subtle and elegant. "Most of the shots have just a little bit of floating to them," says Fernandez. "It has that feeling that you're witnessing these scenes as a person there."
TALENT: The actress, Heather Ann Smith, was able to transition from despair to measured hope with simple movements and gestures. For the first scene (the last one shot), Fernandez helped to get Smith in the mind-set by narrating a piece of text he had written about "what I thought would go through someone's mind who is faced with a situation where the hopes and dreams of their life may never come to fruition." Shaving one's head is a drastic move for an actress, but after shooting, Smith landed a role on Torchwood that called for short hair. She also had the support of her fiancé, even though their wedding was approaching.
SOUND: The composer, Bryan Mir, came up with a Spanish-flavored acousticguitar track that the creatives felt, against all odds, fit perfectly. The client hated it. They went with an acoustic guitar track that was more toned down.
MEDIA: Broadcast and cable across Oklahoma and into neighboring states, where there aren't other major medical centers.
Credits: Client: OU Medicine Agency: BVK, Milwaukee Executive Creative Director: Rich Kohnke Creative Directors: Mike Holicek/Mike Scalise Writer: Mike Holicek Art Director: Rich Kohnke Agency Producer: Allison Lockwood Account Supervisor: Tricia Lewis Account Executive: Ali Dawe Director: Rafael Fernandez, Green Dot Films Editor: Bryan Mir @ Blend Studios, Milwaukee Colorist: Mike Matusek @ Nolo Digital Film in Chicago Music: Bryan Mir @ Blend Studios, Milwaukee Sound Design/Audio Mix: Steve Kultgen @ Independent Studios in Milwaukee via: Tim Nudd | Adweek
Jennifer Watts, account director at Brandworks International, left, and Scott Morris, media manager at Mindshare Media MICHELLE SIU PHOTO Ad Agency Wars III is set for Wednesday in Toronto!
A year ago, Scott Morris’s typical Friday wind-down with colleagues would have involved beer, pizza and more beer.
Morris, the media manager at Mindshare Media Canada, still ushers in the weekend with members of Toronto’s advertising community. But for the past three months their fellowship has been devoted to toughening up for a charity boxing event.
Agency Wars III, which takes place at the Arcadian Court this Wednesday, will see 24 men and women from 14 local ad agencies square off to raise money for Ronald McDonald House and the National Advertising Benevolent Society.
The participants, who train with professional coaches, actually become qualified amateur boxers sanctioned by Boxing Ontario for the sold-out event.
One of the final training sessions found a broad range of ad industry employees, from art directors to CFOs and copywriters, drilling down at The Boxing Loft in the Entertainment District.
Morris, 31, had spent last Friday fine-tuning ideas for his Ford Fusion portfolio for next year. But come dusk, he was focused on his upcoming bout with Jason Kan, motion graphics designer at Teehan+Lax.
Even before stepping into the ring for their three two-minute rounds, Morris has already earned bragging rights: he’s shed 35 pounds since training began in September and can now execute at least 40 pushups and an eight-minute mile.
“I’ve never done anything like this in my life,” said Morris as he took a break from light sparring inside the Adelaide St. W. gym. “I feel good. I feel confident. I wake up everyday thinking I’m going to throw up from the nerves, but I just channel past that and stay focused.”
Abs aside, Michael Clancy has seen the long-lasting benefits of exposing his competitive industry’s desk jockeys to the even more cutthroat world of pugilism since he founded Agency Wars three years ago.
“Knowing what to do under fire is really important,” said Clancy, executive creative director for Brandworks. “If you can get into a ring, then you can walk into any boardroom in the world.
“In the ad business, taking care of your stress is really important. And boxing is a spectacular way to do that because you’re not in your head. You have to be very much aware of your body. And hitting a bag, doing that kind of strenuous work, the footwork involved, takes you out of the office and puts you into a very physical place where you do what you’re told. You don’t have to think, and you’ll be fine.”
Clancy, 62, who took out his opponent in the third round, aided by former junior featherweight champ Steve Molitor in his corner, when he fought in 2010, has been the oldest competitor to date in the event, which is taped by Fight Network for later broadcast.
“It’s kind of like a fantasy camp for boxing,” he said. “You get to walk in with your entourage, you get to pick your music and it’s televised.”
Head coach Chris “Mr. Showtime” Johnson, a 1992 Olympic medallist, finds the ad folks “very dedicated.
“They’re hungry. They want it almost to an obsessive stage,” he said. “They believe in perfection, but perfection in a sport like this does not come in three months. It’s taken me almost a lifetime.”
