Each week, SHOOT ‘s "The Best Work You May Never See" gallery showcases two spots that would not normally receive the recognition and exposure they deserve. These ads can be spec spots, PSAs that don’t air in heavy rotation, commercials that run regionally, or spots that air in foreign markets. This week’s Special Report looks at six spots from the 2001 gallery that are particular stand-outs. One of the ads featured is "Low Rider," for the San Francisco Jazz Festival, which won a Gold Lion at the Cannes International Advertising Festival. Below is a look at the best of "The Best Work."
"Chicken Pox"
The camera opens on a young boy’s face. The hand—all we can see of a second person—is putting makeup over the lad’s chicken pox marks to conceal them.
"Am I gonna to get in trouble?" asks the boy.
"No, you’re not gonna to get in trouble," a girl’s voice responds.
"Are you sure?" persists the boy.
The girl—his older sister—is then seen on camera. She’s standing in front of the boy, who is seated on the counter next to the bathroom sink.
"They’re not even gonna know," she reassures him.
"But I can’t go to school if I’m sick," he points out.
"Just go to school so you can get some lunch. Then you can come home afterwards," the sister patiently explains.
Supered over them a sobering message reads, "1 out of every 5 children in the U.S. lives with hunger."
Then a slogan appears, supered against a black background: "The Sooner You Believe It, The Sooner We Can End It."
A toll-free number (1-800-Feedkids) and Web site address (www.feedingchildrenbetter.org) come on screen, along with the logos of the Ad Council, domestic hunger-relief organization America’s Second Harvest, and the ConAgra Feeding Children Better Foundation.
Titled "Chicken Pox," the PSA is part of a campaign directed and shot by Joe Pytka of Venice, Calif.-based PYTKA for Bartle Bogle Hegarty (BBH), New York. Each spot recreates a true story. The ads depict the desperate lengths to which many American families have to go in order to feed themselves. A second spot, for example, shows a meager meal being prepared for a table of hungry children. The camera then reveals that the older girl, who has made the meal, does not even eat it; instead, she’s divided her portion among her siblings. In another PSA, a child runs to drink milk from a bowl that has been left for a cat on a neighbor’s front porch. And a final scenario shows a woman pocketing numerous packets of ketchup from several fast-food restaurants. She then goes home to prepare ketchup soup for her kids.
"In order for people to believe that childhood hunger exists, we needed to educate and define what child hunger really looks like and means in the U.S.," said Thomas Hayo, group creative director, BBH New York. "The scenarios we used in the ads are dramatizations of true stories we heard at shelters and food banks, and we realized that the best way to enlighten the public was with the shocking truth."
Peggy Conlon, president and CEO of the Ad Council, related: "Most people consider the issue of hunger to be a foreign one, and not something that really happens here. But the truth is that right now in America, there are twelve million kids going hungry. We must raise the public’s awareness of the situation. Considering the edginess of the campaign’s creative, I think it’s a message that the media will really get behind."
The BBH team on "Chicken Pox" consisted of creative director Hayo, copywriter Peter Kain, art director Gianfranco Arena and producer Mary Cheney. Hayo was creative director on the overall campaign, and Cheney produced all the spots for the agency.
Kathy Rhodes executive produced for PYTKA. Line producer was Leslie Vaughn.
Adam Liebowitz and Matt Silver of Go Robot!, New York, edited "Chicken Pox." Alisa Sheinberg was the executive producer and Jonlyn Williams the producer for the firm. Chris Ryan and Rich Schreck of New York-based Nice Shoes served as colorist and online editor, respectively. Audio mixer was Rob Sayers of Sound Lounge, New York.
"The Colonel"
It’s early morning. The alarm clock rings. Rather than biding his time to get a few more minutes of shuteye, a spry, elderly man solidly sets his feet on the floor to get out of bed.
He springs into exercise, doing pushups on the bedroom floor, then walks to the bathroom to wash up. Next we see him back in the bedroom, getting dressed—however, he isn’t donning stereotypical senior-citizen attire, like a pair of sweats. Instead, he’s putting on a military uniform.
On the bedroom dresser before him are glimpses of his past, including a framed photo of him as a college football player. As he continues to dress, we see that he’s a colonel, and that his uniform jacket is adorned with medals of distinction and ribbon military decorations. With him we view his reflection in the mirror as he straightens his tie. Another framed photo on the dresser shows him as a wet-behind-the-ears Marine inductee.
