Real Men Strut Their Stuff In Errol Morris Campaign Via Wieden & Kennedy.
CLIENT
Miller Brewing Company/Miller High Life
PRODUCTION CO.
radical.media, bicoastal/international. Errol Morris, director/DP; Robert Fernandez and Frank Scherma, executive producers; Thomas O’Malley, producer. Shot on location.
AGENCY
Wieden & Kennedy, Portland, Ore. Susan Hoffman, Jerry Cronin and Vince Engel, creative directors; Jeff Kling, copywriter; Jeff Williams, art director; Jeff Selis, producer.
EDITORIAL
Rock Paper Scissors, Los Angeles. Angus Wall, editor. Linda Carlson, executive producer.
POST
Company 3, Santa Monica. Stefan Sonnenfeld, colorist. A52, Los Angeles. Lisa Tomei, online editor/Henry artist; Liz Roewe, executive producer.
AUDIO POST
Framework Sound, Burbank, Calif. Ken Dahlinger, engineer.
BY REGINALD OBERLAG
“Only a large-scale decline in American manhood can account for the near disappearance of Miller High Life Beer.” So says the opening line of the tongue-in-cheek Miller High Life Manifesto that laid the groundwork for a Wieden & Kennedy, Portland, Ore.-conceived campaign produced by bicoastal/international radical.media. Miller High Life hasn’t had a TV ad campaign since the early 1980s, according to W&K copywriter Jeff Kling, who penned the new campaign with its proud to be a red-meat-eating, beer-drinking, duct-tape using, can-do kind of guy theme. But it’s come back big, thanks in large part to Kling and the direction of renowned documentary filmmaker Errol Morris (The Thin Blue Line, Fast, Cheap and Out of Control).
One of the funniest in the package of spots (which so far number an even dozen) is “Boat,” which drives home the point that “real men” know how to properly operate machinery and probably prefer the real, American, Miller High Life brew.
Set in a stereotypical suburb, “Boat” features a fellow who takes a break from raking his yard to watch, in disgust, his neighbor in a sports utility vehicle across the street, trying to back his trailered ski boat into his driveway. An arch, paternalistic voiceover intones: “This is enough to put a High Life man off his lunch. Time was a man knew how to command his own vehicle. Just how far are we willing to fall.” As the driver takes a third crack at getting the boat in, the fellow holding the rake in one hand and a Miller High Life in the other mouths “pitiful.” The V.O. resumes in a tone reminiscent of a militia commander rousing his para-military troops to fight for their right to bear arms and protect property rights: “Better reacquaint yourself with the High Life, soldier, before someone tries to take away your Miller Time.”
While footage was shot in 35mm, 16mm and Super 8, it was the Super 8 film only–lensed by Morris himself–that ended up being used in the final spot, which was edited by Angus Wall at Rock Paper Scissors, Los Angeles (Peter Donahue was DP on the campaign’s other 11 spots). According to W&K art director Jeff Williams, it created just the sort of “1950’s John Birch Society” feel the agency wanted to convey.
Morris was approached with the storyboards by radical.media executive producer/proprietor Jon Kamen as he sought to recruit the director to sign with his company, Morris recounted. (Morris, who joined the company, has just wrapped his second project, which he did for Miller Lite via Fallon McElligott, Minneapolis.)
Of the Miller High Life spots, Morris said, “I really wanted to do them because they’re funny.”
Williams explained that the agency had spoken with three directors about the spots, but after he watched Morris’ latest documentary, Fast, Cheap, and Out of Control, “I called our creative director [Susan Hoffman] and told her he’s got to shoot this thing, he’s the man to do it; the whole movie made me see how he could get inside the little subtle things that would make this campaign work.”
Williams added that the “Boat” spot evolved as he and Kling made a list of what so-called men can’t do anymore. Kling noted, “We are appealing to that masculine sensibility, the way men are always imparting undue significance to whatever it is we’re doing, like a guy saying if I can’t drive that 16-penny nail in three strokes I’ll quit right now. … It’s like it’s a matter of pride, as if the very fabric of our democracy is being woven here with the shifting gears of backing up a trailer. … It’s an absurd way of thinking that’s pretty particular to guys.”
