By Robert Goldrich

In what has become an annual SHOOT tradition, John Leverence, senior VP, awards, for the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, offers an entertainment industry perspective on the year’s crop of primetime Emmy-nominated commercials: American Express’ “Animals” from Ogilvy & Mather, New York; Pepsi’s “Pinball” and GE’s “Jar” out of BBDO New York; Cingular Wireless’ “Battle” via BBDO New York and Atlanta; Coca-Cola’s “Happiness Factory” from Wieden+Kennedy, Amsterdam; Travelers’ “Snowball” for Fallon Minneapolis; and “Singing Cowboy” from Arnold Boston and Crispin Porter+Bogusky, Miami.
    “It’s a wide ranging lineup from the very serious ‘Singing Cowboy’ to the whimsical ‘Happiness Factory,’ which conjures up memories of Rube Goldberg,” related Leverence. “The two soft drink ads, ‘Pinball’ and ‘Happiness Factory,’ offer a highly vitalized kind of experience. You’re going to feel the sugar in this drink, reflected in the sheer religious joy displayed by the animated workers in ‘Happiness Factory’ and a guy’s wild ride on a pinball through the streets of San Francisco.”
    San Francisco streets were also the setting for “Snowball.” “You had this spot and ‘Pinball’ depicting some kind of sphere moving rapidly and surreally through the city. The frenetic nature of both was very engaging,” said Leverence, noting that these pieces were more visceral and energizing than narrative, setting them apart from the rest of the storytelling-driven field.
    Leverence cited the twist in “Battle,” which thrusts us right into the middle of an argument between a mother and daughter. While the tone is contentious, the words aren’t. “Our expectations get turned on their head,” observed Lawrence. “You at first feel like you know what everybody is going to say but then it gets flipped over to something quite different as the mom and daughter are actually being quite trusting and appreciative of one another. It’s more of an intellectual approach, telling us a story through dialogue that’s contrary to the argumentative manner in which the words are being spoken.”
    As for GE’s “Jar,” Leverence observed, “I don’t remember ever seeing a commercial with more effective use of a musical track [Donovan’s “Catch The Wind”]. The track supports the narrative of a boy catching the wind in a jar and traveling by train, motorcycle and other means to give it to his grandfather. It’s sensitive, sweet and green, helping GE to rebrand itself from an industrial giant to a greener, ecologically friendly company.”
    Meanwhile “Animals” takes us to a day in the life on the job for Ellen DeGeneres on her TV show–except all her co-workers are animals. Leverence noted, “It’s filled with childlike wonder and clever gags such as the turtle being the employee chosen to make a fast run for coffee.”
    By contrast, “Singing Cowboy” is “in a serious place all its own among the nominees,” said Leverence. “It starts with a misleading first act, with cowboys on horses in a busy city–but then we see a cowboy remove his scarf, revealing a hole in his throat. He sings with the aid of a device he places against his throat as we see the crowd’s reactions.”
    While “Cowboy” carries a serious health message, Leverence concluded that this year’s Emmy field “speaks well to the creative health of advertising.”

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