To quote fictional architect Howard Roark, the strapping, yet cerebral hero of Ayn Rand’s 1943 novel The Fountainhead: "No building can be reasonable or beautiful unless it is made by one central idea, and the idea sets every detail. A good building is alive, like a man."
Much the same can be said for advertising. A good spot turns on a single defining concept-a focused, streamlined premise. Certainly this is the case with BBDO New York’s new :30 for Pepsi Twist: "Britney Sighting," directed by Bryan Buckley of bicoastal/international hungry man.
The spot’s underlying foundation-its "prime mover," if you will-is this: an Austin Powers karate chop applied directly to the lovely young kisser of Ms. Spears, pop star par excellence. Truthfully, the ad might well have been titled, "Hit Me, Baby, One More Time … in the Face!" Apologies to Mr. Roark, but a commercial is also alive, like a man. Like a man, baby! Shoot Online subscribers may read this week’s Top Spot of the Week in full by accessing the Current Issue in the Members Area.
CLIENT
PepsiCo./Pepsi Twist.
PRODUCTION CO.
hungry man, bicoastal/
international.
Bryan Buckley, director; Russell Carpenter, DP; Stephen Orent,
executive producer/N.Y.; Dan Duffy, executive producer/L.A.; Kevin Byrne, producer. Shot at Sony Stages, Culver City, Calif.
AGENCY
BBDO New York.
Ted Sann, chairman/chief creative officer; Jimmy Siegel, executive creative director; Susan Levine, associate creative director/art director; Jordan Allen, associate creative director/copywriter; Bob Emerson, senior VP/executive producer/producer; Loren Parkins, executive music
producer.
EDITORIAL
Crew Cuts, bicoastal.
Sherri Margulies, editor; Jake Jacobsen and Matt Shapiro, assistant editors; Nancy Shames, executive producer; Michelle Bellaff, producer.
POST
Nice Shoes, New York.
Lez Rudge, colorist.
Buzz, New York.
Peter Flack, online editor.
VISUAL EFFECTS
The Mill, New York and London.
Lorraine McLaughlin and Chris Knight, Flame artists; Aron Hjartarson, 3-D artist; Wendy Garfinkle, producer.
Quiet Man, New York.
Johnnie Semerad, creative director/Inferno artist; Amy Taylor, executive producer; Gray Hirshfield, producer.
AUDIO POST
Buzz.
Michael Marinelli, mixer.
MUSIC
Big Foote Music, New York.
Darren Solomon and Chris Jordao, composers.
SOUND DESIGN
The Anx, New York.
Carl Mandelbaum, sound designer.
