John X. Carey–who was nominated for the DGA Award as Best Commercial Director of 2013 on the strength of Real Beauty Sketches, a short film viral sensation for Dove out of Ogilvy & Mather, Sao Paulo–has joined Anonymous Content. Carey had formerly been handled by Tool of North America. He directed Real Beauty Sketches while at Paranoid US (his roost prior to Tool). The short went on to become the most viewed commercial of all time, the third most shared commercial, and winner of the Cannes Lions Titanium Grand Prix.
In the lauded short, a forensic sketch artist draws women based on self-descriptions and how others describe them. The differences are striking, underscoring that women’s self-image falls short of capturing their true beauty, as more accurately reflected through the eyes of others. The artist never actually sees the women he sketches. His drawings are based solely on the verbal descriptions given to him.
Since the major splash made by Real Beauty Sketches, Carey has continued to direct ambitious ad fare. This year alone his work includes: the Cannes Lion Grand Prix Pharma winner, Phillips’ “Breathless Choir”; University of Phoenix’s “Voicemail” featuring NFL star receiver Larry Fitzgerald remembering his late mother; and “Dillan’s Voice” for Apple, sharing the moving triumph of an autistic teen who learns to express himself through using an iPad.
Carey’s work over the years has garnered 50 wins and nominations at commercial award competitions such as One Show, AICP Show, D&AD, Clios, and Cannes Lions.
