This spec commercial offers a curious case of misdirection in that we’re not sure what’s being advertised until the very end. The spot opens on a trash man who’s hitched to a garbage truck. The truck is making its way slowly down a residential street. It stops at a trashcan in front of a house, and the sanitation worker gets off the truck. He approaches the can and thrusts his hand out at it, knocking it over and spilling its contents onto the sidewalk.
He then hops back aboard the truck and motions for it to continue down the street. The truck stops at the garbage can in front of the next home. The trash man hops off and also knocks that can over with relish.
The behavior is inexplicable until a parting end tag, which reads, "For people who like to knock things over. Brunswick." In the background, we hear a bowling ball rolling down the lane and knocking down pins. Brunswick is a bowling ball company, which also operates a chain of bowling alleys.
"Garbage Man" was directed by Todd Korgan who is repped nationally by Motel Films, Hollywood. Korgan helmed the spec piece via Hidden City, Portland, Ore.
The spot was conceptualized by a team at agency R/West, Portland, which consisted of copywriters Hart Rusen and Jen Laurino, art directors Chris Polak and Marc Sobier, and producer Tracie Davis.
Davis also produced for Hidden City, which is R/West’s in-house production company. The spec piece was shot on location in Portland by DP Eric Edwards.
George Mitchell of Mission Control, Portland, edited "Garbage Man." Online editor was Steve Greiner, also with Mission Control. Bruce Bolden of DownStream, Portland, was one-light transfer/sync artist. Colorist was Jeff Tillotson of Flying Spot, Seattle. Audio mixer/sound designer was Eric Stolberg of Digital One, Portland.
