Animation renderings of basketball superstars LeBron James and Yao Ming square off in competition as each is accompanied by symbols of his country. For example, the grizzly bears next to James find panda bear counterparts in close proximity to Ming. After a succession of symbols which show the differences between the two stars and their nations, finally they share something in common with each holding a bottle of Coca-Cola, though the writing on one is English, the other in Chinese.
James and Ming then transform from adversaries into smiling live-action colleagues, swapping bottles and taking a swig of Coke.
This Summer Olympics-themed spot was directed by Smith & Foulkes of Nexus, London, for Wieden + Kennedy, Portland, Ore.
The Wieden team consisted of creative directors Hal Curtis and Sheena Brady, copywriter Dylan Lee, art director Mira Kaddoura and producer Kevin Diller.
Julia Parfitt executive produced for Nexus with Melody Sylvester serving as producer.
Ron Cicero and Bo Clancey Launch Production House 34North
Executive producers Ron Cicero and Bo Clancey have teamed to launch 34North. The shop opens with a roster which includes accomplished directors Jan Wentz, Ben Nakamura Whitehouse, David Edwards and Mario Feil, as well as such up-and-coming filmmakers as Glenn Stewart and Chris Fowles. Nakamura Whitehouse, Edwards, Feil and Fowles come over from CoMPANY Films, the production company for which Cicero served as an EP for the past nearly five years. Director Wentz had most recently been with production house Skunk while Stewart now gains his first U.S. representation. EP Clancey was freelance producing prior to the formation of 34North. He and Cicero have known each other for some 25 years, recently reconnecting on a job directed by Fowles. Cicero said that he and Clancey “want to keep a highly focused roster where talent management can be one on one--where we all share in the directors’ success together.” Clancey also brings an agency pedigree to the new venture. “I started at Campbell Ewald in accounts, no less,” said Clancey. “I saw firsthand how much work agencies put in before we even see a script. You have to respect that investment. These agency experiences really shaped my approach to production--it’s about empathy, listening between the lines, and ultimately making the process seamless.” 34North represents a meeting point--both literally and creatively. Named after the latitude of Malibu, Calif., where the idea for the company was born, it also embraces the power of storytelling. “34North118West was the first GPS-enabled narrative,” Cicero explained. “That blend of art and technology, to captivate an audience, mirrors what we do here--create compelling work, with talented people, harnessing state-of-the-art... Read More