Steamy automobile encounters typically involve teenagers, occur in the backseat, and work best when both people are inside the vehicle.
"Airbag" offers several dramatic departures from that scenario, yet still yields a climactic result for the participants. In this :30, the couple is middle-aged and sophisticated. The woman, clad in an evening gown, gets behind the steering wheel as the man stands outside the vehicle. There’s a definite chemistry between the two, heightened by some knowing, windshield-piercing glances that fall somewhere between mild flirtation and serious foreplay.
Standing in front of the car, the man pulls out a sledgehammer. The woman dons a pair of protective goggles. A mighty swing of the hammer impacts the front end of the car, triggering the airbag, which inflates right in the face of the woman, who breaks out in satisfied laughter.
While her carnal delight is evident, it still doesn’t compare to deeper thrills. A voiceover explains: "Sure, you can try. But you just can’t match the excitement of the new Viejas Casino." Following the appearance of a supered casino logo, the spot returns to the couple. The man opens the driver’s side door and whispers to his mate, "Let’s do the minivan."
"Airbag" is one of three commercials in a package that is decidedly offbeat. For example, in "Chair," two elderly women wearing motorcycle helmets get their kicks by spinning themselves silly and dizzy in a revolving chair. In "Goldfish," a man clad in a pair of swim trunks gets his jollies by floating in a tub with a hungry school of goldfish as a woman sprinkles fish food into the water.
The campaign was conceived by a team from San Diego agency Matthews/Mark: president/creative director Michael Mark, associate creative director/art director Mark Albertazzi, copywriters Pat Emerick ("Airbag" and "Goldfish") and John Risser ("Chair"), and producers Cat Sautter and Amy Krause.
The three spots were directed by Jeff Gorman of JGF, Hollywood, backed by executive producer Gayleen Sharon and producer Colleen McCrary. The package was lensed in Duarte, Calif., by DP Ward Russell.
Freelance editor Andrew Borton cut the campaign. Online editor for "Airbag" was Tom Gudvangen of OC Post, Irvine, Calif. The spot’s colorist was Arnold Ramm of Hollywood Digital, Hollywood. Audio mixer was Chris Winston of AudioBanks, Santa Monica. Sound designer was Matthew Schoenfeld of Ear to Ear, Santa Monica.
Viejas is the largest casino in the San Diego area. The campaign broke regionally last month.