Both creatives so impressed Morris that he took one of them, Williams, and cast him on the spot to play the role of the onlooking neighbor. “Jeff was so into demonstrating the kind of character this guy was that it was clear to me immediately he was right for the role,” said Morris.
As for his approach to shooting “Boat,” Morris said he originally had focused close-up on the guy backing up the trailer, throwing in shots of the tires hitting the curb and the trailer hitch jackknifing. “But then I looked across the street,” he said, “and thought we should just show the whole thing from the other guy’s point of view.”
He also noticed the pseudo gaslight-style lamppost by the driveway and decided to fill about a third of the frame with that suburban icon, letting the action take place over the observing neighbor’s shoulder.
“I always like to conceive of it as one shot and try to tell the story in one shot,” said Morris. He added he was told they would shoot a series of :15s in four days, but that “my view was let’s just do more. So we shot a lot and that turned out good; we have probably 15 spots in :15s and :30s.”
***
The Ink Tank Is Fit For Phoenix Insurance
CLIENT
Phoenix Insurance Investments.
PRODUCTION CO.
The Ink Tank, New York. Tissa David, director of animation, “Basketball’; Ed Smith, director of animation, “Varsity”; R.O. Blechman, creative director; Brian O’Connell, executive producer/co-director; Liz Wassell, producer; Nina Ross, coordinator; Milton Glaser, designer; Frank Gresham, background rendering.
AGENCY
Emmerling Post Advertising, New York. John Emmerling, creative director; Don Arters, copywriter; Jennifer Pentland, producer; Art Gilmore, art director.
EDITORIAL
The Ink Tank. David Courter, editor.
POST
The Tape House Editorial Company, New York. Ed Waither, colorist; George Bunce and Stu Oppenheim, online editors.
VISUAL EFFECTS
Tape House Ink & Paint, New York. Rob Issen, executive producer.
AUDIO POST
The Mix Place, New York. Kenny Fredrickson, engineer.
MUSIC
Grayscore Music and Recording Studio, New York. John Gray, arranger.
THE SPOT
The :30 “Basketball” pits a women’s basketball team against animated letters, F-I-S-C-A-L F-I-T-N-E-S-S. The letter “T” blocks a shot, then passes the ball to a fast-moving pair of “I”s (standing for insurance and investment), that score the winning basket. The :30 “Varsity” consists of a shot of a person wearing a varsity letter jacket. The letters of the Fiscal Fitness logo morph on the jacket and perform their fiscal gymnastics. The player turns to reveal the entire logo animating on his back.
Spots broke March 7.
***
SBK Pics Eliminates Debt With DiTech
CLIENT
DiTech Funding.
PRODUCTION CO.
SBK Pictures, Philadelphia. Christopher Yurkow, director; Don Matthew Smith, DP; Barbara J. Hennessy, executive producer; Debbie Galloway, producer. Shot on location.
AGENCY
Kovel Kresser & Partners, Venice, Calif. Lee Kovel, chief creative officer; Len Zimmelman, associate creative director/senior art director; Ray Otterson, copywriter; Allen Williams, head of production.
EDITORIAL
Mad River Post/Santa Monica. Bee Ottinger and Lisa Cheek, editors.
POST
Digital Magic, Santa Monica. John Scheer, Henry artist; Paul Lear, colorist.
AUDIO POST
POP Sound, Santa Monica. Jeff Payne, engineer; Loren Silber, mixer.
MUSIC
Patterson, Walz & Fox Music, Carlsbad, Calif. Neal Fox, composer; Rick Patterson, composer/arranger.
THE SPOT
“Numbers Game” depicts a man overwhelmed by the task of consolidating his debt, who turns to the DiTech 125 Freedom Loan for help. In “Kitchen,” a young couple makes two additions–a new kitchen and a first baby, with the support of DiTech Funding. “Home Owner” features a proud couple taking a tour of their new home that they mortgaged through DiTech Funding. In “The Advisor,” a financial adviser explains that he refers clients to DiTech Funding when they ask him questions about DiTech’s 7.2 percent financing rate.
