Defining the experience of New York City in 60 seconds may seem like an impossible challenge, but directors Mathew Cullen and Jesus de Francisco of Los Angeles-based Motion Theory rose to the occasion when they were tapped to helm a spot for NYC’s first ever global marketing campaign. The broadcast spot serves as the centerpiece for the international tourism outreach, designed to share the experience of the city and attract 50 million visitors by 2015. The campaign, created by NYC and Company with Bartle Bogle Hegarty, New York, includes television, print, online and outdoor advertising in 10 countries on four continents. The spot will air in Spain, Ireland, France and the United Kingdom, and domestically it will air across the country as part of the city’s partnership with The History Channel and other cable partners. The ad will also air on other channels in Boston and Philadelphia.
“A challenge was that this needed to transcend languages. It needed to be a concept that anybody in any country can understand. It’s hard doing something that transcends language like that because we couldn’t speak in words but through images and ideas,” explained Cullen.
The concept was to reflect as much of the energy and excitement of the New York experience through one family’s journey through the five boroughs. As their journey unfolds, the spot uses live action and animation to bring to life iconic images, including Yankee Stadium, Times Square, Coney Island, the Staten Island Ferry and the Unisphere.
“We wanted to really focus on the live action being very deliberate and refined and representing the beauty that already exists in the city–the real New York–and then use the animation, illustration and visual effects as a way to represent the great things about the city that visitors feel and experience, the things that they can’t directly see–the city’s energy, history, style, influences, music. There’s so much. What New York is is endless,” Cullen said.
“When we were trying to find the appropriate look of the spot, the most important thing at the end of the day was that it reflected and honored the city.”
Before Motion Theory’s visual effects teams got to work bringing some of those iconic images to life, the directors shot for four days throughout the five boroughs.
Cullen said they used film because they wanted to make sure they captured the color and texture of New York.
“Film gave us the more cinematic portrait of New York that we were looking for.”
Taking the A train
To achieve the sound the creative team was looking for, New York-based Search Party was enlisted to identify a song. Search Party opted to present “Take the A Train,” a song that celebrates Harlem and the subway line that takes you there, performed by Ella Fitzgerald, because of its quintessential New York City vibe.
“Ella’s exuberance in the song truly captures the energy and vitality of New York City,” said Search Party’s Music Supervisor, Stephanie Diaz-Matos. “The song is rooted in the rich and distinct musical tradition of jazz that New York City was instrumental in honing.”
To secure this piece of music, Search Party worked with Verve Records offering a trade to remix the ad for their Verve Remix 4 album. Search Party then enlisted Mint Royale, whose recent Sinatra remix, “This Town,” was featured in Oceans 13.
Website gets a facelift On the web, NYC & Company has revamped its website, nycvisit.com, to make a trip to the city more manageable. The enhanced website features an interactive customization tool that lets users create a New York City experience to match their personal interests.
The tool generates hotel, dining, shopping, culture, event and nightlife options–content provided by Time Out New York–for each user based on the results of a seven-question quiz. Users can then select options and save them to a personalized page that features an interactive map.
“This is an important moment for New York City, with the creation of the City’s first true global communications campaign,” said George Fertitta, NYC & Company CEO.
“Our goal was to create a campaign that would show visitors all the vibrancy, joy, energy and excitement that sets New York City apart from other destinations. We believe the multi-layered media elements–particularly the television spot–will create a feeling that will resonate with people worldwide and inspire them to come experience this remarkable city for themselves.”
Getting to shoot some of the city’s remarkable landmarks was an experience de Francisco won’t soon forget. He told SHOOT, “It was rewarding to be shooting in cultural landmarks that are not often portrayed in commercials. Not everyone has a chance to go shoot “Starry Night” at the MOMA. It gives you an incredible perspective of the city.”
Apple and Google Face UK Investigation Into Mobile Browser Dominance
Apple and Google aren't giving consumers a genuine choice of mobile web browsers, a British watchdog said Friday in a report that recommends they face an investigation under new U.K. digital rules taking effect next year.
The Competition and Markets Authority took aim at Apple, saying the iPhone maker's tactics hold back innovation by stopping rivals from giving users new features like faster webpage loading. Apple does this by restricting progressive web apps, which don't need to be downloaded from an app store and aren't subject to app store commissions, the report said.
"This technology is not able to fully take off on iOS devices," the watchdog said in a provisional report on its investigation into mobile browsers that it opened after an initial study concluded that Apple and Google effectively have a chokehold on "mobile ecosystems."
The CMA's report also found that Apple and Google manipulate the choices given to mobile phone users to make their own browsers "the clearest or easiest option."
And it said that the a revenue-sharing deal between the two U.S. Big Tech companies "significantly reduces their financial incentives" to compete in mobile browsers on Apple's iOS operating system for iPhones.
Both companies said they will "engage constructively" with the CMA.
Apple said it disagreed with the findings and said it was concerned that the recommendations would undermine user privacy and security.
Google said the openness of its Android mobile operating system "has helped to expand choice, reduce prices and democratize access to smartphones and apps" and that it's "committed to open platforms that empower consumers."
It's the latest move by regulators on both sides of the Atlantic to crack down on the... Read More