Greatness Has Arrived In The Form Of The New PlayStation 4 Launch.

With the new highly anticipated arrival of Sony's PlayStation 4 (whose formal launch is less than 24 hours away), gamers everywhere are drooling as they await the PlayStation 4: Launch Edition new sleek console and slew of games.




Today's Event:
As part of the PS4 launch, the Standard High Line in NY has been taken over by PlayStation beginning this morning at 9am, where they lit up the hotel with PS4 game images and icons and are offering some for purchase, demos and more.






The Fabulous Launch Commercial:


A follow-up to the widely popular PlayStation 4 trailer from last June, this wonderful PS4 commercial by BBH New York coincides with the launch of Sony's "Greatness Awaits" website.

In this one minute ad, two young men role-play battle via scenes from the Elder Scrolls Online, Driveclub and Killzone: Shadow Fall, all to the tune of Lou Reed's "Perfect Day."



The song is a wonderful juxtaposition to the battle scenes, and serves as a nice tribute to the recently deceased music legend (full credits at the end of this post).

The Greatness Exchange:


The Greatness Exchange allows players a shot at winning items used in the latest PlayStation commercials amongst other thing:



First there was Bid For Greatness, rewarding the greatest gamers around. But what about everyone else? All you need is one gold trophy to take your shot. Winners randomly selected and verified. Trophies are not lost from your PSN profile.
Introducing Greatness Exchange.

To learn more about the new PlayStation 4, go here

Buy the PlayStation 4: Launch Edition

LAUNCH COMMERCIAL CREDITS:
Client: Sony PlayStation 4
Agency: BBH, New York
Chief Creative Officer: John Patroulis
Executive Creative Director: Ari Weiss
Interactive Creative Director: Tim Nolan
Creative Directors: Gerard Caputo, Chris Maiorino
Lead Senior Producer: Jennifer Moore Bell
Senior Producer: Kate Morrison
Head of Integrated Production: Justin Booth-Clibborn
Head of Account Management: Armando Turco
Account Director: Melissa Hill
Account Executive: Jon Moll
Senior Broadcast Business Manager: Sean McGee
Copywriter: Ian Hart
Art Director: Dave Brown
Visual Designer: Rahim Masunu
User Experience Designer: Kelly Bignell
Lead Producer: Martin Mlekicki
Digital Producer: Victoria Fishel
Chief Strategy Officer: Sarah Watson
Strategist: Kendra Salvatore
Strategist: Angela Sun
Head of Comms Planning: Julian Cole
Comms Planner: Ben Zoll

Production Company: MJZ
Director: Matthijs Van Heijningen
Director of Photography: Joost Van Gelder
Executive Producer: Scott Howard
Producer: Donald Taylor
Production Designer: Robin Brown

Production Partner: HAUS
Creative Director: Rasmus Blaesbjerg
Technology Lead: Dino Petrone
Senior Producer: Claudine Nichols
Digital Producer: Tracey McAvoy

Editing: Union Edit
Executive Producer: Caryn Maclean
Senior Producer: Sara Mills
Editor: Jono Griffith
Assistant Editor: Megan Swados

Visual Effects, Finishing: The Mill
Executive Producer: Sean Costelloe
Senior Producers: Charlotte Arnold, Will Mok
Assistant Producer: Juan Handal
Color Producer: Heath Raymond
Shoot Supervisors: Gavin Wellsman, Joji Tsuruga
Colorist: Fergus McCall

Music: Lou Reed
Additional Music Arrangement: Human
Sound Design: Human
Mix: Sound Lounge
Mixer: Tom Jucarone

Buy the PlayStation 4: Launch Edition

Disgustingly Cute. No, Wait.. I Mean Disgusting AND Cute. Halloween Treats Gone Wrong.

There's nothing like seeing little kids in costumes. Cute. There's nothing like seeing little kids spit out food and throw up. Gross. And in this "Halloween" commercial for Crest & Oral B, you get both. Effectively.

Directed by J.J. Adler and dreamt up by ad agency Publicis Kaplan Thaler, a panel of unsuspecting trick or treaters are tricked rather than treated when offered 'healthy' Halloween treats.

See what ensues:

The reactions are priceless:


Long Live Candy!



