Tom Kuntz of MJZ directed this spot which centers on a man who’s meticulously making something in his rural cabin. He then steps out of the cabin and hikes up into the wilderness and carefully places his creation–which is revealed to be a wig–on a bald eagle.
We later see different eagles who are no longer bald.
The man’s off-kilter rationale for his actions is that if Stride’s flavor-blended iD Gum can make a chew that tastes kinda like peppermint and kinda like something else, he can kinda like bald eagles and kinda like bald eagles with hair.
Kuntz’s offbeat comedy chops worked in concert with creatives from Droga5 for the TV spot (a :45 with :30 and :15 versions), which is part of a teen-appeal campaign that also includes digital and experiential components, a marquee one being ArtCade, a unique arcade experience featuring online games (a total of 18 will eventually be released).
Hwang Dong-hyuk On Season 2 of “Squid Game,” Wrapping Production on Season 3; What’s Next?
Viewers may gasp, cringe or cry out watching characters die on Netflix's "Squid Game," but those simulated deaths have a different effect on its creator, writer and director. Instead, Hwang Dong-hyuk feels happiness seeing them go.
The show has a huge cast and Hwang says it was "really difficult" to manage everyone on set.
As characters would die, Hwang recalls saying to the actors on their last day, "'Oh no! How sad! I won't see you tomorrow,' but I was always smiling inside."
"Squid Game" season two premieres Thursday. It once again stars Lee Jung-jae and centers around a secret competition in South Korea that targets people in debt and the winner gets a big cash prize. What they don't know is that losing the game is deadly.
Hwang originally conceived of the show 15 years ago as a two-hour film but it failed to gain traction with financiers or even interested actors. He put it aside and worked on other films instead. He then had the idea to make it a TV series instead and took the project to Netflix. There, it could reach a wide audience.
"I never in my wildest dream thought it was going to be this huge," said Hwang, who spoke about the show and what comes next. Answers have been edited for clarity and length.
Q: What have you learned from "Squid Game"?
HWANG: I learned that I shouldn't give up. If you love something and if you want to create something, it might not work now, but the time might come later. Or that idea could be the source of inspiration for something else.
Q: You've already finished filming season three of "Squid Game." Have you thought about what your next project will be?
HWANG: I'm afraid to talk... Read More