After a 20-minute skipping warm-up, Johnson led the group through various punch combinations, all the while pumping them up for fight night.
“If you get a chance to hit someone, hit ’em hard, because if they get the chance they’re going to hit you hard,” he exhorted.
From his ringside perch, returning announcer Jeromy Lloyd, Marketing Magazine’s online editor, has seen a fight or two stopped for split eyebrows and swollen eyes. He’ll be decked out as usual in a rented tux, but without a catchy “let’s get ready to rumble”-style tag line.
“I’m so scared of trotting on someone else’s intellectual property and getting the event sued,” he explained.
The creative team at Brandworks came up with the nickname “Da Boss (a.k.a. The Shot-caller)” for one of their fighters, Jennifer Watts, and selected their Christmas party favourite, LMFAO’s “Shots,” as her entrance music.
Now endowed with an eight-pack and the ability to do “at least 20 real pushups,” thanks to the rigorous 12-week training, the 6-foot-2 account director is pumped to face off against Mindshare media manager Christina Mirabelli.
“My strategy,” said the trash-talking Watts, 30, “is to keep her back with these long arms so she does not get near my face — and punch her in the head.”
The Tommy Hilfiger Group, which is wholly owned by PVH Corp. (NYSE: PVH), announces its Fall 2013 global advertising campaign, cärpe-díem mañana, featuring The Hilfigers – the beloved all-American family at the heart of the brand’s marketing strategy. The new campaign finds Chloe setting off for college, and when one of the The Hilfigers’ youngest moves on campus to start her first year, the whole group of eclectic characters tags along to help her settle in. The campus is teeming with new faces as several new characters join the family shenanigans.
Now in its seventh season, The Hilfigers campaign remains the ultimate personification of the preppy heritage and irreverent spirit of the Tommy Hilfiger brand. The campaign is photographed by Craig McDean, styled by Karl Templer and creatively directed by Trey Laird of Laird + Partners.
“Collegiate traditions and the preppy, Ivy League look were some of my earliest design inspirations and the starting point for our signature style,” said Tommy Hilfiger. “It was exciting to shoot this campaign at a location that embodies our brand heritage. There’s no better setting to highlight the collegiate prep inspirations, British sartorial influences and rich Anglo fabrics of the Fall 2013 runway collections.”
For Fall 2013, a select group of bloggers were invited to the campaign shoot where they were given behind the scenes access to the collection and Fall 2013 shoot. The bloggers were styled in looks from the collection before they were photographed alongside The Hilfigers, integrating these bloggers into the campaign experience and allowing them to develop exclusive content for their websites and social media channels. The bloggers announced the campaign to their global audiences just days before the images broke in September books.
Adding a new layer to the seasonal campaign, Lisa Birnbach, author of the The Official Preppy Handbook, created spirited, individualized head-to-toe descriptions for each character’s unique style that play on brand’s preppy-with-a-twist heritage. The quintessential cast of college characters includes the “Natty Professor,” the “A-Student,” the “Bookworm,” the “Ice Queen,” the “Après Dude,” the “Professional Student,” the “Social Chair,” the “Field Tripper,” the “Alum Prez,” the “Teacher’s Pet” and the “All American.” The head-to-toe images, accompanied by Lisa’s playful depictions, will be included in multi-page inserts in select September books, outdoor advertising and on tommy.com.
“Lisa Birnbach is a true prep connoisseur and the perfect person to characterize The Hilfigers’ unique prep style,” said Tommy Hilfiger. “I’ve loved working with Lisa throughout the years and we are excited to have her prep expertise included in this campaign season.”
“The Hilfigers continue to personify the global creative vision for the brand,” said Avery Baker, Chief Marketing Officer for The Tommy Hilfiger Group. “This season we’re incorporating new content elements that celebrate the brand’s history of infusing an unexpected twist to preppy tradition. Lisa Birnbach’s playful depictions of the family’s iconic prep style add further emphasis to the youthful irreverence that has long been at the heart of the Tommy Hilfiger brand, while our global blogger partnerships celebrate the increasingly international outlook of preppy style in a way only Tommy Hilfiger has achieved. The Hilfigers campaign resonates globally with our consumers now more than ever and we are excited to continue bringing fans of the brand engaging, shoppable content each season.”
Photographed in a preppy, collegiate setting with hair by Eugene Souleiman, and makeup by Mark Carrasquillo, the campaign features a similar cast of eclectic characters from past campaigns: Jacquelyn Jablonski, Bernard Fouquet, Chloe Blackshire, Arthur Kulkov, Julia Hafstrom, Lea Sorensen, Toni Garrn, Thomas Gledhill, Kim D, Sacha M'Baye, Tidiou M'Baye, Viggo Jonasson, Jourdan Dunn, Tian Yi and two Basset Hounds named Morgan IV and V. New additions to the family this season include Sasha Luss, Cora Emmanuel, Katya Riabinkina, Benjamin Eidem, RJ King and Marlon Teixeira.
