Ford ’09 trucks and SUVs navigating through rugged terrains, demonstrating utility, and kicking up dust across Texan rural landscapes are the backdrop of Ford’s “Rant” Truck Month campaign created by JWT-Team Detroit creatives based out of Dallas, Houston, Denver and Detroit.
Dallas-based editorial boutique, 3008, adapted this creative into six thirty-second commercial spots. Where bold graphics and audio sounds narrates a fusion of live action footage and animation, Ford’s most successful campaign of the year encourages consumers within Texas and Oklahoma markets to purchase Ford’s ’09 trucks during Truck Month. 3008 has worked with JWT-Team Detroit to create Ford Truck Month spots since 2003.
JWT-Team Detroit creatives, the editing team at 3008, and the team at 3008’s Dallasbased 3D animation partner, Green Grass Studios, utilized graphics, sound design, 2D animation, and 3D animation to promote this month as the best time to buy trucks in Texas and Oklahoma. 3008 edited six thirty-second spots in total: four general market spots respectively promoting Ford’s Full Line Truck, F-150 Truck, Super Duty Truck, and Full Line SUV and two Hispanic market spots respectively promoting Ford’s Full Line Truck and Full Line SUV.
Because each spot was centered around the truck driving within an animated environment, it was essential that trucks look as photo realistic as possible within each frame. The desired look for each spot was achieved by using still photography as plates for the background surroundings and live action of the hero vehicles from existing running footage.
The process involved first creating a text matte background of all graphic text to outline each thirty-second spot; graphic text began as simple black/white text whose movement synced to voiceover. Assets and props were created and incorporated as background animation. Layers of trucks set in different environments were placed into each scene. The animation passes began as wire frames of the vehicles and judged for movement, speed of vehicles, and suspension. Additional detail was added to the vehicles including texture mapping, skins, identifying characteristics, and light and shading of reflections of the trucks in motion. Extra layers of dust particles, tracks left by moving vehicles, and swaying trees were built into each pass. Sound designing these spots involved the creation stampede-like sound effects, giving life through sound to focal points within each frame.
Ford was so pleased with the completed regional spots that they selected three of the four general market spots for 3008 to create generic versions of each spot to air nationally mid-March and April. “Bringing the agency’s concept to life through constant collaboration and forethought was an exhilarating process. We were pleased to create generic versions of three Ford Truck Month spots for other U.S. markets to adapt this campaign for their respective regional selling needs,” said Soozy Martin, Executive Producer at 3008.
Ford Truck Month spots broke on February 20 and have been airing regionally in Texas and Oklahoma. Ford Truck Month spots adapted for national broadcast begin airing March 15 within select U.S. markets.
The following teams worked together to create the Ford Truck Month campaign spots:
JWT-Team Detroit
Todd Chumley, Group Creative Director
Fenton Remick, Creative Director
Eric Foster, Associate Creative Director/Copywriter
Steve Presmyk, Associate Creative Director/Copywriter
Jerod Bunjer, Art Director
Ryan Cook, Agency Producer
Jose Colon, Creative Supervisor (Hispanic market spots)
Helena Osorio-Zavala, Agency Producer (Hispanic market spots)
3008
Todd Doane, Lead Creative Director and Graphic Artist
Jeff Hays, Editor
J Hutton, Editor
Mark Sullivan, Online Editor
Matt Cimino, Sound Designer and Mixer
John Benitez, Audio Engineer
Soozy Martin, Executive Producer
Green Grass Studios
Matt Von Brock, Motion Director
Sean Langford, VFX Production Lead
Jesse Sandier, Technical Director
Brain Cole, Technical Director
Justin Wyatt, Asset Development and Production
Ryan Iltis, Producer
About 3008
Founded by Ken Skaggs and Brent Herrington in 2003, 3008 (www.3008.com) is a premiere full-service post-production facility. 3008 specializes in creative editorial services including off-line, on-line, graphics, visual effects, and audio services at its state-of-the-art facility located just blocks north of downtown Dallas, Texas. 3008 employs award-winning editors and freelance talent who utilize the industry’s smartest technology to offer clients a unique editorial experience.
