Wells BDDP Beer Campaign Shows Puppy Love.
CLIENT
Budweiser USA/Heineken.
PRODUCTION CO.
RSA-USA, bicoastal. David Dobkin, director; Jeff Cronenweth, DP; Linda Ross, executive producer; Marjie Abrahams, head of production; Elison Miller, producer. Shot at Universal Studios, Universal City, Calif.
AGENCY
Wells BDDP, New York. Richard Mahen and Steve Baer, creative directors; Steve Hanratty, copywriter; Michael Maloney, art director; John Garland, head of broadcast production; Pamela Edwards, producer.
EDITORIAL
Red Car, Hollywood. Jonathan Del Gatto, editor; Elvia Gaitan, producer.
POST
Company 3, Santa Monica. Stefan Sonnenfeld, colorist; Noel Castley-Wright, online editor/Henry artist.
VISUAL EFFECTS
The Attik, New York. Simon Dixon, William Travis, Christian Perez and
Tina Lauffer, title graphics.
AUDIO POST
Framework Sound, Burbank, Calif. Ken Dahlinger, mixer.
SOUND DESIGN
Framework Sound. Ken Dahlinger, sound designer.
BY REGINALD OBERLAG
Anybody who’s ever walked a dog knows it’s often a social experience where the furry friend serves as an icebreaker between strangers. In fact, man’s best friend can sometimes even be a matchmaker. Such is the premise in the new Heineken :30 “Doggy,” helmed by bicoastal RSA-USA director David Dobkin for Wells BDDP, New York.
The spot is unusual in this day of blinking-quick edits and elaborate special effects because, like the rest of Heineken’s “Seek the Truth” campaign, it relies on a single locked-off camera setup and dialogue from unseen faces. The traditional devices it does employ are the age-old advertising cliches of a sexy woman and a cute animal.
In the spot, a fellow with his puppy on a leash is at the front door of a convenience store talking with a young woman who coos about what a cute little dog he has. The camera framing imparts a sense of mystery because the two strangers are only seen from their thighs down–inspired, said Dobkin, by the classic Tom & Jerry cartoons in which only people’s legs are shown–although we do get a glimpse of the guy’s reflection in the shop window as he smiles knowingly and makes small talk. The wiggling puppy is curled around the high-heeled shoes of the young woman, whose bare legs are the starring attraction. “I got him for company,” the man remarks, suggesting that he’s single. After gushing some more, the girl introduces herself as text appears onscreen reading, “It’s why dogs are man’s best friend.”
The agency creatives–copywriter Steve Hanratty and art director Michael Maloney–said client Heineken was sophisticated enough to allow the spot to develop with few product intrusions. Product impressions include a six-pack of Heineken carried by a man walking out of the store, who quickly exits offscreen; a subtle set design featuring a trademark Heineken red star in neon inside the store as well as a beer display; and a short dynamic end sequence reinforcing the brand by showing a close-up on the Heineken label as a voiceover reads the “Seek the Truth” tagline–“Open a Heineken and let the truth pour out.”
Truth About Men & Dogs
Hanratty and Maloney both said that the spot, which is targeted toward men, is a realistic rendering of male behavior. “The campaign is about truth and we just hit on the truth that guys do lots of things to pick up girls, like borrowing a friend’s dog and taking it down to the park because girls go crazy for dogs,” said Hanratty.
They added, however, that while their primary market is the male beer drinker, Heineken is a premium beer that crosses gender boundaries. “We’re getting away from traditional beer advertising, which is a load of guys in a bar having a great time or a guy sitting on the pier fishing,” said Hanratty. “These ads are slightly more sophisticated.”
In fact, he added, rather than pandering to sexual advertising cliches, the spot “is saying to guys, `Hey, we’ve found you out.’ It’s a slight blast at men rather than just being sexist and showing a nice pair of legs.
“But believe it or not,” he continued, “I think the puppy gets the eye more than the legs do, so here we’ve got legs for the lads and for the girls we’ve got the puppy.”
As for the production’s challenges, the creatives agreed that it’s difficult for a director to be restricted to the single locked-off camera scene adopted as a standard in the ongoing Heineken campaign, but that Dobkin pulled it off. “Dobkin got the concept,” said Hanratty, “and was able to make it cool and fairly young-looking. And [he] knew how to do that without that sort of MTV fast-cut editing.”
