Philips agency Messner Vetere Berger McNamee Schmetterer/Euro RSCG, New York, had three solid concepts for its client’s continuing "You’ve Got To Admit It’s Getting Better" campaign. The problem was having only budget enough to produce two—both directed by Keith Rose of Velocity Afrika, Cape Town, and shot in South Africa.
Undaunted, agency creatives Sean Looney and Greg Cerny sought other means to get their odd-man-out project produced, enlisting the cooperation of Sterling Ray, principal/executive producer of Atlas Pictures, and Jim Byrkit, who directs commercials via that Santa Monica-based house. Drawn to the concept, the Atlas artisans put the wheels in motion to get the job—titled "Cubicle"—produced as a spec piece.
A young male office worker is seen in a rather stark, small workspace cubicle that accommodates only a small file cabinet and wastebasket, his chair, a large desk and bulky computer. Suddenly and silently two men enter; they carry out the desk and computer, leaving our worker stranded in his chair. But just as swiftly the men return, plopping before him a smaller desk made possible by a sleek, streamlined computer workstation and monitor. Suddenly, he has ample elbowroom in what just seconds ago were cramped quarters.
Life, however, is full of tradeoffs. Giving him hardly a moment to celebrate his newfound expansive workplace, the moving guys cart in another desk and identical computer setup—so much for privacy.
But not to worry: The cubicle brightens considerably when his new office roommate—a most attractive young woman—enters the picture. Indeed, shared space has its advantages over privacy. A two-part end tag follows. The first touts the space-saving Philips LCD Flat Panel Monitor. The second features the Philips logo, accompanied by the now-familiar campaign’s mantra song: "You’ve got to admit it’s getting better. It’s getting better all the time."
Making the concept more appealing is the look and feel of the workplace—an abandoned bank location in Southern California’s San Fernando Valley that was given a complete makeover. Byrkit envisioned and helped create an atypical office design. The bank proved to be an ideal site, and production designer Dave Hatfield fleshed out Byrkit’s vision. Dominated by a bright lime green, the extremely controlled palette is reminiscent of those in the movie How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. Also consistent with the overall vision is the appearance of the young lady, who’s dressed in a retro mod fashion, replete with the stewardess-style hat that was in vogue in the late 1960s.
Byrkit’s Atlas support team included exec producer Ray and producer Sharon Morov. The spot was shot by DP Ed Guttentag.
Looney and Cerny served as copywriter and art director, respectively. The editors were Chris Lovett of Lovett Productions, Santa Monica, and Scott Gibney of Berwyn Editorial, New York. Colorists were Bob Curreri of R!OT Santa Monica and Lez Rudge of Nice Shoes, New York.
Gibney and Cheryl Ottenritter of Berwyn Editorial were sound designer and audio mixer, respectively.