The screen goes black; against it appears a single word: "Freedom."
We return to the bedroom where once more we view the colonel’s reflection in the mirror—we also see a second elderly man, waking up in the same bed.
Again, against a black background, a super appears, this time reading, "To differ."
Back to the in-the-mirror perspective, we see the colonel’s male partner leave the bed. Also revealed to us is the last small medal that the colonel has pinned to the jacket he’s wearing: a gay pride insignia.
The spot is tagged with an American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) logo, under which appears the Web site address of its Washington State chapter (aclu-wa.org).
Titled "Colonel," the commercial is one of two spots for the ACLU state chapter—part of an integrated campaign that also includes print ads and an online component. Conceived by Seattle ad agency Cole & Weber/ Red Cell, the multimedia campaign is billed as being the first of such magnitude for an ACLU state affiliate. Cole & Weber/Red Cell associate creative director Jim Elliott said that the campaign’s aim is simply "to inform people, especially those in their twenties and thirties, about the ACLU and the importance of the values for which it stands."
The campaign centers around the idea, explained Elliott, "that everyone should have the freedom to differ, and that freedom is essential to the people’s lives." Acknowledging that the campaign can be construed as "controversial," he noted, "our hope is that this work provokes discussion and encourages a younger generation to join the ACLU."
The agency creative ensemble consisted of creative director/copywriter Elliott, art director Greg Wyatt and producer Maleah Jacobs.
Bob Purman of bicoastal Moxie Pictures directed and shot the two-spot package. The other commercial, "Medicinal," addresses the use of marijuana for seriously ill patients. Purman’s Moxie support team included executive producer Gary Rose and producer Mark Hyatt.
Johnna Turiano of Slice Editorial, Seattle, cut the TV campaign. Online editor was Steve Harris of Flying Spot, Seattle. Colorist was Flying Spot’s Jeff Tillotson. Audio mixer/ sound designer was Vince Werner of Seattle-based Clatter & Din.
The ad campaign broke in September in the State of Washington.
"Low Rider"
Image is everything—particularly for three cool dudes cruising the city in a low-rider convertible. "Cool," however, is in the eye of the beholder—or, more accurately in this case, in the ear of the listener.
This spot opens with a close-up of the car’s radio, then cuts to the driver and two passengers, kicking back and enjoying some jazz. Clearly, jazz is where it’s at for this trio, which revels in the mellow tunes. But the car is nearing an intersection where a young man waits to cross the street. "Yo, pedestrian," one of the passengers warns his friends.
Clearly, anyone witnessing these guys’ love of jazz would blow their stereotypical tough-low-rider cover. So the driver punches a button on the radio, switching to a station that plays hard-driving rap music. The riders’ body language alters, too. And their facial expressions change from the relaxed gaze of laid-back jazz aficionados to the intimidating glare of don’t-tread-on-me low-riders.
Certainly the yuppie-type pedestrian feels intimidated: He’s reluctant to step off the sidewalk and cross in front of the car. The convertible bounces up and down, the flexing of shock absorbers telling outsiders to beware.
The low-riders then proceed, continuing with their rap facade until the passenger signals again—this time that the coast is clear. Again, with no witnesses in sight, the driver switches the radio back to the jazz station. He and his two passengers revert to their original smooth groove.
The spot then transitions to a black screen over which supers read: "It’s that time of year … San Francisco Jazz Festival."
"Low Rider" was directed by Brandon Dickerson of kaboom productions, San Francisco, for ad agency Butler, Shine & Stern, San Francisco.
The agency creative ensemble consisted of creative director John Butler, copywriter Ryan Ebner, art director Steven Goldblatt and producer Stephanie Bunting.
Dickerson’s support team included executive producer Lauren Schwartz and producer Lisa Ewald. The DP was Norman Bonney.
Angelo Valencia of FilmCore, San Francisco, edited the spot. Colorist was Paul Bronkar of 525 Studios, Santa Monica. Andy Greenberg of One Union Recording Studios, San Francisco, served as audio mixer.
"The Third Place"
For TBWA/London, the selection of the director was paramount for the spot introducing Sony PlayStation2 (PS2). The concept was that the PS2 system will take players to "The Third Place," a somewhere destination not otherwise accessible.
