STORY’s David Orr and agency Cramer-Krasselt put a pair of windshield wipers to the ultimate test in an ingenious new spot for Rain-X. In the ad, a pair of Rain-X Silicone AdvantEdge wiper blades are first encased in huge blocks of ice and then thawed with powerful gas flames. As water and chunks of ice slowly drop from the blades, the voiceover notes that if they can “survive in these conditions, clearly they’ll last in yours.”
Orr staged and shot the dramatic demonstration entirely through practical means. He contracted a Chicago ice company to freeze the blades in a 350-pound block of ice. He then had the block suspended in midair by chains, surrounded by gas jets. “I worked with a great rigger and we performed a lot of tests to determine the right relationship between the blocks of ice and the wall of fire,” recalls Orr.
The demonstration is not only technically impressive, it’s artfully presented. “The materials we used included brushed aluminum and stainless steel, which reflect light well,” notes Orr. “It looked wonderful and helped give it the feel of a science experiment.”
Orr injected emotion into the demo by treating the blades like gladiators. “In the treatment, I referred to the blades as our ‘heroes,’” he explains. “They make their appearance, they go through a trial and emerge victorious. We played with that idea in a variety of ways. The nozzles on the gas jets, for example, look like teeth, giving the appearance of predators.”
The concept, created by long-time Rain-X agency partner Cramer-Krasselt, transforms a product that most people take for granted into something both essential and beautiful. “It’s a challenge to depict the super premium value of this type of product in a way that grabs attention,” noted Todd Stone, executive creative director at Cramer-Krasselt. “But our idea, with David and STORY’s deft execution, mixes art and science in a way that really demonstrates the performance of the blades”
STORY is represented on the East Coast by Ilene Silberman (212) 794-9030; in the Midwest by Amy McIntyre (312) 550-2554, in the Southeast by Miller + Associates, (954) 563-6004; in the Southwest by Gossip!, (214) 288-2813 and on the West Coast by Yvette Lubinsky, (310) 827-2626.
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2024 AICP Awards Tour Concludes with Stops in Dallas and Chicago
The 2024 AICP Awards Tour concludes with stops in Dallas and Chicago this month as it wraps up its tour of cities across the U.S. The National Tour brought presentations, panels and screenings to marketers, advertising agencies, production and post production companies. The AICP Awards will be in Dallas on Thursday, November 14th, at the Perot Museum of Nature and Science, followed by the Chicago event, set for Thursday, November 21st at The Old Post Office. Tickets are available now for both events at www.aicp.com. In Dallas, the program kicks off at 6:45 pm with a happy hour, followed by the screening and panel discussion at 7:30. The evening ends with a networking reception from 8:30 to 11:30. The Perot Museum of Nature and Science is located at 2201 N. Field Street in Dallas. Appearing in Dallas will be Abe Garcia, Chief Creative Officer, Dieste; Julia Melle, Director of Brand and Content, Southwest Airlines; and Isaac Pagán Muñoz, VP, Executive Creative Director of PepsiCo Foods. The panel will review selected winners from the suite of the AICP Awards programs, offering insights into what made them rise to the top of their respective categories and share their viewpoints on key trends in the industry. The Chicago stop starts at 6:00pm with a happy hour, followed by the presentation and screening at 7:00pm. A reception caps the event, starting at 8:00pm and concluding at 11:30pm. The Old Post Office is located at 433 W Van Buren Street in Chicago. The panel there will feature 2024 AICP Awards Curators and Winners from the marketer, agency, production and post production sectors who’ll highlight this year’s winners. The conversation will include a discussion about the winning work, including insights... Read More