Dobkin explained that the single-shot was almost as difficult as a more complex shoot. “It’s not easy to create a beginning, a middle and an end with a single shot,” said Dobkin. “Choosing the one shot was difficult … I needed to make sure it was the shot I wanted and the one that most spoke to the viewer.”
The challenge for Dobkin encompassed not only finding the right shot, but casting it. “Much of the story is told through body language, which is often the hardest way to communicate,” he noted. Thus he needed actors who could evoke a scene with body gestures and vocal inflections alone. The tendency was for the actors to overact.
In general, said Dobkin, “much advertising today is pushy, forcing an idea on the viewer. But I think good characters and stories always win over dramatic photography.”
***
Piper, Plum In High Gear For Auto Nation
CLIENT
Auto Nation.
PRODUCTION CO.
Plum Productions, Santa Monica, Calif. Nick Piper, director; Bart Tau, DP; Thom Tyson, executive producer; Cara Tapper, producer. Shot on location.
AGENCY
Harris Drury Cohen, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. Mike Tesch, partner/executive VP/co-creative director; Jeff Henson, art director; Lisa Burke, broadcast producer; Scott Thaler, account supervisor; Tricia Giannone, assistant account executive.
EDITORIAL
Engine Room, Miami. Doug Hempel, editor.
POST
Area 52, Los Angeles. Nick Piper, online editor. Broadcast Video Inc., Miami. Richard Kluft, colorist.
VISUAL EFFECTS
Area 52. Nick Piper, compositor.
AUDIO POST
Bird Nest, Hollywood, Fla. Randy Bird, engineer/mixer.
MUSIC
Circa Productions, Columbus, Ohio. Allen DiCenzo, composer/arranger.
THE SPOT
“Choices” shows a man in a loud shirt racing about an enormous Auto Nation lot inspecting cars. He presses his nose to the glass of a sedan, does chin-ups on the roll bar of a Jeep and bounces up and down in the bed of a pickup–all at high speed. Just as he thinks he’s seen it all, he looks around and discovers another tremendous section of cars. “Auto Nation USA,” concludes the voiceover, “the better way to buy a car.”
Spot broke in December.
***
Saatchi, Boomtown For Right Guard
CLIENT
The Gillette Company/Right Guard.
PRODUCTION CO.
1/33 Productions, bicoastal. Rick Levine, director; Kevin McKnight, DP; Pam Rohs, executive producer; Barbara Bauman, line producer. Shot on location.
AGENCY
Saatchi & Saatchi, New York. Craig Miller, executive creative director; Doug Pippin, creative director/copywriter; Michael Vaughan, associate creative director/art director; Greg Hall, executive producer; Eric Korte, music director.
EDITORIAL
Boomtown, New York. Steve Kraftsow, editor; Kristi Kilkenny, assistant editor; Kate Minear, producer.
POST
The Tape House Editorial Company, New York. Bobbi Thomas, colorist.
VISUAL EFFECTS
Tape House Digital, New York. Michel Suissa, director of visual effects; Karen Stewart, executive producer; Frank Devlin, producer; Andrew Milkis, Patrick Ferguson and Alan Neidorf, visual effects artists.
AUDIO POST
Howard Schwartz Recording, New York. Bill Higley, engineer. Music recorded at Back Pocket Recording Studios, New York.
MUSIC/SOUND DESIGN
Russo/Grantham Productions, New York. Marshall Grantham and Shari Feder, composers; Chris McLaughlin, sound designer; John Russo, producer.
THE SPOT
“Dog Show” features Emmitt Smith of the Dallas Cowboys sporting a button-down shirt and a bow tie, calling the plays for a team of show dogs in a :30 and :15 for Right Guard Clear Stick and Clear Gel Anti-Perspirants and Deodorants.
Spot broke Jan. 2.
***
t minus 30 Monkeys Around For Sony
CLIENT
Sony Handycam.
PRODUCTION CO.
t minus 30 Films, Venice, Calif. Jim Zoolalian, director; Theresa Medina, DP; John Clark, executive producer; Larry Serraino, producer. Shot on location.
AGENCY
DeVito Verdi, New York. Sal DeVito, creative director; Zinny Tulley and Rob Carducci, art directors/copywriters; Robyn Boardman and Karen Quenell, producers.
EDITORIAL
t minus 30 Post, Santa Monica, Calif. Dave Trachtenberg, editor; Brett Nicoletti, assistant editor.
