For the second consecutive year, bicoastal/international Propaganda Films and sister shop Satellite won arguably the highest honor bestowed upon production companies: the Palme d’Or at the Cannes International Advertising Festival. The award is based on a point system, with a sliding scale used to score the number of Gold, Silver and Bronze Lions, as well as appearances on the shortlist.
Contributing to the Palme d’Or win were a Budget Rent-A-Car campaign via Cliff Freeman and Partners, New York, directed by Propaganda’s Dante Ariola. The spotsa"Propulsion," "Ranger" and "Aromatherapy"aearned a Gold Lion. Nike’s "Morning After," directed by Satellite’s Spike Jonze for Wieden+Kennedy (W+K), Portland, Ore., earned a Gold, and "Sideline," directed by Satellite’s Josh Taft for adidas, out of Leagas Delaney, San Francisco, won a Bronze.
But the Propaganda/Satellite that accepted this year’s Palme d’Or (its third in the last four years) is a radically different outfit than the one that existed a year ago. In April ’99, the overall company was acquired by an investment group led by former Sundance CEO Gary Beer (SHOOT, 4/16/99), which spawned a number of defections among the ranks of key executives and directors.
Among those who exited were Propaganda founder/co-chairman Steve Golin (now founder/CEO of bicoastal Anonymous), Steve Dickstein, president of Propaganda Commercials (now president/executive producer of bicoastal Partizan); and head of commercial development Dave Morrison (now director of commercial development at Anonymous). In addition, former head of production Tim Clawson left the company. He’s now president/executive producer at New York-based Shooting Gallery Productions (TSG), the spot division of film studio The Shooting Gallery, New York, and serves as executive VP of TSG production services satellite Gun For Hire. Jeff Armstrong, executive producer at Satellite also left. He is now head of Venice, Calif.-based Drive Media. Susanne Preissler, formerly executive producer at Propaganda Independent, the division representing feature filmmakers for spotwork, also exited. She is now executive producer at bicoastal RSA Independent.
Directors also left the fold. Propaganda lost founding member David Fincher, as well as directors David Kellogg, Jeffery Plansker, Gore Verbinski, and Malcolm Venville. Satellite lost helmers Andrew Douglas, and Mark Romanek. They are all now handled by Anonymous. Other departures include former Propaganda Independent directors Doug Liman, Luis Mandoki, Alfonso Cuaron, Lisa Cholodenko and David Veloz, who are now at RSA Independent. Lasse Hallstrom left for bicoastal/international @radical. media, and Neil LaBute shifted to Anonymous.
Thus, Propaganda/Satellite found itself in the odd position of winning the Palme d’Or partly on the strength of work helmed by directors no longer with the company. In addition to the aforementioned ads, which were done by helmers still with the company, Kellogg’s spot "Election" for Dairy Management via DDB Chicago earned a Silver Lion, while Liman’s Nike spot "Hackeysack," via W+K, picked up a Silver, and Hallstrom’s Nike effort, "Driving Range," also via W+K, earned a Gold. Additionally, the points tally included Propaganda spots that were shortlisted, such as Jeep’s "Hand," directed by Douglas out of FCB Worldwide Detroit, Southfield, Mich.
Colin Hickson, VP of commercials at Propaganda, says he hopes the Palme d’Or will help to silence the critics who predicted a funeral procession for Propaganda, and prove that the company is getting back on track. Hickson acknowledges that credit is owed to former Propaganda directors. "Maybe [those directors] should still be with us," says Hickson. "But having said that, there was a strong showing of support from the directors who are with us. Cannes is a nice recognition but … it is work done in the past. I’m thankful for it, but the day after you’re awarded it, it starts all over again."
