Tomatoes that toast the tootsies aren’t tasty. That’s the offbeat premise of this :30 for canned Red Gold Tomatoes, out of Indianapolis-based ad agency Young & Laramore.
The spot opens on a tomato field, the sun beating down mercilessly. Music imparts the feel of a spaghetti Western. The medium shot of a tomato in the dry surroundings of the dusty old West is hazy under the glaring sun.
A voiceover interjects: "When tomatoes are grown in extreme heat. … " A ladybug circles the field, seeking the right tomato land. The voiceover continues, "it makes for conditions that are somewhat …"
The ladybug lands on the fruit of her choice, but her stroll across the surface becomes a hopping hot-potato dance, analogous to the reaction of a person trying to walk barefoot on hot pavement. A ladybug voice lets out "Ow!" after "Ow!" in quick succession.
The narrator’s voiceover resumes, noting that hot, dry conditions are "less than ideal" for growing tomatoes.
The spot segues to a lush tomato field, with healthy greenery. "At Red Gold," attests the voiceover, "we grow our tomatoes where the rain, sun and soil are just right." Accompanying his narration are pictures of tomatoes on a vine, followed by a close-up of a nice, plump, juicy-looking tomato. With a dissolve, it becomes the tomato pictured on the label of a Red Gold can. Then the camera zooms out to reveal the full can as the voiceover states: "Red Gold. Tomatoes from tomato country."
Directing the live-action/computer animation spot was Jack Barrett. A staffer at Pinnacle Studios, Seattle, he was loaned out to Wyoming Films, Venice, Calif., for the assignment. Mark West served as Wyoming’s executive producer.
Barrett also edited the job via Pinnacle, where staffer Mike Necci served as animation director, overseeing the CG ladybug. Geraint Owen executive-produced for Pinnacle. Bill Everett was live action DP.
The Young & Laramore team consisted of executive creative director Jeff Laramore, creative director Charlie Hopper, senior art director Pam Kelliher, senior writer David Nehamkin and producer Susan Thompson.
Music composers/audio engineers were Chris Lieber and Bill Mallers of Ripple F/X, Indianapolis.
The spot broke last month in 17 metro markets across Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Missouri.
