One of the surprise hit ads during this year’s Super Bowl was the heart-warming Coke spot “Security Camera,” featuring actual security camera footage of random acts of kindness set to the classic rock staple “Give A Little Bit” by Supertramp. Looking to share that warmth with movie audiences further north, global brand services agency Tag Worldwide turned to audio post production house HOBO Audio to craft an immersive 7.1 audio mix of the spot designed for Canadian theatrical release.
In addition, Tag awarded HOBO the 7.1 audio mix for the CG-laden Coke Zero spot “Liquid Dream,” featuring animation from French VFX studio BUF, also for Canadian theatrical release.
“Coke always does amazing ads, and ‘Security Camera‘ and ‘Liquid Dream‘ are no exceptions,” Howard Bowler, President of HOBO says. “From both a creative and technical standpoint, these spots were a huge opportunity. There are only a few studios in New York that have the technical expertise to do a 7.1 mix, and we’re proud to be one of them.”
Punk History
Flying below the radar while making significant creative contributions to the world of audio post, HOBO mirrors Bowler’s own professional career. He started as a performing musician at the iconic CBGBs, sharing the stage with Talking Heads, Blondie, AC/DC, The Ramones, and others. Leaping from stage to the production chair, he tweaked the faders to produce a top 40 single and two LPs for A&M Records. After running the in-house post facility at agency Grey Worldwide, New York, Bowler founded HOBO in 2006. With a growing staff and client list, HOBO has earned the trust of some of the most iconic brands and companies in the world.
Coke Challenges
Solving the technical and creative challenges behind the Coke 7.1 cinema ads fell to the capable hands of HOBO’s VP and Senior Audio Engineer Chris Stangroom. Working from just a stereo mix of the “Security Camera” spot, and separate stereo mixes of music and sound design with “Liquid Dream,” Stangroom began the process by first upmixing to 5.1 before adding the additional rear speakers that make 7.1 a 360-degree listening experience.
“Whenever you upmix, it’s crucial to stay true to the original idea behind the experience,” Stangroom says. “With ‘Security Camera,’ which is based on a live recording by Supertramp frontman Roger Hodgson, we wanted to maintain the energetic feel of the song throughout and have the music completely surround viewers. With ‘Liquid Dream,’ I needed to determine the best solution for sound placement given all of the speakers – we had so many good options.”
Stangroom has sound designed and mixed numerous commercials for clients like Coke, Verizon, Nikon, Audible.com, Smirnoff and Vidal Sassoon. He also serves as Supervising Sound Editor and Re-Recording Mixer on several TV series and films each year.
While audio mixing software has made the transition from stereo to surround sound easier, for Stangroom there’s still no substitute for experience.
“If you rely solely on upmix plug-ins, the results can sound terrible,” he adds. “You have to consider the music style and the tone of the spot overall. The technology offers a good starting point, but from there it’s up to the engineer to make the listening experience truly immersive and entertaining.”
About HOBO Audio
HOBO Audio is an audio post production company dedicated to creating an exceptional listening experience. With a growing staff and client list, HOBO has earned the trust of some of the most iconic brands and co