“The heart of The Hilfigers campaigns is all about storytelling, and this season we really tried to take it to the next level,” said Trey Laird, Laird + Partners Chief Executive and Creative Officer. “With Chloe headed off to college, the whole clan descended on campus en masse! The university setting provided the ideal backdrop for not only that perfect fall collegiate feeling, but also new characters to bring it all to life.”
Cärpe-díem mañana will break worldwide Fall 2013 as a multi-media program with an online, print, outdoor and social media presence. The advertising campaign will break in September 2013 issues starting July 23 with full print ads running globally in key fashion publications such as Vanity Fair, Vogue, InStyle, ELLE, Glamour, GQ, Men’s Health and Esquire; multi-page inserts will be featured in select issues. New York City; key European cities such as London, Paris and Milan; and top districts in Hong Kong will have outdoor campaigns. Tommy.com and the brand’s Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube channels will feature the campaign images and video. For European consumers, a new feature on tommy.com will allow fans of the brand to seamlessly shop and discover the iconic Tommy Hilfiger products, collaborations and new collections.
The Windy City Showdown begins with New Era's TV ad featuring Nick Offerman and Craig Robinson. The duo go head to head in this long-standing MLB rivalry between the Chicago Cubs and Chicago White Sox. Credits: Agency: Brooklyn Brothers Client: New Era Director: Scott Gairdner Writer: The Brooklyn Brothers Writer: Funny or Die's Gifted Youth Producer: The Brooklyn Brothers Production Company: Funny or Die's Gifted Youth Director of Photgraphy: Dave Jones Editorial Company: NO6 Editor: Jason Macdonald Editor: Justin Quagliata Executive Producer: Toni Lipari VFX: Ed Skupeen Graphics: Transistor Studios Sound: Audio Engine Sound Engineer: Carl Mandelbaum
Ever thought you had what it takes to win a cooking competition? For the 11th year in a row, San Pellegrino is kicking off its celebrated Almost Famous Chefs Competition.
This one-of-a-kind competition brings together culinary students from across the United States and Canada to compete head-to-head in 10 regional challenges. Regional winners will go on to compete against nine others at the culinary finals in Napa Valley where they'll participate in a wide variety of heats, including: the Mystery Basket Competition, the Signature Dish Competition, the People’s Choice Award and Acqua Panna®Fan Favorite.
You can follow these young chefs as they start their culinary journey to Napa. More information on the Almost Famous Chefs Competition here: http://www.almostfamouschef.com/
The Maya are one of the oldest cultures in the world. This exhibition is all about the magnificent artistic forms of expression of the Maya. With a collection of around 300 works of art, including many Mexican national treasures, it displays the fundamental aspects of pre-Hispanic art: the body and the physique are central to this exhibition.
The Maya present their vision of life using various materials and techniques from their daily life, splendid buildings and works of art. They describe their relationship with gods, their everyday existence, their literature, their astronomy, their music and their dances. What often dominates these works is an idealised notion of humanity, which the Maya retained not only in their conception of humans and the ideal of beauty, but also in the location of mankind in the cosmos.
Levi's newest Go Forth commercial ad campaign for 2012 entitled "Thread", the spot features "This Is A Pair Of Levi's" a 60 second spoken word poem, written by W+K copywriter Erin Swanson.
This is a pair of Levi's®, buttons and rivets and pockets and cuffs,
and the thread that holds it together.
When the road gets rough and the sky gets jumpy and the stars start falling on top of your head and the waves start breaking against your legs;
It's the thread in your seams that's tied to your dreams.
It's the sole in your feet that keep the beat;
You're gonna be great, you're gonna be great, you're gonna be great; You're gonna find the cure, you're gonna be famous, you're gonna be shameless. Spittin' seeds in the wind, tap dancing with your shoe laces pinned, to the back of a bus at the end of the road, at the bottom of the ninth, with a crown on your head
You're a queen, you're a king, you're the solo act in a sold out show at a six story stadium, and you're proud, you're a hero! You got a hero's grip. Swingin' by a single stitch. You follow your heart, follow the leader, you're the leader;
Are you joking, are you breaking, are you shaking? You're the next living leader of the world. You're a kid. Holding onto the thread. That holds it together.