POST
Encore Santa Monica. Verdi Sevenhuysen, online editor. Hollywood Digital, Hollywood. Steve Rodriguez, colorist.
VISUAL EFFECTS
Encore Santa Monica. Verdi Sevenhuysen, Flame artist; Rick Lieberman, producer.
AUDIO POST
Margarita Mix, Hollywood. Dave Marcus, mixer/engineer.
MUSIC
Saparoff Music, Topanga, Calif. Andrea Saparoff, composer/arranger.
THE SPOT
“Monkey” opens on a man standing in the primate section of a zoo, videotaping a trio of inactive orangutans. A second man approaches and asks the first man about his Sony Handycam which can record for up to five hours. “Why would anyone want to record for five hours?” he asks. As the first man turns to respond, the orangutans suddenly spring up and begin an elaborate dance. By the time the man turns back, the animals have resumed their former lethargic state.
Spot broke in December.
***
Jump Ship Celebrates With Callaway Wine
CLIENT
Wine Alliance/Callaway Wine.
PRODUCTION CO.
The Washburn Company, San Francisco. Al Fernandes, director; Jon Torcassi, DP; Jane Washburn, executive producer. Shot at Custer Avenue Stages, San Francisco.
AGENCY
Zuckerman Fernandes MacDaniels Sproul, San Francisco. Al Fernandes, VP/creative director; Wicktoria Markula, producer; Alex Cichy, copywriter; Karen Bunting, account executive.
EDITORIAL
Jump Ship Studios, San Francisco. Mike Murray, editor; Thomas McCabe, assistant editor; Susan Conklin, executive producer.
POST
Western Images, San Francisco. Gary Coates, colorist. Jump Ship Studios. Ron Atik, online editor.
VISUAL EFFECTS
Jump Ship Studios. Ron Atik and Ray Penezic, Flame artists/ Mac graphics/title design.
AUDIO POST
One Union Recording Studios, San Francisco. Eric Eckstein, engineer/mixer.
SOUND DESIGN
Jump Ship Studios. Mike Murray, sound designer.
THE SPOT
Four :30s–“Hawaii,” “He Said,” “Music Mix” and “Pate”–combine type design, music and stylized product shots of a bottle of Callaway.
Spots broke Dec. 1.
***
Bob ‘n Sheila’s Trips To McDonald’s
CLIENT
McDonald’s Corp.
PRODUCTION CO.
Headquarters, Hollywood. Eric Steinman, director; David DuBois, DP; Darcy Leslie, producer. Shot on location.
AGENCY
Hoffman/Lewis, San Francisco. Bob Hoffman, creative director; Patti Dudgeon, executive producer; Cabel Molina, art director; David Fullarton, copywriter.
EDITORIAL
Bob ‘n Sheila’s Edit World, San Francisco. Jean Kawahara, editor; Jay Herda, assistant editor; Jennifer Suttlemyre, producer.
POST
Western Images, San Francisco. Greg Gilmore, online editor. Company 3, Santa Monica, Calif. Mike Pethel, colorist.
AUDIO POST
Crescendo! Studios, San Francisco. Tim Claman, engineer.
MUSIC
Michael Boyd Music, San Francisco. Michael Boyd, composer.
THE SPOT
In the :30 “Beach,” a man joyously runs along the beach to reunite with his lost love, the $.89 McDonald’s McChicken sandwich. Joined with his sandwich at last, he runs with it in a McDonald’s bag only to trip and fall, his McChicken sandwich and glasses tossed to a young beachgoer.
Spot broke Oct. 30.
***
Milk & Honey Films Network For Nortel
CLIENT
Nortel.
PRODUCTION CO.
Bedford Falls, Santa Monica, Calif. Mark Piznarski, director; Eric Engler, DP; Sarah Caplan, producer; Miroslav Svarc, art director. Milk & Honey Films, Los Angeles and Prague. Howard Woffinden and Tomas Krecji, executive producers. Shot on location.
AGENCY
Temerlin McClain, Irving, Texas. Bill Oakley, creative director; Leigh Sander, copywriter; Brad White, art director; Barry Lisee, executive producer.
EDITORIAL
Rye Films, Hollywood. Rye Dahlman, editor.
POST
Video Post & Transfer, Dallas. Steve Franco, colorist; Todd Brasher, online editor; David Bouston, assistant online editor.
