Extreme sports take a Jackass-inspired detour in this spot for Bubblicious out of J. Walter Thompson, Tokyo. A gen-Xer chews a stick of Bubblicious and blows a big bubble before laying stomach down on his skateboard.
He’s then pushed down a steep incline, gathering speed and heading for a collision with a car that comes into view. The bubble is his quasi airbag protection as he hits the side of the automobile. An extreme sports colleague is in the car and he yells out triumphantly over his buddy’s stunt.
Amazingly the skateboarder survived with nary a scratch as a voiceover extols the virtues of Bubblicious.
JWT’s directorial selection for the assignment as most apropos: Jeff Tremaine of Saville Productions, Beverly Hills, who helmed the highly successful movie and TV series Jackass.
“It was a uniquely fun way to convey the size of bubbles of Bubblicious gum,” said Tremaine. “With the bubbles large enough to simulate an airbag, then why not incorporate that in a fun creative way. I’m delighted the Japanese have a similar love of outrageous stunts as I do.”
Tremaine is no stranger to the ad arena, having directed spots for Nintendo and Glad. He just wrapped the movie sequel Jackass 2.
Tremaine’s support team at Saville included executive producer Michelle Travinski and production supervisor Lynda Pribyl. The DP was Dimitry Elyashkevich.
The JWT creative team consisted of creative director Masahiko Tanaka, copywriter Eiji Honma, art director Masatoshi Iwasaki, and senior producer Yuki Takahashi.
Editor was Los Angeles-based freelancer Seth Caserel. Audio post mixer was Takaaki Ishimura of Vision Universe, Tokyo.
Sound designer/producer was Stevie From of 2 to 4, Tokyo. Composers were Los Angeles-based Joey Peters and Willi Aaron.
Principal actors were Chris Sowers, Preston Acuff and Joseph Roberts.
Directors Amy+Pilar and Jose Antonio Prat Join Reform School
Boutique content production company Reform has added comedy directing duo Amy+Pilar (Amy York Rubin and Pilar Boehm) and award-winning multicultural director Jose Antonio Prat to its roster for U.S. representation spanning commercials and branded entertainment.
Partners in both life and art, Amy+Pilar are know for their sharp wit and comedic timing. Their synchronicity is evident in a body of work across TV, film and commercials. Prior to joining Reform School, Amy+Pilar had been repped in the ad market by production company Knucklehead.
Amy has directed high-profile comedy sketches featuring stars like Amy Schumer, Kate McKinnon, and Sarah Silverman. On the episodic front, Amy has helmed for series such as Fresh Off the Boat, Casual, Superstore and Angie Tribeca--as well as the pilot for the hit Netflix comedy Dead to Me.
Before joining forces with Amy behind the camera, Pilar was a psychotherapist, a background that informs her ability to create fascinating characters and stage irresistible, nuanced performances. Amy and Pilar’s shared passion for comedy brought them together. Their collaboration began with a Synchrony Bank campaign, starring cult-comedy favorite Maribeth Monroe (Workaholics), and they went on to direct the pilot of the Hulu series Love, Victor. Amy+Pilar’s ad fare also includes spots for Uber’s “Go-Get” campaign and “Shift,” starring Martin Starr.
“We have been fans of Amy and Pilar for a long time,” said Ryan Ennis, executive director at Reform School. “They excel at capturing comedic performances and dialogue. Coming from the TV and L.A. comedy scenes, they’ve built a strong following and collaborated with some of our favorite funny people.... Read More