CLIENT
Sony Corporation of America/Sony Walkman.
PRODUCTION CO.
Epoch Films, New York.
Phil Morrison, director; Mott Hupfel, DP; Jerry Solomon, executive producer; Bettina Schneider, line producer. Shot at Raleigh Studios, Hollywood.
AGENCY
Young & Rubicam, New York.
Ross Sutherland, creative director; Dave Skinner and Hunter Williams, art directors; Matt Aselton and Darren Wright, copywriters; Kim Lowell, executive producer.
EDITORIAL
Mad River Post, New York.
Emily Dennis, Zena Sfeir and James Duffy, editors; Amy Lazarus, producer.
POST/VISUAL EFFECTS
Ring of Fire Advanced Media, West Hollywood.
Jerry Spivack, visual effects supervisor/ creative director; John Myers, executive producer; Paul Geiger, visual effects supervisor/Henry artist; Kevin Prendiville and Danny Yoon, Inferno artists; John Ciampa, Henry artist; Gary Mortensen and Steve Edwards, rotoscope artists; John Jenkins and David Hovanky, CGI artists, "Doctor" and "Wrestler"; Jason Lee, CGI artist, "Wrestler"; Casey Conroy, Kim Evans and Zenta Kronitis, postproduction producers.
Nice Shoes, New York.
Chris Ryan, colorist; Rick Schreck, online editor.
AUDIO POST
Sound Lounge, New York.
Tom Jucarone, mixer.
MUSIC
Duotone Audio Group, New York.
Jack Livesey and Peter Nashel, composers, "Doctor."
SOUND DESIGN
Mad River Post.
Zena Sfeir, sound designer.
THE SPOTS
Three commercials feature Sony’s mascot, Plato, the gangly, blue-furred extraterrestrial who always seems to have the right touch for any situation. "Doctor" (:60/:30) shows Plato on a table at the physician’s office, listening to his Walkman. A female doctor attempts to find his heartbeat, checking all the usual places, but to no avail. Finally she places the stethoscope atop his head, which thumps rhythmically to an electronic dance track. In "Wrestler" (:30), Plato weighs in for an upcoming event, only to be told by the supervisor (played by Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs) that he needs to lose several pounds. Outfitted with his Sony Mini Disc Walkman, Plato "kicks it" in the sauna. At his next weigh-in, the initial reaction of the coach shows that Plato didn’t quite reach his goal—until he removes his undies. And "Match" (:30), set in a college gymnasium, shows Plato’s sweetheart handing him a CD for good luck, prior to his match with his opponent—Sydney 2000 U.S. Olympic Gold Medalist, heavy-weight wrestler Rulon Gardner. Sliding the CD into his skip-resistant player, Plato easily foils his foe in one fell swoop.
Spots broke in September.
