By Adam Remson
Toughness, in the world of pickup trucks, is commonly considered the domain of American-made vehicles. In the ads, the trucks are driven by honest, hard-working cowboy types who load and unload the building blocks of America’s heartland from the beds. However, there is another kind of toughness: one born in the city’s streets. And knowing that there is more than one way to sell a pickup truck, TBWA/Chiat/Day, Los Angeles, kicked off the third year of its campaign for the Nissan Frontier with a spot that plays with the perceptions of toughness. 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
Nissan Motor Co./Nissan Frontier.
PRODUCTION CO.
HSI Productions, bicoastal, and Gerard de Thame Films, London.
Gerard de Thame, director; Mick Coulter, DP; Bill Sandwick, executive producer; Fabyan Daw, executive producer/line producer; Alex McDowell, conceptual design; Joseph Bennett, production design. Shot on location in Wales and Cambridgeshire, U.K.
AGENCY
TBWA/Chiat/Day, Los Angeles.
Rob Schwartz, executive creative director; Chris Graves, creative director; John Payne, art director; Gary Pascoe, copywriter; Will St. Clair, producer; Julie Rousseau, assistant producer.
EDITORIAL
Cut & Run, London.
Steve Gandolfi, editor.
POST/ VISUAL EFFECTS
The Mill, London.
Sally Heath, producer; Hitesh Patel, CG supervisor; Paul Harrison and Adam Scott, colorists; Dave Smith, online editor/Inferno artist; Angus Kneale, Inferno artists; Kevin Modeste, Thomas Pastor and Eric Deltour, 3-D artists; Gavin Wellsman, Flint operator; George Theophonous, motion control; Adam Howarth, models.
AUDIO POST
Margarita Mix de Santa Monica, Santa Monica.
Jimmy Hite, mixer.
MUSIC
Elias Arts, bicoastal.
Jimmy Haun, composer; Dave Gold, creative director; Dayna Turcotte, producer.
SOUND DESIGN
Machine Head, Venice.
Stephen Dewey, sound designer; Vicki Melanson, producer.
Oscar and Emmy-Winning Composer Kris Bowers Joins Barking Owl For Advertising, Branded Content
Music, audio post and sonic branding house Barking Owl has taken on exclusive representation of Oscar and Emmy-winning composer Kris Bowers for advertising and branded content.
Bowers’ recent film scores include The Wild Robot and Bob Marley: One Love, alongside acclaimed past works such as The Color Purple (2023), King Richard and Green Book. His contributions to television are equally impressive, with scores for hit series like Bridgerton, When They See Us, Dear White People, and his Daytime Emmy Award-winning score for The Snowy Day.
In addition to his work as a composer, Bowers is a visionary director. He recently took home the Academy Award for Best Documentary Short Subject for his directorial work on The Last Repair Shop. The emotionally touching short film spotlights four of the people responsible for repairing the musical instruments used by students in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD). The Last Repair Shop reflects the positive influence that musical instruments have on the youngsters who play them, and the adults in the LAUSD free repair service who keep them working and in tune.
Barking Owl CEO Kirkland Alexander Lynch said of Bowers, “His artistry, diversity of style and depth of storytelling bring an unparalleled edge to the work we create for global brands. His presence on our roster reflects our continued commitment to pushing the boundaries of sound and music in advertising.”
Johanna Cranitch, creative director, Barking Owl, added, “Kris first caught my attention when he released his record ‘Heroes + Misfits’ where he fused together his jazz sensibility with a deeply ingrained aptitude for melody, so beautifully.... Read More