The Richards Group, Dallas, conceived of this two-minute Super Bowl spot which tapped into the “So God Made a Farmer” speech made by famed radio broadcaster Paul Harvey in 1978 at the National Future Farmers of America Convention.
The eloquent remarks become even more poetic and lyrical when played to a backdrop of images capturing U.S. farm life for this commercial. Noted photographers were commissioned to chronicle this slice of Americana, including William Albert Allard of National Geographic fame and noted documentary photographer Kurt Markus.
In SHOOT‘s survey of agency creatives seeking their assessments of this year’s crop of Super Bowl commercials, Cameron Day, creative director of Denver-based agency Barnhart, characterized “Farmer” as “the spot of the night…It started with the words “Paul Harvey” over a still image. My TV screen flashed a series of de-saturated stills of America’s farmlands, animals, calloused hands, combines and dawn-lit mornings. It was startling, beautiful, reverential and poignant. Then it revealed itself to be a tribute to farmers from Dodge trucks. There was not a single stereotypical truck shot in the entire spot. It was my Clint Eastwood moment of the night, and the production, sound design and narrative all coalesced into the most compelling truck commercial I’ve seen in years.”
Brent Herrington and Mark Sullivan of 3008 Studio served as offline and online editor, respectively.
Gene Hackman Died Of Heart Disease; Hantavirus Claimed His Wife’s Life About One Week Prior
Actor Gene Hackman died of heart disease a full week after his wife died from hantavirus in their New Mexico hillside home, likely unaware that she was dead because he was in the advanced stages of Alzheimer's disease, authorities revealed Friday. Both deaths were ruled to be from natural causes, chief medical examiner Dr. Heather Jarrell said alongside state fire and health officials at a news conference. "Mr. Hackman showed evidence of advanced Alzheimer's disease," Jarrell said. "He was in a very poor state of health. He had significant heart disease, and I think ultimately that's what resulted in his death." Authorities didn't suspect foul play after the bodies of Hackman, 95, and Betsy Arakawa, 65, were discovered Feb 26. Immediate tests for carbon monoxide poisoning were negative. Investigators found that the last known communication and activity from Arakawa was Feb. 11 when she visited a pharmacy, pet store and grocery before returning to their gated neighborhood that afternoon, Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza said Friday. Hackman's pacemaker last showed signs of activity a week later and that he had an abnormal heart rhythm Feb. 18, the day he likely died, Jarrell said. Although there was no reliable way to determine the date and time when both died, all signs point to their deaths coming a week apart, Jarrell said. "It's quite possible he was not aware she was deceased," Jarrell said. Dr. Michael Baden, a former New York City medical examiner, said he believes Hackman was severely impaired due to Alzheimer's disease and unable to deal with his wife's death in the last week of his life. "You are talking about very severe Alzheimer's disease that normal people would be in a nursing home or have a nurse, but she was taking care... Read More