CREDITS
Client: Crest and Oral-B
Spot: "Halloween Treats Gone Wrong"
Agency: Publicis Kaplan Thaler
Chief Creative Officer, President: Rob Feakins
Executive Creative Directors: David Corr, Tony Gomes
Creative Director, Copywriter: George Logothetis
Creative Director, Art Director: Xavier Rodon
Executive Producer: Noelle Nimrichter
Account Team: Angela Pasqualucci, Cheryl Loo, Carine Johannes, Alex Andrial, Dani Winter
Production Company: Tool of North America
Director: J.J. Adler
Editing: Fluid Editorial
Editor: John Piccolo

Scary Good Job. Benjamin Moore Terrifies Some Unsuspecting Contractors To Sell Paint.

To promote Benjamin Moore's Ultra Spec® 500 paint, the Martin Agency and director Jason Zada came up with a Halloween stunt and hired some unsuspecting interior painters for the "Scariest Job In The World."



They asked them to paint the interior of a dilapidated hotel late at night. Greeted by a creepy butler who told them that "years ago people with mineral diseases were kept here for a period of time" the painters began their work, only to be exposed to creaking chairs, the sound of chains, flickering lights, swaying chandeliers and finally a ghostly apparition of a woman scary enough to make the most macho of men wet their pants.




The teaser video is followed up by a 'testimonial' video for the heavy marketing, shown below:


Dedicated website: ScaryGoodJob


Credits:
Agency: The Martin Agency
Client: Benjamin Moore
CMO: David Melancon
CCO: Joe Alexander
CD: Vanessa Fortier
CD/CW: Dave Gibson
ACD/AD: Mauricio Mazzariol
Agency Executive Broadcast Producer: Christina Cairo
Agency Junior Producer: Ross Skinner
Director of Digital Production: Darren Himebrook
Digital Producer: Mary Dunn
Associate Director: Josh Corliss
Associate Director: Chris Fullman
Technical Lead: Jeremy Misavage
Developer: Robert Lavoie
Technical Lead: Kevin Power
Quality Assurance: Andy Bupp
Prod. Co.: Tool
Director: Jason Zada
DOP: Lyle Vincent
EP: Danielle Peretz
Line Producer: Shai Kedem
Editorial Company: CosmoStreet
Editor: Jeff Grippe
Motion Graphics: William Tiki
Original Score: Robert Di Pietro
Original Score: Paul Robb

"The Developer", A Beautiful Samsung Gear Spot Celebrates A Real Project by The Messi Foundation.

More and more, traditional :30 and :60 second spots from large marketers are paling in comparison to their branded content that they are calling "short films" - if you can call a two minute digital video a short film. The latest is this beautifully produced musically-inspired spot for Samsung (who also recently released "Dreams," a 2:57 minute digital short for the Samsung Galaxy Note 3, that was cut down to a minute long tv commercial for air, and is shown at the end of this post).



Told from a child's perspective, "The Developer" is a musical short film by Samsung featuring world-renowned footballer and Unicef Goodwill Ambassador, Lionel (Leo) Messi, and the hit single "Royals" by hot New Zealand Pop Star Lorde.


above photo of Lorde by Simeon Patience.

The beautiful 2 minute branded content was created by Leo Burnett, Chicago and is a dramatic retelling of an actual project completed by the Leo Messi Foundation. Directed by Adam Hashemi the film has wardrobe designed by Paco Delgado, who was the costume designer for the film version of Les Misérables.



In case you didn't understand what's happening in the spot (and I'm not trying to be pedantic here), a mysterious stranger arrives in a low income neighborhood and captures the imaginations of the children who live there. He is "The Developer" and the children view him with a deep suspicion.

Together with his Samsung GALAXY Note 3 and GALAXY Gear, The Developer effortlessly masterminds a secret construction project. Using the latest in Samsung technology including Action Memo, Pen Window, Scrapbook and hands-free call capability on the Gear, The Developer orchestrates and executes his mysterious mission.

The children watch in awe. They reflect on their current situation by singing New Zealand Pop star Lorde's breakout hit "Royals," a song about overcoming her own humble beginnings.

