Many people see German automobiles as the gold standard for luxury performance. And for years we have all seen the advertising trope of powerful, German sedans roaring around a high-performance track. What people don’t think about is an SUV with the performance and technology of a luxury car as well as the features and benefits that families rely on. But Infiniti’s family of SUVs and crossovers defy tradition. To prove it, agency CP+B brought these American models with Japanese heritage to Germany’s exclusive Bilster Berg race track, the ultimate, luxury car proving ground.
MJZ’s Craig Gillespie (who directed the Oscar-nominated I, Tonya) helmed the campaign, including this centerpiece :90 titled "Konrad's World" in which the fictional German racer “Konrad Gunther” finds it a bit disconcerting to see anything but a high-performance German car on his beloved track.
JSM Music scored the spot, with chief creative officer Joel Simon and Seamus Kilmartin serving as co-composers.
Sound designer/post mixer was Matt Miller of Lime Studios.
Credits
Client Infiniti Motor Company Ltd. Agency CP+B Linus Karlsson, global chief creative officer; Adam Chasnow, VP/executive creative director; Mark St. Amant, Jason Pierce, creative directors; Donny Brunner, associate creative director/art director; Ryan Contillo, associate creative director/copywriter; Sloan Schroeder, VP/director of content production; Jamie Slade, sr. integrated producer; Jennifer Hruska, VP/co-head of strategy; Albert Opraseuth, sr. strategist. Production MJZ Craig Gillespie, director; David Zander, president; Emma Wilcockson, exec producer; Ed Callaghan, producer; Jake Weimer, production manager; Stuart Graham, DP. Production Services Tony Petersen Film GmbH, Berlin Rocco Kopecny, producer. Editorial Cut+Run, LA Jay Nelson, editor; Eli Beck-Gifford, assistant editor; Amburr Farls, exec producer; Jared Thomas, producer. Telecine MPC LA Ricky Gausis, colorist; Rebecca Boorsma, telecine sr. producer. VFX MPC LA Robert Owens, managing director; Colin Clarry, head of production; Elexis Stearn, exec producer; Karena Ajamian, finishing exec producer; Bomyeee Hwang, sr. VFX producer; Claus Hansen, creative director/2D supervisor; Stephane Allender, on-set VFX supervisor; Toya Drechsler, Sandra Ross, Jon Rogala, Andre Arevalo, Sam Shiflett, Hector Cabrera, Josh Guillaume, Rob Ufer, Joshua Pena, compositors; Julian Fitzpatrick, CG lead; Michael Reed, Matt Maude, CG generalists; Abhinav Sharda, clean up/roto line producer; Siju Murugan, clean up/roto support supervisor; Sivakumar R, Silambarasan R P, 2D clean up artists. Music JSM Music, NY Joel Simon, co-composer, chief creative officer; Seamus Kilmartin, co-composer; Jeff Fiorello, exec producer; Norm Felker, producer. Sound Design Lime Studios, Santa Monica, Calif. Matt Miller, sound designer. Audio Post Lime Studios Matt Miller, mix engineer; Lisa Mermelstein, mix engineer assistant; Susie Boyajan, exec producer.
When dozens of Klick Health team members said they wouldn’t be able to hug loved ones over the festive season, the agency turned to AI and other magic to orchestrate a series of sentimental, surprise reunions captured in its “Holiday Hugs” video. The heartwarming four-minute video, benefitting the D.C.-based Foundation for Social Connection (F4SC), parallels recent findings from a Maru/Blue Public Opinion survey commissioned by Klick.
The poll found 74 percent of Americans and Canadians won’t be able to hug at least one person they wish they could over the holidays. And like those in the video, survey participants cited geographical distance and loved ones having passed away as the leading factors preventing their hugs.
“I just wish I could really squeeze her right now,” says teary-eyed New York Klickster Kari Bocassi watching her AI-generated hug with her sister Marlene, moments before she bursts onto the set for a long in-person embrace. The siblings have spent the past 14 years caring for their mother since her Alzheimer’s diagnosis, but haven’t been together for the holidays since Marlene moved to Virginia. Similarly, Toronto’s Fred Duarte gets the bear hug of his life when his brother Rico, who lives in Brazil, walks into Klick’s production studio for their first holiday reunion in seven years.
Directed by James Cooper via Cooper Films, “Holiday Hugs” also taps into the fact that hugs don’t just make people feel better emotionally, they also have numerous health benefits. According to the National Institutes of Health, hugs can lower blood pressure and boost the immune system.
“There’s nothing quite like the warmth and reassurance of a heartfelt hug,” said Klick’s chief creative officer Rich Levy. “With ‘Holiday... Read More
