WHILE SHOOT TAKES pleasure in uncovering obscure, creatively worthwhile spots in "The Best Work You May Never See," there’s a heightened gratification when some of that fare goes on to gain wider spread recognition. Most recently, three such commercials were honored-two at The AICP Show and one by the National ADDY Awards.
The latter-"Stop Child Abuse Before It Grows Up"-is a disturbing, riveting piece from Lafayette, La. agency The Graham Group on behalf of clients Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana and the Louisiana chapter of Prevent Child Abuse America (SHOOT, 10/23/98, p. 13). Directed by Robert Berning of Robert Berning Productions, New Orleans, the overall campaign features convicted killers in the Louisiana State Peniteniary who talk about how they came to commit murder.
"I don’t want to blame it all on my parents," relates a con identified as Lane, who’s been incarcerated for first-degree murder. Beaten as a child by his father, Lane says of his parents, "It wasn’t that they didn’t love me. They didn’t know how to love me." Lane stares at the camera with beady eyes obscured by thick glasses. "One thing led to another, and I ended up killing a guy with his own knife," Lane says matter of factly, his composure startling.
The PSA powerfully reflects the cycle of abused children growing up into abusive adults. The campaign has been running regionally in Louisiana, Wyoming, Montana and Maryland. The American Advertising Federation bestowed a National ADDY upon the work in the public service category. The creative director was The Graham Group’s Paul Spreadbury.
Meanwhile, another relatively obscure spot, "Every Story Needs To Be Told," for the San Jose Mercury News, copped an honor in the graphics category of The AICP Show last week. The graphics-from directors/graphic designers Kate Flather and Jonas Morganstein, a.k.a. Heavy International-visually and artfully depict the daunting task of sifting through myriad breaking news stories and selecting those relevant to the newspaper’s readership. The concept came from Saatchi & Saatchi, San Francisco. Heavy International is repped via Santa Monica-based Tool of North America. This piece made "The Best Work You May Never See" gallery last summer (SHOOT, 7/3/98, p. 15). Saatchi’s creative ensemble included creative directors Steve Silver and Curtis Melville, copywriter David Knox, art director Aaron Allen and producer Carol McCarty.
And the third honoree which also previously earned distinction in "The Best Work You May Never See" (SHOOT, 11/13/98, p. 23) was the Florida Anti-Tobacco Program ad entitled "Cinema" from Crispin Porter+ Bogusky Advertising, Miami. Directed by Jeff Gorman, now of Hollywood-based JGF, "Cinema" was honored in The AICP Show’s public service category.
"Cinema" plays like a movie trailer, in this case for a mystery thriller replete with foul play, images of body bags, an autopsy-like session, and a storyline containing corporate cover-ups and an epidemic gone wild to the tune of 8,000 deaths in a four-hour span. Our hero investigator is seen talking to a buddy at a bar. "I’m not going to stick around and become a spike on somebody’s bar graph," he says. His friend responds, "Dude, you watch too many movies."
Then comes the coup de grace uttered by the hero crusader: "This is not a movie." At that point, the word "Tobacco" fills the screen, followed by the sobering statistic "3,000,000 Dead and Counting" as the number turns to "3,000,001."
The agency team included creative director Alex Bogusky, writer Tim Roper, art director Paul Keister and exec. producer Terry Stavoe.
