Mission (seemingly) Impossible: To create an entertaining campaign that builds public awareness of a new 8,500-space parking garage for the Baltimore Washington International (BWI) Airport.
The task force for this mission consisted of agency The Campbell Group, Baltimore, and the directing collective known as Truckstop—Matt Pittroff, Jeff Schmale and Jason Hubert—of Baltimore-based The Truckstop Motion Picture Co.
They teamed up to do two spots, including "Jump On In," which opens on a sporty convertible parked in a garage complex with its top down. A couple of suitcases are situated on the ground behind the car, and at first it appears as if someone has inadvertently left his or her luggage there, perhaps in a hurry to get to the airport.
But then that someone appears, a svelte female who runs into the picture and vaults over the driver’s side door in a feeble attempt to land in the driver’s seat properly. Instead, the wannabe Charlie’s Angel falls into the car awkwardly, nearly injuring herself. Undaunted, she tries again, but winds up in an almost upside-down position in her car.
Perseverance, though, doesn’t go without reward. Her third attempt proves to be the charm as she hurtles herself toward the car again and this time makes a successful, butt-first landing in the driver’s seat.
A voiceover puts this odd behavior into a marketing context: "The new Daily A Garage at BWI. Closer parking. Shorter shuttles. Time to spare."
The other spot, "Field Goal," has a similar theme—it shows the way two guys use the extra time they gain from parking at the new airport-area garage. At first, it looks like a robbery is going on—one of the guys, standing next to a car parked in the garage, has his arms raised in the air. The other guy, who stands on the other side of the car, licks his finger and puts it up in the air to gauge the wind, then gets behind the wheel. He turns on the car’s windshield wipers, which knock a paper football through his friend’s outstretched arms. "It’s up and it’s good!" exclaims the guy in the car.
Truckstop’s Pittroff additionally served as executive producer for the campaign. Schmale was the DP and Hubert was the lighting director. The spots were shot on location in Baltimore. Marsha Derrickson line produced the job for The Truckstop Motion Picture Co.
The creative ensemble at The Campbell Group consisted of creative director Andy Dumaine; copywriter Tim Hoppin; art director Julie Palaez; and producers Hoppin and Shana Hospelhorn.
Hospelhorn, whose primary role at The Campbell Group is in-house editor, cut the commercials. Online editor was Kirk Davis of PVC, Baltimore. Colorist was Lenny Mastrendrea of Nice Shoes, New York. Audio mixer was Victor Giordano of Clean Cuts, Baltimore. Andrew Eppig, also of Clean Cuts, served as sound designer.
This marks the second time that the Truckstop collective has turned out work that made "The Best Work You May Never See" gallery. Last summer (SHOOT, 7/19/02, p. 11), the Truckstop-helmed Mega Millions Lottery spot, "Bottle," for Eisner Commnications, Baltimore, gained recognition in this section.
