Looking to inspire youngsters (particularly “tweens,” ages 8 to 11) to dream and invent, Publicis & Hal Riney, San Francisco, turned to director John Dolan of bicoastal Anonymous Content for a TV spot on behalf of the Department of Commerce’s U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the National Inventors Hall of Fame Foundation in conjunction with the Ad Council.
The public service :30 opens with a nervous young boy introducing himself and his new invention–a BMX bike with wheels on which are fastened assorted suction cups. His inspiration for the bike was the suction cup-like tentacles of the octopus, at which point we’re treated to a show and tell of sorts. The boy rides the bike along walls and on a ceiling. He even pedals the bike up a ramp which leaves him hanging from the handlebars suctioned to a building. A buddy of his looks on incredulously. We are left to wonder if this bike actually exists. Of course it does–in the minds of kids who dare to imagine and think big.
The spot ends with the slogan, “Anything’s possible. Keep thinking,” accompanied by the website address www.InventNow.org where kids can get in touch with their own innate inventiveness. Designed by VPI (Visual Perspectives Internet), the site allows children to explore their inventive interests in space, sports, design and entertainment. And a gallery on the site highlights inventions created by children throughout the country.
For generations, the U.S. has been a global leader in technology and innovation. While the country represents only five percent of the world’s population, it accounts for nearly one-third of the world’s science and engineering researchers and 40 percent of all research and development, according to the Council on Competitiveness. However, with increased economic competition globally, it’s widely understood that the U.S. must take steps now to maintain its leadership. In particular, America must ensure we inspire future generations of innovators.
Titled “Suction Tires,” the television commercial is part of an ambitious multimedia campaign. The Publicis & Hal Riney creative ensemble included chief creative officer Roger Camp, art director Rich North, copywriter Adam Kopel, director of integrated production David Verhoef and producer Sara Krider.
Andy Traines and Dave Morrison exec produced for Anonymous with SueEllen Clair serving as head of production, Megan Moore as producer and Cheryl Guzman as production supervisor. The cinematographer was Dariusz Wolski.
Editor was Paul Martinez of bicoastal Lost Planet. Elephant Post, a Lost Planet sister shop, was the visual effects/post house. Betsy Beale exec produced for both Elephant and Lost Planet.
Stefan Sonnenfeld, co-founder of bicoastal Company 3, was the colorist.
Jeff Fuller of Eleven, Santa Monica, served as sound designer/audio mixer.
Visionary Filmmaker David Lynch Dies At 78
David Lynch, the filmmaker celebrated for his uniquely dark and dreamlike vision in such movies as "Blue Velvet" and "Mulholland Drive" and the TV series "Twin Peaks," has died just days before his 79th birthday. His family announced the death in a Facebook post on Thursday. The cause of death and location was not immediately available, but Lynch had been public about his emphysema. "We would appreciate some privacy at this time. There's a big hole in the world now that he's no longer with us. But, as he would say, 'Keep your eye on the donut and not on the hole,'" the post read. "It's a beautiful day with golden sunshine and blue skies all the way." Last summer, Lynch had revealed to Sight and Sound that he was diagnosed with emphysema and would not be leaving his home because of fears of contracting the coronavirus or "even a cold." "I've gotten emphysema from smoking for so long and so I'm homebound whether I like it or not," Lynch said, adding he didn't expect to make another film. "I would try to do it remotely, if it comes to it," Lynch said. "I wouldn't like that so much." Lynch was a onetime painter who broke through in the 1970s with the surreal "Eraserhead" and rarely failed to startle and inspire audiences, peers and critics in the following decades. His notable releases ranged from the neo-noir "Mulholland Drive" to the skewed Gothic of "Blue Velvet" to the eclectic and eccentric "Twin Peaks," which won three Golden Globes, two Emmys and even a Grammy for its theme music. "'Blue Velvet,' 'Mulholland Drive' and 'Elephant Man' defined him as a singular, visionary dreamer who directed films that felt handmade," Steven Spielberg said in a statement. Spielberg noted that he had cast Lynch as director John Ford in the 2022 film "The... Read More