PRETTYBIRD scores two nods for work from director Melina Matsoukas, including a history-making DGA Award-winning spot
Apple entered the primetime commercial Emmy nominees’ circle for the third consecutive year–this time for two spots: AirPods Pro’s “Jump” directed by Sam Brown of Imperial Woodpecker for TBWAMedia Arts Lab; and Apple Watch Series 6’s “It Already Does That” directed by Craig Gillespie of MJZ.
This marks the second time in three years that Apple has had two Emmy nominees. In 2019, Apple scored with MacBook’s “Behind the Mac–Make Something Wonderful” and iPhone’s “Don’t Mess with Mother.” Last year, Apple “only” had one spot nominated: “Bounce” for AirPods.
Also making a major splash this Emmy season was Melina Matsoukas of PRETTYBIRD who directed two nominated pieces–“Better | Mamba Forever,” a Nike tribute to the late, great Kobe Bryant for Wieden+Kennedy; and Beats by Dr. Dre’s “You Love Me” from agency Translation, LLC.
The latter back in April earned Matsoukas the DGA Award for Outstanding Achievement in Commercials, making her the first woman and first person of color to win the Guild’s spot honor. If “Better/Mamba Forever” or “You Love Me” end up winning the primetime commercial Emmy, she would become the first woman of color to have directed work earning the prestigious TV Academy honor. She would, however, not be the first woman to have directed an Emmy winner. That distinction belongs to Lauren Greenfield for directing Procter & Gamble/Always’ “#LikeAGirl which won the Emmy in 2015. At the time Greenfield was with Chelsea Pictures. She is now with Girl Culture Films, a shop which she co-founded.
Rounding out this year’s field of primetime commercial Emmy nominees were: another Nike ad from Wieden+Kennedy, “You Can’t Stop Us,” directed by Oscar Hudson of Pulse Films; and “Alexa’s Body” for Amazon Alexa, directed by Wayne McClammy of Hungry Man for agency Lucky Generals.
Here are the official TV Academy listings of the nominations for the primetime commercial Emmy:
Emmy Nominations–Outstanding Commercial
AirPods Pro — “Jump” – Apple AirPods
TBWAMedia Arts Lab, Ad Agency
Imperial Woodpecker, Production Company
“Alexa’s Body” – Amazon Alexa
Lucky Generals, Ad Agency
Hungry Man, Production Company
“Better | Mamba Forever” – Nike Wieden+Kennedy, Ad Agency
PRETTYBIRD, Production Company
It Already Does That – Apple Watch Series 6
Apple, Ad Agency
MJZ, Production Company
You Can’t Stop Us – Nike Wieden+Kennedy, Ad Agency
Pulse, Production Company
“You Love Me” – Beats by Dr. Dre
Translation, LLC, Ad Agency
PRETTYBIRD, Production Company
The primetime commercial Emmy winner will be announced and honored during the Creative Arts Emmy awards proceedings in September (date to be announced). The 73rd Primetime Emmy Awards will be hosted by Cedric the Entertainer and air Sunday, September 19, on CBS, and be streamed on Paramount+.
The Many Hires Jeremiah Wassom As Group Creative Director
Independent agency The Many has added Jeremiah Wassom as group creative director.
Wassom most recently worked a decade at Deutsch LA where, as SVP/creative director, he led the Taco Bell account and won new business for the agency. His agency past also includes AKQA and TBWAChiatDay. His creative work has touched the QSR, video games, automotive, fashion, and culture brand sectors. He also served eight years with the United States Marine Corps.
“Throughout his career, Jeremiah has helmed work that has not only made me personally jealous but has consistently pushed brands to show up in memorable and innovative ways,” said Josh Paialii, head of creative at The Many. “One look at his body of work and you will see his passion for storytelling and craft has raised the bar for entire categories, driving participation with many brands’ most loyal fans. Beyond being a world-class creative director and maker, Wassom is a proven team player and strategic thought leader. He’ll be a great addition to the leadership team at The Many working across all accounts. His role will be immediately felt as he guides and supports each of the creative leads in the department.”
A 20-year creative with agency, brand, and freelance experience, Wassom has forged a creative approach which focuses on crafting engaging connections rather than simply make ads. He sees the need for advertising to mean more, not simply do more.
The Many believes that true business growth is made possible by harnessing the power of participation and partners with brands to forge deeper connections with consumers, cultivate trust and loyalty, and maximize marketing spend and execution. The agency is built around a flexible model that offers a suite of capabilities, including... Read More