TBWAChiatDay LA conceived of this Supercuts campaign starring actor Michael Kelly (a three-time Emmy nominee for House of Cards) as he promotes a greater appreciation of hair. Being follically challenged, Kelly has a deep appreciation which is in sharp contrast to the full-head-of-hair folks who surround him in everyday life.
Included in the mix of campaign work directed by David Shane of production house O Positive is this anthem spot in which Kelly seems to be the only one who doesn’t take hair for granted. In that spirit, he cites Supercuts for taking better care of hair than most people do.
“This campaign allowed our agency to do what we love most: Identify the soul and voice of a brand that differentiates its business within its category,” said Renato Fernandez, CCO, TBWAChiatDay L.A. “What we found in Supercuts was a playful, fun tonality that enabled us to bring humor to the concept of not taking your hair, or the value that Supercuts offers for granted, while still having a bit of fun connecting with the next generation of men who may face this reality one day.”
Credits
Client Supercuts Agency TBWAChiatDay, Los Angeles Renato Fernandez, chief creative officer; Jason Karley, group creative director; Cyrus Coulter, creative director/art director; Josh Dimarcantonio, creative director/copywriter; Andrew Livingston, sr. art director; Simon Bruyn, sr. copywriter; Guia Iacomin, director of content production; Alicia Portner, producer. Production Company O Positive David Shane, director; Ralph Laucella, Marc Grill, exec producers; Jason Reda, producer; Stuart Dryburgh, DP. Production Service Company, The Lift, Mexico City Editorial Arcade Geoff Hounsell, editor; Ryan Andrus, assistant; Damian Stevens, managing partner; Crissy DeSimone, exec producer; Alexa Atkin, producer. VFX Jamm Patrick Munoz, VFX supervisor/lead Flame artist; Brian Hajek, Flame artist; Ashley Greyson, producer; Asher Edwards, exec producer. Color The Mill Adam Scott, colorist. Audio Post Lime Studios Joel Waters, mixer. Music Walker Music Sara Matarazzo, Stephanie Pigott, exec producers; Danielle Soury, producer.
Dancer turned director Ezra Hurwitz collaborates with Ailey II artistic director Francesca Harper, featuring movement as museum pieces against the Whitney Museum of American Art’s striking architecture for this short film titled Echoes of Ailey. Commissioned to celebrate “Edges of Ailey” at the Whitney Museum, the film accompanies the first large-scale exhibition on the life and enduring legacy of visionary artist and choreographer Alvin Ailey. “Edges of Ailey” is currently on view at the Whitney until February 9.
Animating iconic images from Alvin Ailey’s 20th-century repertory, the film expands on the exhibition by constructing a visual narrative around his storytelling and influences. Set to Radiohead’s “Everything In Its Right Place,” dancers from the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Ailey II, and The Ailey School capture the emotional core of the company’s history--physically situating Ailey’s masterworks amongst the Whitney’s collection.
“As a child, my grandmother took me to Ailey’s Revelations once a year,” said Hurwitz. “No matter how often I saw it, the work captivated me. There isn’t one specific thing I hope viewers take away from the film--or one way to interpret its images. It’s meant to be an abstract work, like Ailey’s creations.”
Turning to his archive, Hurwitz and Harper illuminate key sequences symbolic of Ailey’s profound legacy, closing on an uninterrupted sequence from "I’ve Been Buked," the opening movement of Ailey’s legendary "Revelations." Carrying a watershed moment back to its own medium, Echoes of Ailey captures the multigenerational impact of Ailey’s work, continued by his organization. The short film first premiered on Nowness.
