Actress/comedian Melissa McCarthy settled into the director’s chair for this Walmart “Magic Box” spot which debuted during the Oscars telecast (3/4).
The commercial shows the negative effects of childhood bullying on one’s potential with “The Box” providing the opportunity to break away from past hurdles and reach for the stars in pursuit of our dreams.
Pony Show Entertainment produced the spot for Saatchi & Saatchi NY, with Heidi Black of Whitehouse Post editing, and Ben Freer of Eleven handling the audio post mix.
Credits
Client Walmart Agency Saatchi & Saatchi NY Dean Shoukas, executive producer; Jenny Read, director of integrated production; Wayne Best, Michele Kunken, executive creative directors. Production Pony Show Entertainment Melissa McCarthy, director; Susan Kirson, Jeffrey Frankel, partners; Helga Gruber, exec producer; Gareth Wood, head of production; Kelli Abraham, producer; Mandy Walker, DP; Ruth De Jong, production designer. Editorial Whitehouse Post Heidi Black, editor; Joni (Wright) Williamson, exec producer; Annie Maldonado, post producer. VFX/Finishing Carbon John Price, creative director; Matthew McManus, exec producer; Rob Churchill, VFX supervisor. Music/Sound Design SOUTH Music & Sound Design Ailbhe Fitzpatrick, music producer. Track: “Bird Set Free”; Sia, writer; Theodore Shapiro, arranger; Greg Wells, music mix. Audio Post Eleven Ben Freer, mixer; Andrew Smith, assistant mixer; Melissa Elston, exec producer; Maddee Bonniot, producer.
At the heart of this campaign for Pay.UK Current Account Switch Service (CASS) is a playful yet relatable narrative, brought to life in the hero TV commercial, “Blind Date.” Directed by Rosie May Bird Smith of Biscuit Filmworks for agency House 337, the spot follows a woman nervously meeting her blind date, only to discover the person waiting for her is someone you definitely wouldn’t want to meet on a blind date. The voiceover reassures: ”Blind dates. They’re a bit like switching bank accounts. You don’t want any surprises. That’s why we guarantee there won’t be any when you switch with the Current Account Switch Service.”
“Everyone knows the pain of a bad date, the gut-churning realization you’ve texted your boss instead of your mate, and being stuck next to someone eating the world’s stinkiest lunch,” said Ross Newton, creative director, House 337, who added, “Life is a minefield of unwanted surprises, so coming up with the campaign idea was the easy part. The real challenge was deciding which situations to include and which to ditch. Sadly, these scenarios are all too relatable for us all, myself included.”
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