AUDIO POST
charlieuniformtango, Dallas. Russell Smith, mixer.
THE SPOT
The :30 “Bandwidth” takes place in a picturesque European open-air market, as two American executives are given the lowdown on Nortel’s “power networking” by local merchants. In an unexpected twist, an Italian newsstand vendor and a Cockney vegetable seller, dickering about networking needs, prove to be more knowledgeable than the bemused businesspeople who eavesdrop on their conversation.
Spot broke Oct. 15.
***
earth2mars Cheers For Campbell’s Soup
CLIENT
Campbell’s Chunky Soup.
PRODUCTION CO.
Celsius Films, New York. Marc Tiedemann, live-action director; Greg Ramsey, food director; Miroslaw Baszak, DP; Pat McGoldrick, line producer; Stephanie Oakley, head of production. Shot on location.
AGENCY
Young & Rubicam, New York. Marvin Waldman, creative director; Stephen Hersh, copywriter; Eric Glickman, art director; Jessica Millington, producer.
EDITORIAL
earth2mars, New York. Vinny Pisciotta, editor; Gary Friedman, assistant editor.
POST
Nice Shoes, New York. Scott Burch, colorist. Empire Video, New York. Lenny Davidowitz, online editor.
VISUAL EFFECTS
Empire Video. Michael Bianchi, Flame artist.
AUDIO POST
East Side Audio, New York. Tom Jucarone, engineer.
THE SPOT
Reggie White of the Green Bay Packers stars with his mom in the :30 “Cheerleader.” Sitting on the sideline during a game, White is surprised when his mother sneaks onto the sidelines dressed as a cheerleader in order to find out if her son ate his Chunky Soup before the game. Satisfied that he has eaten well, the mother dashes off to join a bevy of young cheerleaders performing a routine. The spot ends with White saying to a teammate, “That’s my mom,” to which the teammate replies, “Which one?”
Spot broke Nov. 11.
***
Shadowrock, Bedlam Unveil Honda’s Aero
CLIENT
American Honda Motor Co./Honda Shadow Aero.
PRODUCTION CO.
Shadowrock Productions, Beverly Hills, Calif. Joe Murray, director/DP; Wendy Littlefield, Kathryn Bishop and Michael Terry, executive producers; Jerry Sukys, producer; Carlos de la Torre, production supervisor. Shot on location.
AGENCY
Dailey & Associates, Los Angeles. Cliff Einstein, chairman; Brian Morris, president; Denny Kuhr and Jaci Sisson, senior VPs/creative directors; William Valencia, art director; Gary Kelly, copywriter; Michael Waters, producer; Florence Peyrelongue, associate producer; Joe Stanley, senior VP/director of broadcast production; Dean Thompson, senior VP/management supervisor; Steve Mitchell, account supervisor.
STOCK FOOTAGE
Fish Films Footage World, Studio City, Calif. Producers Library Service, Hollywood.
EDITORIAL
Bedlam, Los Angeles. William Bullen, editor; Janna Johnson, assistant editor; Tony Selzer, executive producer.
POST
Bedlam. Ben Gibbs, Flame artist; Dean Chu, online editor; Andrew Guevara, 3-D graphics artist; Steven Murishige, 2-D graphics artist. Post Logic Studios, Hollywood. Chris Devlin, colorist.
AUDIO POST
Outpost, Hollywood. J. Eby, engineer; Tony Friedman, mixer.
MUSIC
Entropy, N. Hollywood. Chris Desmond, composer.
SOUND DESIGN
Bedlam. William Bullen, sound designer.
THE SPOT
“Newsreel’ re-creates the look of a 1930s-era newsreel to introduce the Honda Shadow Aero motorcycles. :30 and :60 versions show a glitzy press conference called by Honda to reveal its “Bike of Tomorrow.” Cameramen work from a scaffold and flashbulbs pop as a dapper spokesman steps to the microphones and directs the crowd’s attention to “Miss Aero,” a smiling model in a bathing suit. She pulls a silk covering off the bike and the audience gasps. A quick-packed montage of close-ups follows, as the spokesman calls the bike’s look “something right out of the pages of science fiction.” The spot ends with a shot of the motorcycle orbiting a spinning globe.
Spot broke in December.
***
DV8, Gatorade Go One-On-One
CLIENT
Gatorade.
