Ever wondered what happened to James Blunt after he threw himself into the ocean at the end of the iconic music video for “You’re Beautiful”? Great Guns director Calum Macdiarmid reveals just that in this promo for Blunt’s new single “Cold” where the singer-songwriter re-joins the action 14 years later in a spiritual sequel to the original clip.
Produced by Great Guns, the video picks up where “You’re Beautiful” left off–a literal cliff hanger that saw him jumping into cold waters below after leaving most of his clothing and possessions on top of an icy mountain. All these years later, viewers are reunited with Blunt as he finally emerges from the ocean, washing up on a stony beach below a steep, rugged cliff face. “Cold” sees him embarking on a perilous climb up the mountain with his bare hands, fighting the elements to collect all his old clothing and possessions–many of which were the original pieces kept by Blunt after filming “You’re Beautiful.” In a cathartic climax, Blunt is rescued by a helicopter, finally leaving the mountain behind.
Introducing a grittiness to the narrative that expertly mirrors the artists’ musical maturity, the new music video complements the lyrics with its powerful, cinematic style, while paying tribute to the initial iconic video. Director Macdiarmid took production to the far northwest coast of Wales over two days in search of the perfect atmospheric, rugged landscapes.
CreditsClient James Blunt/Atlantic Records Dan Curwin, commissioner Production Great Guns Calum Macdiarmid, director; Dale Healy, producer; Tim Francis, exec producer; Max Witting, DP. Color Cheat Jax Harney, colorist. Editorial James Demetriou, editor.
Top Spot of the Week: Samsung, BBH Singapore, Director Rhys Thomas Get Fit For A Surf Holiday
Samsung’s new global campaign from BBH Singapore, featuring Samsung Health and Galaxy AI, tells the story of a young professional couple who compete to get fit for a surf holiday.
Titled “A Samsung Health Story: Racing to Fiji,” this film taps into Gen Z’s wellness dilemma and the fact that they can often find health information overwhelming; in particular, BBH Singapore took inspiration from young people who reference their “quarter life crisis” on social media. This film tells the story of Stacey and Steve who decide to go surfing in Fiji, something they did five years ago but haven’t done since they started their jobs. However, there’s one problem: they need to get fitter first.
Featuring a range of Galaxy products powered by Galaxy AI, they rebuild their fitness to prepare for the trip, competing playfully to spur each other on. We see them comparing their Energy Scores (a new feature on the Samsung Health app), recording their runs and swims on their Samsung Galaxy Watches, trying and failing to get fit at work and on their commutes and striving to improve in the run up to the trip. When they get there, however, there’s a fun twist, and the film ends on a cliffhanger.
The ad is expected to be the first in a series, which will develop the characters and their “world” in future episodes. This longform (two-and-a-half-minute) version of the spot delves deeper into the storytelling, in a fresh approach for Samsung’s product campaigns, while the shorter edits focus on driving exposure to specific features.
BBH Singapore also leaned into the entertainment aspect of the spot; it was directed by comedic specialist Rhys Thomas at Stink Films, who has a major TV background. Best known for his work on Saturday Night... Read More