Director Tim Damon’s recent “Spotlight” video for agency Designory highlighting the all-new 2018 Subaru WRX and STI high performance models just received a 2017 Gold CINDY award in the "Automotive" commercial category. The Cinema in Industry Awards, which began in 1959, has evolved into the premier international audio-visual competition for both linear and interactive media.
Damon is no stranger for shooting and directing branding shorts and other interactive car content. In addition to the award-winning Subaru short, Damon recently completed interactive website content for Honda Civic’s high performance Type R (for agency RPA), collateral images and short film for Honda’s new NSX (agency Les Mains), a social media short to launch Polaris Slingshot (for The Integer Group), a website film for Indian Motorcycles and live social media simulcast for Lexus (both out of Team One).
“For a director, it’s just very satisfying to see your work being used via digital media,” says Damon. “The objective was to show that these two models are the best performing, best handling Subarus ever. Just great to collaborate with the marketing and creative teams from Subaru and Designory.”
Damon’s award-winning short film titled, “Spotlight,” highlights the high performance of the 2018 Subaru WRX and STI. His job was enviable. Take two totally redesigned models out for a spin and push the limits. The shoot consisted of three days, one at the track, one on winding roads and one in dirt. “It was all about the cars,” says Damon. “All the details, headlamps, pedals, wheels, brakes, exhaust, everything that makes driving visceral and exciting. We just got after it, pursuit shots, tire smoke, dust, engine revs, shifting and steering.”
Sonic Branding For Social Media: Engage, Align, Connect
By Chad Cook -- With more than five billion people accessing social media daily, savvy brands understand the importance of cultivating a strong social identity. They devote massive resources toward brand awareness, audience targeting, content strategy and community engagement. Yet, while they know that social platforms are critical to boosting sales and attracting new customers, many neglect one of the most effective tools for connecting with consumers: sonic branding. Marketers often associate sonic branding with catchy mnemonics used by big brands like McDonald’s, Netflix and Intel in their advertising. But that is a very limited view of what sonic branding is and what it can do. Sonic branding is a way to build awareness and stimulate engagement across all touch points, from advertising to broadcast digital, in-person and social. And it’s not limited to members of the Fortune 500. Brands at all levels can benefit from a sonic identity that is memorable, engaging and reflective of its core values. Sound has been scientifically proven to be deeply tied to memory and emotion. There’s a reason that certain songs stick in your head and bring back memories formed years or even decades earlier. So, it’s surprising that sonic branding is often an afterthought in marketing plans. That is especially true in social media marketing. Faced with tight deadlines and strained budgets, creative teams are often tempted to select music for their content simply because it “fits.” Unfortunately, that may result in content that is in tune with what’s trending but is out of tune with brand identity. Effective sonic branding, by contrast, requires thoughtful strategic planning,... Read More