Professional athletes switch teams and cities at a moment’s notice while fans, traditional media, and social media churn to keep track of every move. February 2023 may go down as one of the wildest trade seasons in the history of the NBA, with 28 teams trading 58 players.
This deftly humorous spot titled “Traded”–which was conceived by agency Venables Bell + Partners (VB+P) for client Opendoor, a digital real estate platform–taps into that pro sports dynamic through a player press conference, showing what happens when an athlete finally stops giving boilerplate answers and starts speaking their mind about the often sensationalized topic of trades. In doing so, Opendoor highlights the universal truth that whether you’re a superstar or a regular Joe or Jane, moving remains one of the most stressful experiences in life.
Clay Weiner of Biscuit Filmworks directed “Traded” for Opendoor, an official sponsor of the Phoenix Suns, an NBA team which recently traded for a superstar and as a result has become a leading contender for the league championship.
In “Traded,” an athlete gives an unbridled assessment of the difficulties of being traded and having to move himself and his family to a different city. His tone softens, though, when a reporter informs him of Opendoor and the ways it can make the process much easier.
CreditsClient Opendoor David Corns, VP of marketing; Lauren West, head of content, marketing; Tirza DiOro, marketing lead, brand content. Agency Venables Bell + Partners Paul Venables, founder, chairman; Will McGinness, chief creative officer; Matt Keats, Matt Miller, group creative directors; Byron del Rosario, art director; Ryan Hoercher, copywriter; Michael Ng, sr. copywriter; Diego Zelaya, sr. art director; Hilary Coate, head of integrated production; Lexi Alaga, producer; Jasmine Clark, group strategy director; Neil Slotterback. sr. strategist. Production Company Biscuit Filmworks Clay Weiner, director; Shawn Lacy, partner/managing director; Holly Vega, executive producer; Sean Moody, head of production; Trevor Allen, line producer; Tim Hudson, DP; Damon Fortier, production designer; Jenna Wright, wardrobe stylist; Kokeeta Douglas, makeup aratist. Editorial Cut+Run Pete Koob, editor; Stefan Manz, assistant editor; Brian Stanley, exec producer; Kristen Jenkins, head of production. VFX Jogger Andy Brown, exec producer; Brendan Crockett, lead Flame artist; Katrina Salicrup, Michael Vaglienty, Trent Shumway, Jorge Tanaka, Flame artists; Diana Cheng, head of production; Joel Paisner, producer. Color Blacksmith Mikey Pehanich, colorist; Sam Howells, color assisst; Adam Vevang, color producer. Audio One Union Joaby Deal, engineer/sound designer; Michael Swarce, exec producer.
NHS England, M&C Saatchi UK, Director Tom Tagholm Team On PSA Highlighting The Overlooked Signs Of A Stroke
National Health Service (NHS) England has unveiled a multichannel campaign, “Act FAST,” to raise awareness of the individual signs of a stroke and get people to call 999 as soon as they suspect they may be experiencing any one symptom. The push, which is part of the ongoing “Help Us, Help You” campaign, was developed in partnership with M&C Saatchi UK.
The campaign depicts everyday situations where everything might seem relatively normal, but where there’s the sign of someone experiencing a stroke.
A key component of the campaign is this :30--directed by Tom Tagholm of Various Films--which sets up the idea that initially, a stroke might not seem like much, highlighting key symptoms: from struggling to use a paint roller, to not being able to smile when watching TV, to slurring your speech when reading a story to your grandchild. The PSA emphasizes that time is critical, ending with the line: “Face or arm or speech, at the first sign, it’s time to call 999.”
Jo Bacon, Group CEO, M&C Saatchi UK, said, “We want to ensure people take action on the first symptom, rather than waiting for more conclusive signs. To help them understand that even when everything seems normal, something serious might be happening.”
Matt Lee, executive creative director, M&C Saatchi UK, commented: “This is important work. We wanted to explore that precise moment when your world shifts, quietly yet powerfully, off its axis during a stroke. We highlight how a tiny external moment can actually be seismic—an extraordinary gear change, framed in a really ordinary way.”
Director Tagholm shared, “My Dad suffered a stroke a few years ago and was saved from the worst by acting quickly, and by the work of the NHS. So there’s... Read More