Director Geoff Ayres has signed for exclusive commercial representation in the U.S. with David Naylor & Associates (DNA), the Hollywood-based music video and commercial production house headed by executive producer David Naylor. Based in Toronto, Ayres continues to be repped in Canada by The Partners’ Film Company, Toronto, which he joined in ’98.
Ayres first teamed up with DNA about six months ago on a job for the U.S. market and Pillsbury via New York-based kids marketing firm The Gepetto Group. The project, which was filmed in Canada, was run through Toronto production house Trailer Park, which reps DNA’s directors in Canada and also maintains an affiliation with Partners’.
The director’s first assignment since signing with DNA last month was for McDonald’s via Leo Burnett Co., Chicago. A versatile director whose repertoire includes humorous, character-driven ads, visual campaigns, sports and children’s advertising, Ayers’ recent projects through Partners’ include a Molson campaign via Publicis BCP, Montreal, which spotlighted the beer maker’s sponsorship of the Montreal Grand Prix; and a spot for Triscuit crackers via J. Walter Thompson, Chicago.
Ayres’ first spot roost was Partners’ affiliate the Revolver Film Company, Toronto, which he joined in ’96. While there, he helmed campaigns for Nintendo via Leo Burnett, Toronto, and Coors Light out of FCB Canada, Toronto.
While attending the University of Toronto in the early ’90s, Ayres landed his first directing gig: a music video for Cathy September’s "Hearts Will Be Raining." The ’92 clip was nominated by Canadian music channel Much Music for Best R&B Video of the Year, and in ’93 landed Ayers a post as an on-air commercial producer for Much Music.
Around the same time, Ayres was tapped to write, edit and produce episodes of Fashion Television and Ooh La La, which were produced by Much Music sister channel, Toronto-based Citytv. Much Music and Citytv are subsidiaries of media conglomerate Chum Ltd., Toronto. The series aired in the U.S. on VH1. Ayers graduated from college in ’94.
Continuing to produce promos for Much Music, Ayers won a Gold Broadcast Design Association (BDA) Award in ’96 for "Walk for Life," a Much Music promo for the AIDS Walk in Toronto. Shot on 16mm, the highly stylized clip featured a Lawrence of Arabia-type character traversing the city with a large red banner.
Shortly thereafter, the director joined Revolver. In ’98, Saatchi & Saatchi, Toronto, honored Ayers with a First Cut Award recognizing top new directors.
Ayers additional credits include spots for 3M out of Grey, Toronto; Michelinas frozen foods out of the Ongoing Partnership, Toronto; and Blockbuster via J. Walter Thompson, Chicago.
The director joins a DNA commercials roster that also includes directors Marco Brambilla, Liz Friedlander, Francis Lawrence, Jean-Baptiste Mondino, Rocky Schenk, Marc Webb, Steve Willis, Yuki and Lili Fini Zanuck.
DNA’s commercial sales are handled by Los Angeles-based Super Glue on the West Coast; Chicago-based The O’Connor Group in the Midwest; and New York-based Roxanne & Co. on the East Coast.
