MTV Games, a part of Viacom’s MTV Networks (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), and Apple Corps. Ltd. revealed that The Beatles™: Rock Band™ television commercial was created in partnership with RDA Integrated, New York.
The agency worked closely with film director Marcel Langenegger (“Deception”), GARTNER, and Apple Corps. Ltd. to source archival footage that enabled CG house Smoke & Mirrors New York to bring the actual 1969 Beatles back to appear in the commercial.
The 30-second spot utilizes state-of-the-art technology and never before seen archive footage to bring the 1969 Beatles legendary album cover to life with John, Paul, Ringo and George joined by hundreds of adoring fans. The commercial can be viewed and downloaded at http://www.thebeatlesrockband.com/images/press/video/TVCommercial.mov.
“Our goal with The Beatles: Rock Band campaign was to create a global celebration of The Beatles by offering fans a new way to interact with the music and to introduce The Beatles to a new generation,” said Bob Picunko, Senior Vice President, MTV Games. “We worked very closely with Apple Corp. to assure the ‘Come Together’ TV commercial was an amazing tribute to John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr and the iconic Abbey Road album cover.”
The Global media campaign kicked off on August 31, 2009 and will continue through holiday 2009. The Beatles: Rock Band commercial was also featured during the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards.
In conjunction with the release of the entire, original, digitally re-mastered Beatles CD catalog, The Beatles: Rock Band is currently available worldwide in North America, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and other territories for the Xbox® 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PLAYSTATION® computer entertainment system from Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCEI), and the Wii™ home videogame console from Nintendo. The game is compatible with all Rock Band™ instrument controllers, as well as most Guitar Hero® and other authorized third-party music video game peripherals and microphones.
The Beatles: Rock Band marks the first time that Apple Corps, along with EMI Music, Harrisongs Ltd. and Sony/ATV Music Publishing have agreed to present The Beatles in an interactive video game format. The Beatles: Rock Band is published by MTV Games and developed by Harmonix, the world’s premier music video game company and creators of the best-selling Rock Band.
Credits
Client: MTV Games
Director, Creative: Stephanie D’Ambra
Agency: RDA Integrated
Creative Director: David Rogan
Executive Producer/Account Director: Alicia Parker
Account Executive: Kate Katzenberg
Art Directors: Geovany Sosa, Noel Tabora, Ryan Brown
Director: Marcel Langenegger
Production Company: GARTNER
Executive Producers: Don Block, Rich Carter, Elaine Behnken
Line Producer: Mark Walekjo
DP: Dan Mindel
Production Designer: Danny Butch
Editor: Nelson Leonard
Editorial: NOW Corporation
Assistant Editor: Tripp McCarty
Executive Producer: Nancy Finn
Post/Effects: Smoke & Mirrors New York
Creative Director: Sean Broughton
Producer: Paul O’Beirne
Lead VFX/Flame Artist/VFX Supervisor: Nic Seresin
Flame: Sean Broughton, Philip Akka, Stephanie Isaacson, Sam Caine
CG Supervisor: Stephen Parish
CG: Mike Donovan, Wei Louie, Greg Calas, Serkan Ertekin
Mastergrade: Mark Gethin @ MPC
L.A Sound Design/Music Editing: Giles Martin
Sound Mixing: John Grant @ Madhouse
About Apple Corps. Ltd.
Apple Corps Ltd. was founded by The Beatles in 1968 to look after the group’s own affairs. The London-based company has administered the catalogue of The Beatles releases of the 1960s that have sold to date more than 600 million records, tapes and CDs. Since the 1990s Apple has piloted new Beatles projects that have become benchmarks for pioneering accomplishment and which have included The Beatles Anthology projects, the 28 million-selling album The Beatles 1 and the The Beatles LOVE show and CD. Further information on The Beatles’ projects can be found at http://www.thebeatles.com.
About MTV Networks
MTV Networks, a division of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), is one of the world’s leading creators of entertainment content, with brands that engage and connect diverse audiences across television, online, mobile, games, virtual worlds and consumer products. The company’s portfolio spans more than 150 television channels and 350 digital media properties worldwide, and includes MTV, VH1, CMT, Logo, Harmonix, Nickelodeon, Nick at Nite, Noggin, The N, AddictingGames, Neopets, COMEDY CENTRAL, Spike TV, TV Land, Atom, GameTrailers and Xfire.
About MTV Games
MTV Games is dedicated to creating, marketing and publishing high-quality, innovative interactive products that are relevant to the MTV audience and complement the core values of the MTV Networks brands.
About Harmonix Music Systems, Inc
Harmonix Music Systems, Inc., based in Cambridge, MA, and established in 1995, is the leading developer of groundbreaking music-oriented videogames. Harmonix was founded by Alex Rigopulos and Eran Egozy, who formed the company to invent new ways for non-musicians to experience the unique joy that comes from making music and have pioneered music and rhythm gaming in the US. For more information please visit: http://www.harmonixmusic.com.
About RDA Integrated
RDA Integrated is a full-service agency specializing in creating concepts with consistent messaging across all channels, whether traditional (TV, print, radio, etc.) or digital (Web, social media, mobile, emerging media, etc.).
RDA Integrated is located in Soho, New York. Clients include MTV Games and the Rock Band franchise, W Hotels Worldwide, Aloft Hotels, Element Hotels, NIVEA, NIVEA for Men, Eucerin, Hot Sox, Sony Broadcast and Professional, Tishman Speyer (Rockefeller Center), VeriMore Internet Services, among others. Visit www.rdai.com for more information, and follow RDA Integrated on Twitter/rdaradar.