Spots broke March 30.
***
The Observatory Insures State Farm
CLIENT
State Farm Insurance.
PRODUCTION CO.
The Observatory, New York. Jeremy Warshaw, director; Aaron Bowen, DP; Jennifer Carter, executive producer. Shot on location.
AGENCY
DDB Needham Chicago. Nancy Rice, group creative director; Jim Cass, creative director; Jim Retzer, associate creative director/art director; Matt Ben-Zeev, associate creative director/copywriter; Liat Ebersohl, producer.
EDITORIAL
Red Car, Chicago. Jim Lipetzky, editor.
POST
The Filmworkers Club, Chicago. Rob Churchill and Bill Ebel, online editors; Michael Mazur, colorist.
AUDIO POST
Cutters Inc., Chicago. Sean Richards, mixer.
MUSIC
Asche & Spencer/Minneapolis. Thad Spencer, composer.
THE SPOT
In the :30s “Don Olson/Life” and “Michelle Duitsman/Life,” people discuss the relationships between themselves and their State Farm Insurance agents.
Spots broke April 27.
***
Cyclotron, Post Perfect For Schick
CLIENT
Warner-Lambert Co./Schick.
PRODUCTION CO.
Metro Pictures.USA, Marina del Rey, Calif. Larry Shiu, director/DP; Craig Farkas, executive producer. Shot on location.
AGENCY
J. Walter Thompson, New York. J.J. Jordan, creative director; James Offenhartz, art director; Keith Goldberg, copywriter; Gary Bass, producer.
EDITORIAL
Stewart Greenwald, freelance editor. Offlined at Post Perfect, New York.
POST/VISUAL EFFECTS
Cyclotron and Post Perfect, New York. David Cantoni, online editor/Henry artist; Tim Farrell, digital compositor/2-D graphics editor; Joe Bond, colorist; Aliciane Smythe, postproduction producer.
AUDIO POST
Mixed Nuts Recording Studios, New York. Peter Buccellato, mixer.
MUSIC
Mess Hall, Montclair, N.J. Paul Robb, composer; Andy Messenger, executive producer; Doug Hall, creative director.
THE SPOT
“Roll Cage” features a desert cruiser that speeds over sand dunes, successfully negotiating the rough terrain. The cruiser, outfitted with a roll cage, protects its occupant from the dangers of speeding through the desert, just as the Schick razor protects its user from cuts and scratches caused by shaving.
Spot broke in March.
***
CFM Pulls Over A Cadillac Seville STS
CLIENT
General Motors Corp./Cadillac Seville STS.
PRODUCTION CO.
Creative Film Management, New York. Matthew Penn, director; Adam Kimmel, DP; Lou Addesso and James Kadonoff, executive producers; Miriam Patterson, producer. Shot on location.
AGENCY
DMB&B, Troy, Mich. Gary Howell, senior VP/creative director; Leslie Rose, senior producer; Rob Hendrickson, VP/ senior copywriter; Alan Rado, senior art director.
EDITORIAL
Lost Planet, Santa Monica. Mark Goodman, editor; Denise Van Ryzin, assistant editor.
POST
Company 3, Santa Monica. Stefan Sonnenfeld, colorist; Jerry Steele, online editor.
AUDIO POST
RavensWork, Venice, Calif. Eric Ryan, mixer/engineer.
MUSIC
Elias Associates, bicoastal. Michael Sherwood, composer.
THE SPOT
A three-spot campaign features celebrities Gregory Hines, Patrick Warburton (“Putty” on Seinfeld), Wendie Malick (Just Shoot Me) and Gil Bellows (Ally McBeal), in humorous spots that highlight the competitive advantages of the Cadillac Seville STS. In “Bonding,” Warburton, portraying a police guard, detains Gregory Hines because he doesn’t recognize his vehicle. When the attributes of Hines’ Seville STS are revealed, Warburton detains Hines further because he needs to “bond” with the car. “Lucky” features STS driver Bellows being pulled over by Warburton who asks him if he feels “lucky” as a result of driving the Seville STS. In “Manual,” Malick, driving an STS, gets the upper hand in a gas station conversation with the owner of an automobile that doesn’t offer the same attributes of the Seville STS.
