Chalk this up to yet another great use of a superstar athlete in a Nike commercial as Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James is seen going through his basketball courtside pre-game ritual, putting a chalky like talcum powder on his hands, then raising them skyward and clapping them together to create a powdery puff of fairy dust-like magic which thrills the fans.
But for this spot, James isn’t the only one chalking up as we see fans from all walks of life performing their version of the hands-on act. We see a barber clapping powder about with a puff of it descending on a customer perched before him on a barber shop chair. A baker sprinkles powder over donuts. Basketball playing youngsters–a boy and a girl–separately chalk up for a big game. A lad in a schoolroom collects chalk residue from the chalkboard and does his LeBron thing in class as students seated at their desks look on and enjoy.
These folks’ chalk rituals play like a celebration of James’ play as we see him dramatically dunk the ball in a game. As James gets back on defense, he claps his hands, creating more chalk-filled air to the delight of arena fans. Supered on screen is the website address nikebasketball.com.
“The Chalk” was directed in glorious black and white by Mark Romanek of bicoastal Anonymous Content for Wieden+Kennedy, Portland.
The W+K ensemble included creative directors Alberto Ponte, Tyler Whisnand and Jeff Williams, copywriter Caleb Jensen, art director Taylor Twist, exec creative directors Mark Fitzloff and Susan Hoffman and producer Erika Madison.
The DP was Adam Kimmel.
Editor was Robert Duffy of bicoastal Spot Welders.
VFX supervisors were Brad Parker and Vernon Wilbert of Digital Domain, Venice, Calif.
Action unfolded to the musical accompaniment of the song “Candyman” by Cornershop.
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