Talk about a love game–in tennis terms. This tennis match appears to be a one-sided affair from the very outset as a man serves to his opponent. The ball goes right by the man on the other side of the net, who stands motionless.
The next serve hits him in the shoulder. Again he doesn’t move. The third serve is a direct hit in the privates–not even eliciting a wince or even the slightest suggestion of pain.
The camera reveals the man of no reactions to be bruised and battered. A super tells us his physical state, reading, “It’s no fun to be dead.” The next super puts his death into context: “Don’t drink and drive.”
An end tag contains the Web site address, nofunbeingdead.com.
“Tennis” is one of four spots in a campaign for the Insurance Corp. of British Columbia (ICBC) promoting “road sense.” The other ads also show “sports”–frisbee throwing, chess, video games–in which one of the participants is a corpse.
The commercials were directed by Aleysa Young of Untitled, Toronto, for agency Wasserman and Partners, Vancouver, B.C.
The agency team included creative director Darren Warner, art director Lisa Lebedovich, copywriter Steve Zaozirny and producer Shelley Stevens.
James Davis and Tory Osler executive produced for Untitled, with Ted Herman serving as producer. The DP was Simon Shohet.
Don Macdonell of JMB Post Productions, Vancouver, was both editor and colorist. Audio post mixer was Brandon Edwards of Wave Productions, Vancouver. Wave’s Craig Zarazun served as sound designer.
The principal actors in “Tennis” were Shawn Bachniski and Zach Lundrie.