Spots broke March 16.
***
OneSuch Has A Better Day For Sprint
CLIENT
Sprint Publishing.
PRODUCTION CO.
OneSuch Films, New York. Bruce Nadel, director; John Hunter, DP; Al Califano and Bob Ramos, executive producers; Rick Katzen, producer; Mario Malave, production manager. Shot at OneSuch Films and on location.
AGENCY
Hoffman York, Milwaukee. Ken Butts, art director/producer; Mark Catterson, writer.
EDITORIAL
Independent Edit, Milwaukee. Jerry Riedel, editor.
POST
Independent Edit. Brian Abbott, online editor. The Filmworkers Club, Chicago. Lynette Duensing, colorist.
AUDIO POST
Pink Noise, New York. Michael Maxwell, mixer.
MUSIC/SOUND DESIGN
Pink Noise. Michael Maxwell, composer; Marshall Grupp, sound designer.
THE SPOT
The :30 “Bad Day” features various mishaps–a baseball shattering a window, a tire going flat, a woman ripping a marriage license–and offers Sprint Phone Books as a solution.
Spot broke in late April.
***
Cosimo & Co. Shoots Ducks For Sprint
CLIENT
Sprint Corp.
PRODUCTION CO.
Cosimo & Company, New York. Cosimo, director/DP; Irene Scianna, executive producer; Eileen Burke, producer. Shot on stage at Cosimo & Company.
AGENCY
J. Walter Thompson Direct, New York. Richard Fisher, executive VP/chief creative officer; David Sciasia and Linda Clausen, partners/group creative directors; Lee Margolis, senior art director; Emilie Council, copy supervisor; Sue Rafter, producer.
EDITORIAL
Cabana, New York. Len Smalheiser, editor.
POST/VISUAL EFFECTS
Manhattan Transfer, New York. Chris Laird, online editor; Dino Regas, colorist; Bridget Fullan, animator; Helen Troy, producer.
AUDIO POST
East Side Audio, New York. Bobby Giammarco, mixer.
MUSIC/SOUND DESIGN
Elias Associates, bicoastal. Fritz Doddy, composer/sound designer.
THE SPOT
The :30 “Ducks” features a carnival shooting gallery of mechanical ducks, Sprint beanbags, and a purple teddy bear promoting Sprint’s `300 Free Minutes” campaign.
Spot broke March 24.
***
Radium Dances With USPS’ Mailboxes
CLIENT
United States Postal Service.
PRODUCTION CO.
L.A. Story, Santa Monica. Stu Hagmann, director; Bruce Logan, DP; Dan Bryant, executive producer; Sandy Martin, producer; Dolly Tarazon, production manager. Shot at GMT Studios, Culver City, Calif.
AGENCY
Draft Worldwide, Chicago. Lee Hill, president; Bruce Bendinger, executive creative director/ copywriter; Cary Cochrane, creative director/art director; Linda Garland, producer.
EDITORIAL
Swell Pictures, Chicago. David Szabo, editor; Dave Mueller, producer.
POST
Swell Pictures. David Szabo, online editor; Tom Rovak, colorist.
VISUAL EFFECTS
Radium, San Francisco. Simon Mowbray, visual effects director/Flame artist; Alaina Goetz and Danielle Ciccarelli, Flame artists; Davi Stein, Flint artist; William Opdyke, Mike McCormick and Larry Chandler, CGI artists; Andrea Mansour, producer; Avatar Kramer, executive producer.
AUDIO POST
Trackattack, Chicago. Larry Millas, engineer/mixer.
MUSIC
Trackattack. Matthew Thornton, composer/arranger.
