It’s Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom meets College Football Today. That’s the hybrid spirit behind "Tag & Track," a spot promoting the ’99/’00 season for the Golden Gophers, the University of Minnesota’s football team.
The documentary-style, tongue-in-cheek :60 profiles "Dr. Michael Victor Aaron" and his research group as they search the terrain for Angry Gophers—powerful physical specimens that are prone to becoming violent on the football field, delivering punishing hits to the opposing team. Dr. Aaron tracks down a herd of these men running wild in football garb through deserted brush.
Riding alongside them in a jeep, Aaron and his band of "rodentologists" seek to capture one of the Angry Gophers—just long enough to tag him with a uniform number and throw him back on the gridiron. A tranquilizer gun hits the mark, immobilizing one of the Gophers who appears to be the prototypical 300-pound lineman. The team’s research begins in earnest, including observing one of the Gopher’s massive "hind quarters" and then stencil painting "#57" on the back of his jersey. But this "genetic killer" is already beginning to stir out of his tranquilized slumber, causing Dr. Aaron and his colleagues to scramble for survival. A bit dazed, the Gopher gets back on his feet and starts running to rejoin his mega-biceped teammates.
Dr. Aaron then looks in the camera and with a sense of triumph, as if he’s found a purpose to life, observes: "Days like this, it’s really good."
"Tag & Track" is part of a campaign conceived by Fallon McElligott, Minneapolis. The premise of Angry Gophers being bigger, stronger and more dangerous than ever plays out with PSA overtones. It’s as if there’s a civic responsibility to make the general public aware of these intimidating creatures.
The Fallon creative ensemble consisted of creative director David Lubars; group creative director Scott Vincent; art director Craig Duffney; copywriter Allon Tatarka and producers Lisa Keljik and Jenny Gadd Malmstrom. "Tag & Track" was co-directed by Vincent and Minneapolis-based Two Popes Film’s Jerry Pope. Executive producer was Greg Pope of Two Popes Film. DP was David Doyle.
Editor was Charley Schwartz of Fischer Edit, Minneapolis. Cassie Scroggins and Larry Sexton of Hi-Wire, Minneapolis, served as Inferno artist and online editor, respectively. Scroggins handled graphics and color treatment. Jason Barnes of Wow & Flutter, Minneapolis, served as sound designer/audio mixer.