PRODUCTION CO.
Reactor Films, New York. Kim Geldenhuys, director; Tim Pike, DP; Chuck Ryant, executive producer; Diane Saunders, producer; Charlie Cunningham, coordinator. Shot on location.
AGENCY
Foote, Cone & Belding, Chicago. Tom Mackechney, creative director/copywriter; Tony Wallace, producer; Ian Prior, art director.
EDITORIAL
Avenue Edit, Chicago. Matt Konicek, editor.
POST
Avenue Edit. Sue Herrmann, online editor; Paul Roscks, Flame artist. i^3, Chicago. Alex Scudiero, colorist.
AUDIO POST
Avenue Edit. Danny McClelland, engineer.
MUSIC/SOUND DESIGN
DV8, Los Angeles. David Livingston and Greg Kuehn, composers/arrangers/sound designers.
THE SPOT
Two :30s spotlight two fiercely competitive basketball players who meet for an intense game of one-on-one. “Bury You” features the offensive player’s internal monologue, while “Put You to Bed” is viewed from the perspective of the defense.
Spots broke in November.
***
Western Images Is Stylish For E&J Gallo
CLIENT
E&J Gallo Winery/Ecco Domani.
PRODUCTION CO.
The A+R Group, bicoastal. Michael Cuesta, director/DP; Roberto Cecchini, executive producer; Allyson Bari, producer; Lisa Williams, production manager. Shot at CECO International Corp., New York.
AGENCY
Young & Rubicam, San Francisco. Peter Angelos, creative director/copywriter; Wendy Noll, producer; Walt Whitman, art director.
EDITORIAL
Young & Rubicam. Ian Spencer, editor.
POST/VISUAL EFFECTS
Western Images, San Francisco. Scott Harris, online editor/digital artist; David Lortsher, colorist; Todd Lindo, producer.
AUDIO POST
Music Annex, San Francisco. Pat Coughlin, engineer.
MUSIC/SOUND DESIGN
Michael Boyd Music, San Francisco. Michael Boyd, composer/sound designer.
THE SPOT
“Sunglasses” and “Scarves & Ties” uses high fashion to introduce E&J Gallo’s Ecco Domani wine. The spots juxtapose beauty shots of Ecco Domani bottles and glasses of wine, with stark white mannequins wearing stylish sunglasses and brightly colored scarves and neckties.
Spots broke in January.
***
CFM Goes To The Super Bowl For IBM
CLIENT
IBM Corp.
PRODUCTION CO.
Creative Film Management, New York. Ted Demme, director; Ericson Core, DP; Lou Addesso and James Kadonoff, executive producers; Miriam Patterson, producer. Shot on location.
AGENCY
Ogilvy & Mather, New York. Steve Hayden, president, worldwide brand services; Chris Wall, creative director; Brendan Gibbons, copywriter; Chris Curry and Ivan Horvath, art directors; Lee Weiss, senior partner/executive producer worldwide; Bob Cagliero, partner/producer; Oritte Bendory, assistant producer; Diane Delisa, partner/assistant director of business affairs; Catherine Kernan, music production assistant; Matt Ross, senior partner/executive group director; Nils Peyron, partner/worldwide management supervisor; Eric Hadley, account executive.
EDITORIAL
Invisible Dog, New York. Richard Rosenbaum, editor; JP Morgan, assistant editor.
POST
Nice Shoes, New York. Russ Bigsby, online editor. SMA Video, New York. Eli Friedman, film to tape.
AUDIO POST
Howard Schwartz Recording, New York. Roy Latham, sound mixer.
SOUND DESIGN
Invisible Dog. Hans Ten Broeke, sound designer.
THE SPOT
“Merchandise” follows a geeky guy who is responsible for delivering official NFL merchandise to San Diego for the Super Bowl. Confidently driving his truck down the highway and singing along with the Carpenters’ “On Top of the World,” his truck hits a pothole, which results in the backdoor of the truck opening. Footballs and jerseys begin spilling onto the highway; one football bounces its way onto the head of CHiPs star Erik Estrada, who is in uniform giving a citation. Despite cars attempting to alert the driver about the mishap, he continues on his merry way. When he finally arrives at the stadium, he realizes he’s lost all his merchandise. “Need official Super Bowl merchandise? Go to superbowl.com and official IBM e. business.”
Spot broke Dec. 28
