Everything about this spot is literally under the table, but the end result is aboveboard humor. The table is at a posh restaurant, where a young man sits agonizing over how to propose matrimony to his gal. The small jewelry box in his hands presumably contains an engagement ring for the prospective bride. Although his is the only pair of legs we see, an empty chair waits invitingly at his knee.
Nervously fiddling with the box on his lap, the man rapidly improvises several attempts at The Question: "Will you please accept my hand in marriage?" He opens the box, revealing the ring—and the logo of Becker’s Diamonds and Fine Jewelry.
"Uh … Will you accept me in marriage?" he tries again, opening the box—then snapping it shut on his finger. "Pathetic," he scorns.
"You want to get married?" he jauntily inquires, once more revealing the ring, and Becker’s logo. "Lame," he chastises, closing the box.
"Would you be my next wife?" he offers, then giggles in despair. This proposal needs a lot of practice.
We never see the man’s face—only his legs and fidgety hands. Then the ad cuts to a large shot of a diamond mounted on a ring. The voiceover admonishes, "You’ll put a lot of thought into getting the proposal right. Come to Becker’s, and get the diamond right, too."
The spot goes back to its under-the-table perspective. The returning woman’s voice cheerfully demands, "Soooo, what’s for dessert?" The man’s voice cracks, and the table shakes, as he jumps up to respond—only to stutter inarticulately. The spot concludes with a super identifying Becker’s as the special store for that perfect piece of jewelry.
"Rehearsal" was directed by Jim Nikodemski of Moving Pictures Video & Film, Glastonbury, Conn. Nikodemski also served as executive producer on the job, which was produced by Becky Benedict and shot by DP Robert Chappell.
The commercial was conceived by a creative team at KGA Advertising, Middletown, Conn., comprising creative director Steve Culton, art director Paul Emery, copywriter Doretta Wildes and producer Kristen Desnoyers.
Winni Quast served as offline editor, and Cathy Jackman as online editor, both via Moving Pictures Video & Film. Colorist was Bill Willig of Image Editorial, New York. Bill Ahearn of Hartford, Conn.-based Tapeworks mixed the audio.
