A spot for Timex’s new Turn ‘n’ Pull Alarm watch is a fond send-up of the client’s old ’50s live TV commercials consisting of a spokesman and a product demonstration. "Chewing Gum" out of Fallon McElligott, Minneapolis, and directed by Geoff Posner of London-based production house Academy Commercials, sports a vintage look that recalls an earlier era of spots before slick computer graphics and sophisticated production values.
Timex, in fact, was one of the pioneers of spokesperson advertising. Fallon group creative director Bruce Bildsten explained that rarely has a spoof on vintage advertising been as appropriate as it is in this case. "Timex is one of the manufacturers that practically invented the genre in the ’50s," said Bildsten, who headed a creative team comprised of art director Steve Sage, copywriter Allon Tatarka and producer Brian DiLorenzo.
"They were one of early television’s biggest advertisers in sponsored shows," continued Bildsten. "They had John Cameron Swayze doing the torture tests [on Timex watches]. We found out that people-even young people-are familiar with that advertising. And we had this product that is kind of a throwback in how simple it is to use in this digital age. But it needed demonstration. So the product, and the company that makes the product, kind of came together. It made a lot of sense to go back and do a Timex-like demonstration of this watch."
The :30 spot, "Chewing Gum" (along with two other Timex spots, "Walking" and "Waving") is meant to demonstrate how simple it is to use the Turn ‘n’ Pull Alarm watch and set it for long and short-term reminders; it’s so easy that it can be compared to chewing gum, walking and waving.
The spot features spokesperson Michael Landrum (the actor’s real-life name) and a lab coat-wearing assistant. In the opening shots, they are shown in what seems to be a sparse office setting (a nameplate on the desk reads "Timex"). Their images are partially obscured by the white supered copy filling the screen: "Timex presents Simplicity Made Easy!" as we hear whimsical stock music reminiscent of ’50s TV shows. Suddenly the music cuts out as the super is wiped away and, with a glaring jump cut, the two men who were initially facing each other are now instantly facing the camera.
"Hi there-Michael Landrum here for Timex," the suited character says in sonorous tones, a line delivered completely out-of-sync, "bringing you Timex’s newest innovation, the Timex Turn ‘n’ Pull Alarm watch." Visually, the art direction is simple; the set itself is dressed in washed-out pale colors that change throughout the course of the spot. "Just turn the ring either way and pull the crown," he says, as we see a close-up of the watch face, with white arrows helpfully illustrating the directions of the ring-turning and crown-pulling.
"Let’s try setting it for 11 minutes," says Landrum, as his expressionless assistant dutifully follows instructions. Cut ahead as the watch alarm goes off, with blinking Indigo blue colors and a super reading "11 minutes later." Demo successfully completed, Landrum tells viewers to tune in next week when they will discuss gum chewing, as we see an earnest-looking young boy chomping away-as a white arrow is again used as a visual aid. It ends with a product shot, displaying a variety of Timex watches lined up. "The Timex Turn ‘n’ Pull watch-so simple, we should have thought of it years ago."
To direct, Fallon tapped Posner, who is best known in the U.K. as a television director. Posner explained that recreating period looks of old films is "an old hobby" of his; Posner’s credits include the ’90 British documentary spoof Norbert Smith, which simulated the look of the ’30 and ’40s and some British spots for Mercury Communications that recreate the ’30s.
"[Posner] is an absolute master of this," affirmed Bildsten. "He really knew all the nuances. When I first told him we wanted to recreate the late ’50s, he asked, ‘Are you talking 1956 or 1958-because there’s a big difference.’ He also has an eye for very understated comedy."
As Posner observed, this is the type of spot that stands or falls by the amount of details it has. The ’50s colors were achieved by the choice of film stocks and by using bright primary colors which Posner said he knew "would wash out on film in a very particular way."
In addition to such details of art direction, costume and makeup, Posner related that the key to recreating the genre authentically was the choice of spokesperson. Part of the challenge of finding the right talent was finding an actor neither too young nor too old, and good-looking without being matinee-idol quality. "Spokesmen in those days were nearly always men," said Posner, "because you trusted men; if they looked you straight in the eye and said ‘Use this product,’ you did. And they used the same guy every week to sell these watches, and so he built up that kind of trust with the audience, which is what we wanted to do."
Posner said they auditioned every American actor in Britain-none of which were chosen since they couldn’t quite recall the type of advertising the campaign spoofed. So casting went to New York, where actors were shown some of the vintage Timex spots.
With regard to directing the performance, Posner related he tried to get Landrum to convey a stilted quality, using awkward pauses and mannerisms. "A lot of these [spokespeople] were radio guys," said Posner. "You saw them full-length and, when they had to walk across the set, there was an awkwardness about them because they’re walking and talking at the same time. And it’s the little details like that you want to build in: exactly where they stand-he might be looking for his mark or something like that."
The end result is a spot that is a little off with regard to its characters, its staging and how it was shot. "We do a lot of humor with Timex," said Bildsten. "I hope these have humor."