Trevor Beattie, creative director of TBWA/London, explained: "It’s not waking or sleeping; not the past, not the present. It’s a third thing. And this is about getting [director] David Lynch to interpret ‘The Third Place.’ "
The end result, a black-and-white :60, is a surreal journey in which a nervous-looking young man proceeds down a darkened passageway. First a stream of fire shoots across his path, temporarily impeding his progress. But he moves on, seeing off to one side a woman against a celestial backdrop. She puts a forefinger to her mouth, shushing him to remain quiet. Looking off to the other side, he spies a second man—his doppelganger—flashing the "thumbs-up" sign.
Smoke billows before our traveler, and strange sounds continue to surround him. He literally loses his head, which detaches from his body to take a spin through the corridor. Head and body soon rejoin, and now the man’s mouth convulses open, coughing out what appears to be a human arm.
Finally he has arrived at the sought-after "Third Place." Seated before him are his clone, a man-sized duck dressed in a business suit, a morose-looking mummy and the aforementioned arm, gently beckoning. The duck welcomes the voyager to "The Third Place." A futuristic PS2 logo fills the screen.
Simultaneously "The Third Place" is totally unique, yet familiar. Perhaps the familiarity comes from visual kernels that are in some respects reminiscent of such noted Lynch creations as the TV series Twin Peaks and his cult feature classic Eraserhead. Lynch’s filmography also includes The Elephant Man, Blue Velvet and Wild at Heart.
The TBWA team consisted of creative director Beattie, art director Bil Bungay and producer Diane Croll. The production companies were Great Guns, London, and Los Angeles-based Kintop Pictures. The ad was shot by DP Scott Billups. Producing for Great Guns and Kintop, respectively, were Terry Wordingham and Deepak Nayar.
The :60 was cut by Brian Johnson, a Los Angeles-based editor secured by Lynch. Tim Fulford of Red Square, London, edited the :30 version. Henry artist was Tim Greenwood of London-based post/ effects facility FrameStore. Gary D’Amico of Kintop served as a visual effects artist. Audio mixers were Raj Schgal and Adam West at Grand Central, London.
Lynch created the sound design and score for the spot, with the musical arrangement by his colleague John Neff. Additionally, Lynch lent his own voice to the duck character.
"Cheryl"
If you’re in New York or Los Angeles, coming to a theatre near you is a 90-second commercial introducing Lucky magazine. The cinema ad adheres to the prerequisite that moviegoers suspend their disbelief in order to be entertained. Except in this case, the suspension has tongue very firmly implanted in cheek.
The commercial opens on a woman making her way along a crowded sidewalk. She waves upon recognizing a certain special someone. Turns out it’s her friend "Cheryl," whose arm is extended above her head as if she, too, is waving. The only catch is that Cheryl is a mannequin—a fact that seems immaterial to the woman as she hugs her expressionless friend.
Their day of shopping begins as Cheryl is seen stuck in a department store’s revolving door. The woman laughs as if Cheryl is a jokester who cannot help but call attention to herself. After an escalator ride together, the two are next seen looking into a mirror, forming opinions on how a piece of clothing looks.
Then it’s time to find the right fragrance. A store clerk sprays perfume on Cheryl’s wrist, watching in disbelief as the woman and Cheryl assess the scent.
With full shopping bags in hand, Cheryl and her companion are back on the streets when fate seemingly intervenes. A taxi strikes Cheryl, sending her flying and detaching one of her arms.
But not to worry. With help from the cabdriver, Cheryl apparently gets all patched up, because we next see the woman at home, cheerfully telling her hubby about the great time she had shopping with Cheryl. Dismayed, he finally summons up the courage to inform her that "Cheryl’s not real … She’s a mannequin."
Aghast, the wife stares at her husband in complete denial, then covers her ears and runs screaming from the apartment. We see her walking the nighttime streets, reflecting on all the good times she’s had with her best friend, Cheryl: shopping, surprising her with a birthday cake, sharing a joyful carousel ride, singing songs together at a beach campfire. These scenes unfold before us, with the beach scenario taking a bizarre turn as Cheryl’s foot catches on fire. Her human friend is quick to the rescue, extinguishing the flames with handfuls of sand.
Back to "reality" in the present tense, as the woman’s aimless wanderings find her at Cheryl’s apartment. She knocks on the door. The mannequin answers but she’s not alone. A half-naked man towels his hair dry behind her. As he raises his head to speak to Cheryl, the horrified woman recognizes her husband. She runs back out into the night, wiping off bitter tears. Blocks away, she just happens to walk past a newsstand, its display rack full of Lucky magazines. She picks up a copy, clasps it to her chest, and walks on, smiling and comforted.
