Jerk Store–the directing team consisting of Ben Weinberg and Pat Andrews–has signed with SUPERLATIVE, the production company under the aegis of managing director David Kwan, EP Pia Clemente and creative manager Stefan Dezil.
Jerk Store’s body of work includes humorous spots for such brands as Pizza Hut, Expedia, Orbitz, Taco Bell and Subway.
Dezil said of the directorial duo, “Their work is based on the absurdity of everyday life, with a perfect balance of genuine humor and memorable set pieces.”
Kwan added, “Applying comedy to noteworthy food and beverage campaigns, Jerk Store has developed a knack for building brands.”
Prior to connecting with SUPERLATIVE, Jerk Store had last been repped in the U.S. ad market by Tool of North America. And prior to transitioning to directing, Weinberg and Andrews worked on spots as creatives at Saatchi & Saatchi, DDB and JWT.
For their part, Weinberg and Andrews have seen various approaches to humor come and go, as they moved over from the creative to the production side. “We watched comedy get quirkier and quirkier,” said Weinberg. “Sometimes the product gets lost. Jerk Store is weird, but never too weird. We find the funny moment, the kernel. Maybe an awkward moment but always situations common to daily life. Sometime we might even offer up a hint of insight. Our big advantage is that having been creatives ourselves we can sympathize with everything that goes into the process.”
The duo cited the recently completed short, Get Happy, to highlight their comedic chops. In the less than four-minute film, a stoic man comes to life, courtesy of a playful, smiley-faced bag floating through the park. The man is seen dancing throughout the gardens, following the white plastic sack, until a maniacal twist occurs. Get Happy was featured at the Austin Comedy Film Festival and Los Angeles Comedy Film Festival.
