Heavy metal can be rough on the ears—and sometimes the musical instruments. But even the destruction of a guitar isn’t enough to undermine a sale at the Chicago Music Exchange.
Titled "Smash," this :30 opens in a Chicago Music Exchange store, which boasts a large selection of new and vintage guitars, amps and other high-end music paraphernalia. Two salesclerks witness an intense metal head wildly playing an electric Gibson guitar at the center of the store. He acts as if he’s playing in concert for an adoring crowd.
His passionate performance culminates in him literally destroying the guitar, smashing it on the floor repeatedly. After the damage is done, he hands a piece of the instrument’s remnants to one salesperson and says, "I’ll take it."
"Good choice," responds the sales guy.
An end tag contains the Chicago Music Exchange logo and phone number, accompanied by a voiceover, which says, "Chicago Music Exchange. For the guitar-obsessed."
"Smash" is one of four spots in the Chicago Music Exchange campaign, which was directed by Evan Bernard of bicoastal Chelsea Pictures for agency Element 79 Partners, Chicago. The other spots—"Love Salad," "Expert" and "Exit"—carry the same tag and a similar brand of humor.
"Love Salad" shows us a customer strumming on a guitar and singing a pathetic love song—rhyming "crouton" and "futon," and causing the salesclerks to wince. He eventually hangs the guitar back up on the wall and leaves. A salesperson then picks up the tainted guitar and takes it outside, where a wood-chipping machine awaits. He feeds it into the machine, reducing the contaminated instrument to little bits of wood.
In "Expert," a customer needing advice in the music department receives more "expertise" than he bargained for. And in "Exit," a talented customer brilliantly plays the guitar and then walks out of the store. He receives an ovation from the two sales guys, who hoot and holler until their applause draws the musician back into the building to acknowledge his "fans."
Allison Amon, Steve Wax and Lisa Mehling executive produced for Chelsea. Jeremy Barrett was the producer. The DP was Gary Katz, who shot the spots on location at the Chicago Music Exchange store.
The creative ensemble for Element 79 consisted of creative directors Dennis Ryan and Danny Schuman, art director Matt Spett, copywriter Rick Hamann and producer Craig Jelniker.
Smash was edited by Meg Kubicka of The Whitehouse, Chicago. Kristin Bransetter and Lisa Long produced for The Whitehouse.
Online editors were Jeff Charatz and Rob Churchill of The Filmworkers Club, Chicago. Colorist was The Filmworkers Club’s Pete Janotta. Audio engineer was Dave Gerbosi of CRC, Chicago.
Liam Davis, Gregory Hardigan and Nick Leininger were the principal actors in this spot. The SAG/AFTRA Commercials Contract Standing Committee has granted a waiver to allow commercials to be available for viewing on SHOOTonline.com. The spots cannot be copied, downloaded or e-mailed.
