By Brett Shevack
A woman travels around the country with a washing machine in the back of a truck cleaning laundry. It was 1976 and I was given the assignment to pool-out this ‘brilliant’ P&G campaign. Having just joined Y&R as a young art director, I viewed it as some perverse form of creative hazing. However, it got me a week in LA for the shoot. I checked into the Sunset Marquis, a chic seedy hotel frequented by rock and rollers, to the sound of police sirens. My room was broken into and my American Express Travelers Cheques were stolen (remember them?). It was also the first campaign I worked on with Ed Friedman and DJM Films, whom the producer hired to edit the spots. Those forgettable ads led to a relationship of almost 40 years and thousands of spots. Many, thankfully, were a lot more interesting.
DJM (initials for David, Jeffrey and Michelle, Ed’s three children) occupied its own building on 46th Street. The second floor was rented out to a shiatsu massage parlor until the space was needed for the shipping department’s expansion. The ground floor was a Japanese restaurant. When you got off the elevator you were greeted by wonderful Arlene whose desk sat below a huge hovering sailfish. Many rooms reflected Ed’s love of boating and fishing. Some were built like the inside of a boat, portholes and all. DJM was his place. There were the aging photos of his clients on his office wall. There were the brilliant cartoons by creative director Tom Youhe. And the 3/4” cassette boxes and Moviola (remember them?).
Working with Ed was like being a member of the DJM family. There was Danny who was about 12 feet shorter than Ed but with a huge heart of gold. There was Mike who was the technology brain, and David who grew up working in a big shadow but did so with talent, persistence and grace. There was Eileen, Eddie’s wife of 35 years who headed up the traffic department. No one worked harder than she did. And then there was Ed, who was larger than life, figuratively and literally. He sold shoes before finding his way to editing, but he never stopped making sure that the customer walked out feeling comfortable. With oversized sideburns, silk Western shirts, and cowboy boots, he didn’t look like anyone else because he was an original. He built an incredible success by bringing the same talent and enthusiasm to both mediocre campaigns like “Dashmobile” and brilliant ones like “The Pepsi Generation.” But above all, DJM was one of those rare companies that cared as much about its people as it did about making money (remember them?).
Brett Shevack is founder/CEO of Brand Initiatives Group.
Sinners and Saints Adds Apple Pie To Its Branded Menu
Bicoastal Sinners and Saints--the multidisciplinary studio overseen by managing director/executive producer Heather Heller, and partners/EPs Yann Henric and Thomas Carroll--has added Apple Pie Tabletop to its roster for branded content. Known for its food and beverage content creation, Apple Pie comprises the husband-and-wife team of director/DP Gene Dubin and director/art director Alisa Volodina. In addition to representation, the move expands Apple Pie’s production capabilities through the combination of its centrally located full-service studio in New York and a newly established mobile studio in Los Angeles. Apple Pie recently teamed with Sinners and Saints on a Wienerschnitzel project created by Innocean.
“We believe that our dual studio strategy positions us uniquely in the competitive landscape of food and beverage storytelling,” said Heller. “By blending the artistry of the New York studio with the flexibility of our Los Angeles location, we can tailor our productions to meet the unique demands of each project, regardless of geography.”
“Working with Sinners and Saints in the demanding field of tabletop was an absolute pleasure,” shared Apple Pie Tabletop in a joint statement. “Warm welcome, unwavering support and dedication--everything a director can ask for. The entire experience was both enjoyable and rewarding. We will not miss an opportunity to collaborate with them again.”
“The first thing you notice is that Apple Pie has beautiful work,” Heller observed. “Having worked with them, I can say that Gene and Alisa are extremely meticulous and detail-oriented; their combination of talent and agility appeals to agencies and clients.” Also appealing to Heller is Apple Pie Tabletop’s brisk international... Read More