Four rugged explorers brave the elements to conquer the South Pole. As they are about to plant their flag on terra firma, they are interrupted by someone who’s already arrived and been waiting for them–animated character Dora the Explorer. It’s what she does, underscoring the latest chapter in GEICO’s “It’s What You Do” campaign out of The Martin Agency in Richmond, Va. The spot is simply titled "South Pole."
Hungry Man’s Wayne McClammy directed the live action, teaming with the animation/VFX expertise of The Mill, Nickelodeon Creative Advertising and Primal Screen.
Credits
Client GEICO Agency The Martin Agency Joe Alexander, chief creative officer; Wade Alger, Steve Bassett, group creative directors; Sean Riley, creative director; Ken Marcus, sr. copywriter; Brett Alexander, executive producer; Alex Scheer-Payne, producer; Coleman Sweeney, jr. broadcast producer. Production Hungry Man Wayne McClammy, director; Kevin Byrne, managing partner/exec producer; Dan Duffy, exec producer/head of sales; Mino Jarjoura, Nancy Hacohen, exec producers; Brady Vant Hull, UPM/producer; Jewel Estephanos, production supervisor. Editorial Mackenzie Cutler Dave Koza, editor; Patrick Blumer, assistant editor; Sasha Hirschfeld, exec producer; Esme Wright, producer. “Dora” Animation/VFX Nickelodeon Creative Advertising Pete Johnson, sr. VP; Hafeez Saheed, VP/head of production; Katie Gillies, supervising producer; Jamie Edelstein, director, project management. Primal Screen Hunter Matheson, exec producer; Laura Green, producer; Joe Kubesheski, animation director; Ward Jenkins, animation assistant. Animation/VFX The Mill John Leonti, VFX supervisor; Colin Blaney, exec producer; Sumer Zuberi, producer; Ajit Menon, CG lead. Emily Meger, Jimmy Gass, Sean Dooley, CG artists; Randy McEntee, 2D lead; Jamie Beckwith, Franz Brandstaetter, Sabine Janetzka, Udesh Chetty, 2D artists. Post The Mill Fergus McCall, colorist. Music HUM Jeff Koz, president/founder; Debbi Landon, exec producer; Scott Glenn, creative director; Nicolette Kolb, producer; Bruce Gainsford, composer. Audio Post Rainmaker Studios Jeff McManus, engineer/mixer.
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