THE SPOT
“If You’ve Got Questions” opens on a woman standing in front of a government building about to drop a letter into one of three mailboxes. When she wonders to herself if she’s using the correct zip code on her letter, the mailboxes suddenly spring to life, gaining pairs of blue eyes as well as telephone handsets and keypads. They begin capering about the sidewalk while singing an R&B-flavored tune describing the U.S. Postal Service’s new telephone help line. Their antics inspire a bevy of passersby to join in.
Spot broke in April.
***
HUM Music Takes A Punch For Nike
CLIENT
Nike.
PRODUCTION CO.
radical.media, Hollywood. Robert Leacock, director/DP; Tony Cantale, executive producer. Still photography by Michael Faye. Shot on location.
AGENCY
Wieden & Kennedy, Portland, Ore. Vince Engle, creative director/art director; Canice Neary and Mike Smith, copywriters; Jennifer Smieja, producer.
EDITORIAL
Mad River Post/Santa Monica. Livio Sanchez and Lucas Eskin, editors; Sue Dawson, post producer. (Sanchez is now with The Lookinglass Company, Santa Monica.)
POST
The Finish Line, Santa Monica. Paul Marangos, online editor. Encore Santa Monica. Bob Festa, colorist.
AUDIO POST
POP Sound, Santa Monica. Mark Meyuhas, engineer/mixer.
MUSIC
HUM Music+Sound Design, Santa Monica. Jeff Koz, composer; Ceinwyn Clark, producer.
THE SPOT
“Casey” and “Roy” spotlight pro golfer Casey Martin and boxer Roy Jones, Jr. In interview-style :30s, the athletes reveal the secrets of their success: undaunted pride in their country and the strength to chase after their dreams without self-pity. Jones takes boxing injuries without tears, and Martin, who challenged the PGA legally because of a disability, refuses to let his condition prevent him from achieving golfing excellence.
Spots broke in late March.
***
Olive Jar Escapes Reaper With Conseco
CLIENT
Conseco Insurance.
PRODUCTION CO.
Olive Jar Studios, Boston. Bryan Papciak, director; Joey Kolbe, DP; Ted Sydor, technical director; Fred Macdonald, creative director; Matthew Charde, executive producer; Jeff Sias, lead animator; Miriam Tendler, producer; Chris Fitch, head model builder; Faye Cogen, head of production; Kevin Desmaris, associate producer; Judy Rubin, head sculptor. Shot at Olive Jar Studios.
AGENCY
Fallon McElligott, New York. Bill Schwab, creative director/art director; Joe Lovering, creative director/copywriter; Sally Smith, producer.
EDITORIAL
Olive Jar Studios. Bryan Papciak, editor.
POST
Manhattan Transfer, New York. Larry Trosko, colorist (now with SMA Video, New York. See story p. 8.); Kieran Walsh, Flame artist; Jennifer Hargraves, producer.
AUDIO POST
East Side Audio, New York. Tom Jucarone, engineer.
MUSIC/SOUND DESIGN
Joe & Company, London.
THE SPOT
The stop-motion and high-speed rod puppet photography :30 “Reaper” opens on a suburban house where a couple are sitting in their living room. Outside, however, the Grim Reaper is moving toward the unsuspecting couple’s home, checking his list of places to “call on.” A sepulchral voiceover intones, “You never know when your number is going to be up. That’s why you need protection against the unexpected.” The Reaper lifts the door knocker as a sound distracts him–he turns to see an attractive “Lady Reaper” on the porch swing next door, displaying a seductive amount of thigh bone. Entranced, the Reaper drops his list and gawks at the alluring Ms. Reaper. The voiceover continues, “But life is full of surprises, you could live to be 100.” The spot ends with the Reapers walking down the street, arm in arm, as the camera pans up on the sleepy town. The couple, still inside the house and unaware of what has transpired, have no idea of their narrow escape.
Spot broke in April.
***
ARF & Co., MWC Dance For Kraft
CLIENT
Kraft Deluxe Four Cheese Macaroni & Cheese Dinner.
PRODUCTION CO.
