Holiday marketing campaigns have concentrated for years on competitive messages designed to sway buyers toward their products and services. But this year, Microsoft has taken a different approach. On November 16, 2015 a group of 37 Microsoft Employees from around the country gathered in New York City at the company’s new flagship store with the intent to sing a song of peace to the world. New to NYC, they took a walk in the neighborhood and sang it in front of the Apple flagship store on 5th Avenue.
The Microsoft chorus was chosen from hundreds of auditions from around the country. These Microsoft team members – along with members of a Harlem youth choir – assembled at sunset on the plaza outside the Apple store and surprised a large crowd of shoppers, tourists and passers-by with a beautiful rendition of Jill Jackson Miller’s iconic song, “Let There Be Peace On Earth.” Several Apple employees joined the Microsoft team in a celebration of unity and good cheer at the song’s conclusion. It was a fitting welcome to the neighborhood by Apple and a warm celebration to begin the holiday season.
The performance and celebration was filmed and will be made into a national television commercial as well as be distributed through Microsoft’s social and digital media channels and will play throughout the holiday season.
JSM Music’s Joel Simon and Doug Katsaros served as music director/CCO and choir director, respectively.
Tool of North America’s Erich Joiner directed.
Credits
Client Microsoft Agency m:united//McCann Sean Bryan, Tom Murphy, co-chief creative officers; David Banta, Lew Willig, executive creative directors; Roberto Baibich, creative director, art; David Cliff, director of creative technology; Nickie Thongton, art director; Brett Barnett, copywriter; Chauncey Hollingsworth, sr. copywriter; Christina Ta, sr. art director; Elina Rudkovskaya, Scott Barrows, jr. copywriters; Joo Kong, jr. art director; Aaron Kovan, director of integrated production; Carolyn Johnson, exec producer; Mel Senecal, producer; Moniique Fitzpatrick, jr. producer; Rick Segal, interactive producer; Eric Johnson, executive music producer; Eldad Heilweil, strategy director; Ryan Duffy, sr. digital strategist Production Tool of North America Erich Joiner, director; Oliver Fuselier, managing director-live action/EP; Lori Stonebraker, exec producer; Lindsay Skutch, line producer. Editorial Rock Paper Scissors Damion Clayton, editor; Eve Kornblum, exec producer; Charlyn Derrick, post producer. Music JSM Music Joel Simon, music director/CCO; Doug Katsaros, choir director. Audio Post Sonic Union, New York Steve Rosen, mixer; Justine Cortale, studio director.
FCB Health New York, an IPG Health company, and SAFE Project have joined forces to create “The Snowball,” a short film that spotlights winter as a common catalyst for dangerous increases in alcohol consumption. In collaboration with creative studio LOBO, “The Snowball” combines a compelling visual metaphor with cutting-edge animation and a haunting soundtrack from Billie Holiday.
As millions embrace “Dry January,” the onset of colder, shorter winter days still leads to an uptick in alcohol misuse, which can lead to liver cirrhosis and other medical maladies and dangerous consequences for one’s life. Speaking to casual drinkers, “The Snowball” visually illustrates how anyone is at risk of becoming addicted to alcohol during this time of year when external climate variables can lead to excess consumption, even if the drinker does not immediately realize it.
Making good on the metaphor, the film follows one man as a quick liquor run gradually devolves into a full-blown addiction as a snowball gradually grows beside him, engulfing his whole life and eventually causing his demise. Set to the tune of Billie Holiday’s “Everything I Have Is Yours,” the film’s pathos is drawn from the sonic integrity of Holiday’s original recording maintained in the sound design as well as the singer’s tragic battle with substance abuse.
This entirely animated film was created using a hands-on, collaborative process rooted in traditional animation techniques, with every aspect of the artwork creation, design, and craftsmanship crafted entirely by human hands. AI-driven tools and processes were brought in during the animation rendering stage, helping the film achieve a distinct visual style that would have been difficult to achieve through... Read More