This is a pair of Levi's®
Credits: Ad Agency Wieden + Kennedy Directed by Lance Acord Copywriter: Erin Swanson Creative director: Tyler Whisnand
Original story via Jeff Green, Toronto Star reporter.
Toronto’s terrible commuters, you’ve been warned: move your bags or get ready for some public shaming. A lifelong TTC rider has turned to social media, taking aim at seat hogs on the TTC. He’s created a new blog, posting photos of riders who steal an extra seat for their lunch bags, purses, backpacks and even dogs. “I hope your bag is comfortable, a--hole” is a Tumblr blog self-described as “a passive-aggressive reminder that people are the worst.” “All I’m doing is saying what you’re saying in your head, out loud,” said the blog’s creator, Michael Takasaki, 42, with a laugh. He admits the language he uses to criticize people’s subway etiquette can be a bit foul, but says he’s just saying what everyone is thinking.
“Why not just call it what it is?” he asks.
Created in March, the blog has more than 40 photos of riders with everything from their lunches to purses, grocery bags, a hockey helmet, a mop bucket and a dog taking up an extra seat on buses, streetcars or the subway. Photos aren’t just taken by Takasaki himself; he’s also receiving and publishing online submissions from other, similarly disgruntled riders. Takasaki, who works as a senior copywriter, said there’s been a bit of backlash to the public shaming, but for the most part the response has been positive — even from TTC’s head office. “Public transit requires public contributions that go beyond fares/taxes. Thank you for your contribution,” tweeted TTC spokesman Brad Ross. “The public does have a say, and they’re not shy in letting us know,” Ross said Thursday. Takasaki said he’s not the confrontational type, and that he’s doesn’t want to lecture people on how to ride the rocket, though he tries to be a good example. “I could be the only person on the subway and my bag is on my lap,” Takasaki said. “This isn’t an anti-bag-on-seat thing for me, it’s an anti-a--hole thing.” Takasaki said he’ll keep the blog going until he’s bored of it. While he’s aware people have called him a whiner and advised him to pull up his “big boy pants,” he doesn’t seem to mind. “Don’t take it too seriously,” said Takasagi. “I certainly don’t.”
The TTC Rider shame site — http://ihopeyourbagiscomfortableasshole.tumblr.com/ Michael is a Sr. Copywriter at Union, see some of the great work he has done for clients like Nabob, Audi and Pro-Line here at www.mikeandglen.com
Southern Comfort is back with a new commercial, "Patio" features the coolest guy on the beach, aka Speedo Man. The second ad from the "Whatever's Comfortable" campaign again uses the song "Hit Or Miss" by Odetta and our comfortable cool dude in his now famous brown speedo being as cool as ever.
See the spot that started it all for Speedo Man HERE.
Credits: Ad Title: Southern Comfort "Whatever's Comfortable" Patio Ad Agency: Wieden + Kennedy New York Executive Creative Director: Ian Reichenthal and Scott Vitrone Creative Director: Scott Vitrone and Ian Reichenthal Head of Content Production: Lora Schulson Copywriter: Nick Kaplan Art Director: Jeff Dryer Producer: Alison Hill Head of Brand Strategy: Stuart Smith Digital Strategist: Marshall Ball Brand Strategist: Ben Alter Production Company: Biscuit Filmworks Director: Tim Godsall Director of Photography: Edu Grau Editorial Company: MacKenzie Cutler Editor: Gavin Cutler VFX Company: Suspect Telecine Company: CO3 Mix Company: Heard City Music Supervision Company: Good Ear Music Supervision Song: Odetta — "Hit Or Miss"
Whole Foods Market puts it's farm-to-market shopping experience on display in their latest commercial: Food, From A Happy Place that is set to a delightful remake Halle Petro's "The Green Grows All Around" song.
Credits: Creative Ad Agency: Olson CCO: Dennis Ryan Client: Whole Foods Market ECD: Mike Fetrow Group Creative Head: Jeff Berg Creative Director: Nina Orezzoli Copywriter: Monique Thomas Senior Designer: Lindsey Wright Designer: Jesse Mitchell Head of Broadcast: Joel Dodson Producer: Henni Iwarsson Prod. Co.: Park Pictures Director: Terri Timely Line Producer: David Lambert Editorial: Butcher Edit Music: Nylon Studios Color: Company 3 Online: Drive Thru Final Mix: Pixel Farm
What happens when old school goes head to head with new school in a battle of speed and wits? Leonard Nimoy takes on newbie Zachary Quinto and his all-new Audi S7 in the latest web film ad that get's all Spock vs Spock a la Star Trek on us.
Credits: Creative Ad Agency: PMK-BN Directorial Team: Paulilu
