Volkswagen of America is debuting “Rain,” a spot promoting its new bumper-to-bumper vehicle warranty.
Directed by Lance Acord of Park Pictures, the :60 from Deutsch recaptures the spirit of music festivals of the 1960s and celebrates the heritage of the brand. Highlighting the microbus, since it has been a cultural icon, VW is bringing us back to a time of love and harmony and putting its drivers first–hence the rollout of the automaker’s People First Warranty.
Client Volkswagen of America Agency Deutsch Pete Favat, chief creative officer, North America; Todd Riddle, executive creative director; Heath Pochucha, group creative director; Paul Oberlin, creative director/art director; Matt Sherman, creative director/copywriter; Doug Pedersen, art director; Tim Gillingham, copywriter; Vic Palumbo, director of integrated production; Margaret Nickerson, executive integrated producer; Samantha Bonom, sr. integrated producer; Eryk Rich, music supervisor; Chase Butters, music producer Production Park Pictures Lance Acord, director; Jackie Kelman Bisbee, Scott Howard, exec producers; Anne Bobroff, head of production; Caroline Kousidonis, line producer. Editorial Rock Paper Scissors Adam Pertofsky, editor; Marjorie Sacks, Martin Hsieh, assistant editors; Dre Krichevsky, producer; Rana Martin, exec producer; Shada Shariatzadeh, head of production; Linda Carlson, Jennifer Sofio Hall, managing directors. Postproduction/VFX a52 Patrick Murphy, VFX supervisor/2D VFX artist; Andy Wilkoff, CG lead, 3D artist; Manuel Guizar, CG lead, 3D artist; Stefan Gaillot, Kevin Stokes, Michael Plescia, Michael Vaglienty, 2D VFX artists; Dustin Mellum, Tom Briggs, Mike Bettinardi, Michael Cardenas, Joseph Chiechi, 3D artists; Michael Steinmann, producer; Andrew Rosenberger, production coordinator; Patrick Nugent, Kim Christensen, exec producers; Linda Carlson, Jennifer Sofio Hall, managing directors. Color Company 3 Tim Masick, colorist; Ashley McKim, global EP, commercials; Alexandra Lubrano, producer. Audio/Sound Design Barking Owl Morgan Johnson, sound designer; Patrick Navarre, mixer; Kelly Bayett, creative director/EP; Ashley Benton, producer. Music (Licensed) “With a Little Help From My Friends” Joe Cocker, artist; John Lennon, Paul McCartney, composers. Sony ATV, publisher; UMG, label.
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
