By Millie Takaki
A tongue-in-cheek example of the ad biz poking fun at itself, this spot at the same time serves a distinct purpose for Wahoo’s Fish Tacos, as part of a campaign humorously introducing the California fast food chain to the Colorado market.
The focus of this spot is a paper cup proudly emblazoned with the Pepsi logo. It’s like any cup you’d see at a fast-food restaurant, except an overly excited voiceover is heralding it as being "a collector’s cup" representing some of Hollywood’s most famous yet "gratuitous product placement" endeavors. It’s the same cup as seen in such movies as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Flashdance and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.
The cup, continues the voiceover, is absolutely free with the purchase of a Pepsi at participating Wahoo’s—talk about a bargain. A Wahoo’s worker hands a cold Pepsi—in a "collector’s cup"—to a boy, who’s in the restaurant with his buddy. The two young customers are gaga over the cups. They speak slowly and unnaturally, almost as if they are straining to read cue cards.
"Flashdance product placement collector cups are cool," deadpans one lad, holding a plain Pepsi paper cup.
"Very cool," agrees his friend.
The two boys then high-five each other in celebration. A parting shot shows us a row of three identical Pepsi paper cups, next to a Wahoo’s bag presumably containing fish tacos. A voiceover implores us to get to our nearest Wahoo’s and to "collect all three cups." The underlying message is that Wahoo’s is bringing some great tasting food—as well as a slice of California life, in this case, Hollywood—to Colorado.
This product placement concept came from TDA Advertising & Design, Boulder, Colo., the same agency that exhibited a self-deprecating style of industry humor in "Hooker," proclaiming itself as a shop that would never bill clients for sexual prostitutes used by its advertising executives. How’s that for business integrity? "Hooker" also made SHOOT’s "The Best Work You May Never See" gallery (9/8/00, p. 15) and went on to gain recognition last year at The One Show, the British Design and Art Direction competition, and was short-listed at the ’01 Cannes International Advertising Festival.
The TDA creative team behind the new Wahoo’s campaign, which includes "Product Placement Cup," consists of creative director/copywriter Jonathan Schoenberg, art director Thomas Dooley and producer Patrick Sullivan.
The package of three Wahoo’s spots was directed by Sean Leman of Amp, Denver. Producer was Jamie Towns, with Tony McNamara serving as DP.
Editor was Donald Corsiglia of Crosspoint, Lakewood, Colo. Scott Gardiner, also of Crosspoint, was the colorist. Sound designer/audio mixer was Chuck Biddlecom of Post Modern Company, Lakewood.
Alec Baldwin Urges Judge To Stand By Dismissal Of Involuntary Manslaughter Case In “Rust” Shooting
Alec Baldwin urged a New Mexico judge on Friday to stand by her decision to skuttle his trial and dismiss an involuntary manslaughter charge against the actor in the fatal shooting of a cinematographer on the set of a Western movie.
State District Court Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer dismissed the case against Baldwin halfway through a trial in July based on the withholding of evidence by police and prosecutors from the defense in the 2021 shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the film "Rust."
The charge against Baldwin was dismissed with prejudice, meaning it can't be revived once any appeals of the decision are exhausted.
Special prosecutor Kari Morrissey recently asked the judge to reconsider, arguing that there were insufficient facts and that Baldwin's due process rights had not been violated.
Baldwin, the lead actor and co-producer on "Rust," was pointing a gun at cinematographer Halyna Hutchins during a rehearsal when it went off, killing her and wounding director Joel Souza. Baldwin has said he pulled back the hammer — but not the trigger — and the revolver fired.
The case-ending evidence was ammunition that was brought into the sheriff's office in March by a man who said it could be related to Hutchins' killing. Prosecutors said they deemed the ammunition unrelated and unimportant, while Baldwin's lawyers alleged that they "buried" it and filed a successful motion to dismiss the case.
In her decision to dismiss the Baldwin case, Marlowe Sommer described "egregious discovery violations constituting misconduct" by law enforcement and prosecutors, as well as false testimony about physical evidence by a witness during the trial.
Defense counsel says that prosecutors tried to establish a link... Read More