The percentage of national commercials airing in HD on the Super Bowl has increased steadily over the years to the point where a whopping 93 percent are now seen in all their hi-def glory. This finding came from an annual survey conducted by Tom Fletcher, VP of camera and production resource rental house Fletcher Chicago.
Fletcher has been tracking HD activity–or the lack thereof initially–for several years running. For example, he reported that only 30 percent of the national spots on the 2005 Super Bowl appeared in HD. This went up to 59 percent in ’06, 83 percent in ’07 and 93 percent this year.
“We’ve been major advocates of finishing in HD,” related Fletcher. “And it’s gratifying to see we’re now at 93 percent. But we very much need to get that up to 100 percent, not just for the Super Bowl but all commercials. With HD television set penetration increasing, it behooves us as an industry to showcase our work in the best possible light.”
However, the local spot market doesn’t seem to be getting the message. Fletcher noted that no local commercials shown in the Chicago market during this year’s Super Bowl appeared in HD. Though he didn’t monitor the New York feed last year, Fletcher found in ’07 there were also no local spots in the Big Apple shown in HD on the Super Bowl.
Local spots thus have stayed at zero during all the years Fletcher has conducted his annual HD survey. “It’s like buying a full page ad and using only two-thirds of the space,” he related. “And on the Super Bowl, the local ads really looked like local ads when compared to the commercials shown in HD nationally.”
Where The Buffalo Roam Signs Director Geordie Stephens For Spots and Branded Content
Production company Where The Buffalo Roam (WTBR) has signed director Geordie Stephens for U.S. representation spanning commercials and branded content. Stephens is known for his subtle performance-driven comedic style, emphasizing art direction, production design, and cinematography. Previously represented by Tool of North America, Bullitt and FANCY, Stephens has a commercial portfolio which includes such global brands as Mini Cooper, HP, Toyota, Bud Light, and Burger King. A former agency creative, Stephens transitioned to the director’s chair following a lengthy career on the agency side as a creative at Butler, Shine & Stern and CP+B Miami, among other shops.
PJ Koll, WTBR co-founder and executive producer, said of Stephens, “His expertise and talent perfectly complement our creative strengths, enhancing our ability to deliver at the highest level. We feel incredibly fortunate to have him join the herd.”
“When I met Tim [WTBR exec producer Pries] and PJ, we immediately hit it off,” added Stephens. “They’re super sharp, funny, and good people who have assembled a very interesting mix of talent with different skills. As a director, I’m always looking for simple human truths that everyone can relate to in a humorous and smart way. The Buffalo team specializes in the small wink, so they get my sense of humor and will give me the platform to keep pushing great work forward.”
During his advertising career, Stephens spearheaded campaigns for IKEA, Truth, Virgin Atlantic, Burger King, Sprite, and Volkswagen. His work also won top prizes at the Cannes Lions and Clios and has been honored by numerous One Show and AICP awards.
Raised in an artistic community in California’s Marin County by his writer-mother and... Read More