ARF & Co., Hoboken, N.J. Alex Fernbach, director/DP; Nancy Early, executive producer; Eric Calderon, producer; Mark Fitzmartin, head of production. Shot at ARF & Co. stage, Hoboken.
AGENCY
Foote, Cone & Belding, Chicago. Dave Moeller, group creative director/copywriter; Steve Brodwolf, creative director/art director; Ron Rosenthal, producer.
EDITORIAL
Flashcut Editing, Toronto. Norman Odell, editor.
POST
Spin Productions, Toronto. Steven Lewis and Gudrun Heinz, Inferno artists; Norm Stangal, executive producer. Command Post TOYBOX, Toronto. Gary Chuntz, colorist.
VISUAL EFFECTS
PAWS & Co., Hoboken. Ed Vivona, visual effects director; Peter Weiss, mechanical-effects director; Alex MacDonald, motion control.
AUDIO POST
Chicago Recording Company. David Gerbosi, sound engineer.
MUSIC
Music Works Chicago. John Ovnik, composer; Ed St. Peter, executive producer.
THE SPOT
In the :30 “Fionas,” a housewife is turned into a chorus of dancing quadruplets to an arrangement of the disco classic, “More, More, More, Pt. 1.”
Spot broke in April.
***
Superior Street Drives A Hyundai
CLIENT
Hyundai Motor America/Hyundai Accent and Elantra.
PRODUCTION CO.
Superior Street, Chicago. Steve Farr and Barry Poltermann, directors; Jim Zabilla, DP; Dick Gillespie, executive producer; Maria Xerogianes, producer; Suzy duFour, production manager. Shot on location.
AGENCY
Bates USA West, Irvine, Calif. Richard Butt, executive VP/executive creative director; Carmen Dorr, VP/associate creative director/copywriter; Imke Daniel, art director; Kari Waz, director of broadcast; Will Woollett, producer; Allen Kuljurgis, assistant producer.
EDITORIAL
Jigsaw Editorial, Santa Monica. Steve Armstrong, editor.
POST
Bedlam, Los Angeles. Lyse Beck, Flame artist. POP Television, Santa Monica. John Zaike, colorist.
AUDIO POST
Margarita Mix, Hollywood. Jeff Levy, mixer.
MUSIC
Wojahn Brothers, Santa Monica. Roger Wojahn, Scott Wojahn and Greg Wojahn, composers.
THE SPOT
Two :30s, “Testimonial Jennifer” and “Testimonial Michael,” use actual Hyundai Accent and Elantra owners to tout the benefits of their cars.
Spots broke April 15.
***
Sight Effects, Jigsaw Dance For Apple
CLIENT
Apple Computer.
PRODUCTION CO.
Coppos Films, Los Angeles. Mark Coppos, director/DP; Bill Bratkowski and Allison Nunn, executive producers; Michael Appel, producer. Shot at Raleigh Studios, Hollywood.
AGENCY
TBWA Chiat/Day, Venice, Calif. Ken Segall, creative director/copywriter; Tom Witt, copywriter; Mila Stein, producer; Lorraine Kraus, associate producer; Susan Alinsangan and Michael Rylander, art directors.
EDITORIAL
Jigsaw Editorial, Santa Monica. Brad Wetmore, editor; Andy Charlton, assistant editor; Deanne Mehling, executive producer; Megan Dahlman, producer.
POST
Company 3, Santa Monica. Michael Pethel, colorist. Sight Effects, Venice, Calif. Rudy Hassen, online editor.
VISUAL EFFECTS
Sight Effects. Rudy Hassen, visual effects supervisor/artist; Jeff Blodgett, visual effects producer.
AUDIO POST
POP Sound, Santa Monica. Jeff Payne, mixer.
SOUND DESIGN
Jigaw Editorial. Brad Wetmore, sound designer.
THE SPOT
The :30 “Toasted” opens with an apology from Apple for toasting the Pentium II processor “in public,” as a smoldering Intel dancer is extinguished by a fireman to the Tramps classic, “Disco Inferno.”
Spot broke in March