A supered tagline explains her newfound salvation: "Lucky magazine. Your new shopping friend. On sale now."
Simply titled "Cheryl ‘n Me," the cinema spot was directed by Baker Smith via Santa Monica-based Tate & Partners for San Francisco ad agency Black Rocket. Shortly after this job was wrapped, Smith and Black Rocket embarked on new chapters in their professional lives. Smith exited Tate & Partners to partner with executive producer Bonnie Goldfarb in the launch of their own production company, Harvest (SHOOT, 3/2, p. 1); and Black Rocket was acquired by Euro RSCG.
The Black Rocket creative team on "Cheryl ‘n Me" consisted of creative directors Bob Kerstetter and Steve Stone, art director Phil Covitz, copywriters Warren Cockrel and Dave Loew, and producer Stacey Higgins.
Goldfarb served as line producer on the job, which was shot by DP Pierre Rouget.
The :90 was edited by Bob Frisk of Phoenix Editorial, San Francisco. Phoenix’s senior producer was Jonathan Hinman. Stefan Sonnenfeld of Company 3, Santa Monica, was the colorist. Finishing was done at Santa Monica-based Asylum Visual Effects. Audio mixing was done by Dave Baker at Crescendo! Studios, San Francisco.
Music was composed and lyrics written by Black Rocket’s Kerstetter, Cockrel and Loew. The folk song rendition heard softly in the background—with guitar and vocals by Laura Chandler—included lyrics like "My best friend was a mannequin," after the woman discovers Lucky magazine. The music was produced by Andy Newell at San Rafael, Calif.-headquartered Ripe Sound.
"Beach Landing"
Even war heroes admit to having been afraid. But sometimes fear can be paralyzing, and a well-chosen word of encouragement from a commanding officer can make all the difference in the world to a soldier about to be thrust into battle. That is certainly the case in "Beach Landing," a tongue-in-cheek approach to a serious, albeit unexpected, subject.
Opening on cannons firing rounds of mortar, the black-and-white :30 throws us into a beachhead invasion reminiscent of World War II’s famed D-Day. Troops rush from ocean carriers, storming the beach through knee-high waves.
The next scene reduces the massive invasion to the story unfolding in a single boat carrier. As his comrades pour out to launch the offensive, one soldier huddles in a corner. Exhorting his men to "move it," the carrier commander spots the reluctant lad. "What are you waiting for, soldier?" demands the officer.
Their exchange proceeds at a rapid-fire pace, in staccato yells over relentless mortar fire.
"I’m scared, Sarge!" trembles the young man.
"We’re all scared, son," shouts his commander.
"But Sarge," returns the soldier, "some beaches in this area have unusually high levels of fecal coliform in the water!"
The commander eases the young man’s mind. "Nothin’ to be afraid of, soldier. I checked it out on the beach report card." The sergeant pulls out a laptop computer: "See that."
"It got an ‘A,’ " reads the soldier off the laptop screen.
"The water’s clean, son," affirms the officer reassuringly.
"What a relief," breaths the soldier, stalwartly rising to his feet, then bolting out of the carrier towards the sand.
A super appears against the ocean backdrop, advising us to, "Check the beach report card." Beneath that are Heal the Bay’s logo and Web address (healthebay.org). Just log onto that site to find out what the beach conditions are—as the parting super urges, "Know what you’re getting into."
Designed to educate people about water pollution on Southern California beaches, the spot has aired in the Los Angeles market on KCAL, Channel 9. Heal the Bay is a non-profit environmental organization dedicated to making the Santa Monica Bay and Southern California coastal waters safe and healthy again for people and marine life.
"Beach Landing" was directed and lensed by Sam Jones of Fusion Films, Santa Monica, for DDB Los Angeles. The DDB team consisted of creative director Mark Monteiro, art director Kevin McCarthy, copywriter Ed Cole and producer Dave Muraca.
Peter Abraham and D.J. Ford of Fusion Films served as executive producer and producer, respectively. The spot combined stock footage from Image Bank West, Santa Monica, and original black-and-white 16mm newsreel-style live action, shot by Jones on location in Cabrillo Beach, Calif.
The ad was edited by Paul Blenderman of Brass Knuckles, Venice, Calif., with Bond Schoeffel producing. Colorist was Steve Behar of Pacific Data Post, Santa Monica. Audio mixer was Jimmy Hite of Margarita Mix de Santa Monica.