The spot concludes with a beautiful new pitch that has been constructed in the toughest part of town. The Developer is revealed to be the world's reigning football star, Lionel Messi, fulfilling his personal mission* to help under privileged children.



The events in this story are a dramatic retelling of actual projects completed by the Leo Messi Foundation.

* The Leo Messi Foundation

CREDITS
Client: Samsung
Spot: "The Developer"
Agency: Leo Burnett, Chicago
Executive Vice President, Creative Director: Shannon McGlothin
Senior Vice Presidents, Creative Directors: Brandon Rochon, Adam Kennedy
Creative Directors: Guy Seese, Brian Murphy
Senior Vice President, Account Director: Radim Svoboda
Account Director: Benjamin Haynes
Account Executive: Cameron Zick
Senior Vice President, Executive Producer: Jen Dennis
Producer: Keith Jamerson
Vice President, Music Director: Gabe McDonough
Senior Music Producer: Chris Clark
Senior Vice President, Global Strategy Director: Huw Gildon
Senior Vice President, Strategy Director: Steven Yuan
Senior Strategist: Marton Harsanyi
Production Company: Furlined
Director: Adam Hashemi
Executive Producer: Eriks Krumins
Editing: Rock Paper Scissors
Editor: Mikkel EG
Executive Producer: Carol Lynn Weaver
Music Supervisor: George Drakoulias
Sound Designer: Gus Koven, Stimmung
Mixer: Loren Silber, Lime Studios
Music Production Support: Amber Music
Postproduction: The Mill


"DREAMS"
In case you haven't yet seen the complete cut of Dreams, here it is:


Credits for Dreams:
Advertising Agency: Leo Burnett, L.A. / Chicago, USA
Global Chief Creative Officer: Mark Tutssel
Creative Directors: Shannon McGlothin, Brandon Rochon, Adam Kennedy
Designer: Luis Farfan
Creative: Sarah Kraus
Account Director: Radim Svoboda
Account Director: Benjamin Haynes
Account Executive: Cameron Zick
Executive Producer: Jennifer Dennis
Producer: Sean Pinney
Production Company: Prettybird
Director: Roc
Editorial: Peepshow London
Editor: Andrea MacCarthur

For more information about the GALAXY Note 3 and Gear, click here.

Chipotle's "The Scarecrow" : The Film, The Game and A Look Behind The Scenes.

Following up on the success of their 2012 Cannes Grand Prix winner "Back To The Start" (shown below), Chipotle and CAA Marketing have released a new short film and an interactive game that take an ultra-critical look at Big Food in order to highlight its own sustainably-sourced ethos.

Back to The Start:


“The Scarecrow” is at once an addicting game, a poignant short film, and a project that reflects what the folks at Chipotle believe in. The city of Plenty is a glimpse at a future that may not be far off. Processed food, animal confinement, and the use of synthetic growth hormones, non-therapeutic antibiotics, and toxic pesticides are rampant in our food supply. Educating people about alternatives is a journey for the Scarecrow, and it continues to be a journey for us.

The Short Film


In a dystopian fantasy world, all food production is controlled by fictional industrial giant Crow Foods. Scarecrows have been displaced from their traditional role of protecting food, and are now servants to the crows and their evil plans to dominate the food system. Dreaming of something better, a lone scarecrow sets out to provide an alternative to the unsustainable processed food from the factory.




Produced by Chipotle, the film was created by Academy Award®–winning Moonbot Studios and is set to a remake of the song “Pure Imagination” from the 1971 film classic “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.” Beautifully performed by Grammy Award®–winning artist Fiona Apple.

The Scarecrow:


Behind The Scenes:






The Game:


The video is accompanies by a game for your mobile devices.



The Scarecrow needs your help to foil the evil plans of Crow Foods and break the crows‘ monopoly on food production and supply in the city of Plenty. Tilt your device to navigate through each level, outsmart the Crowbots, unlock extras, and restore hope for animals, farms, and the environment, while providing the citizens of Plenty a healthy and delicious alternative.






Download the free app at www.scarecrowgame.com and join the quest for wholesome, sustainable food.

The Chipotle Cultivate Foundation is a non-profit organization established by Chipotle Mexican Grill to continue and strengthen its philanthropic efforts.



Dedicated to creating a sustainable, healthful, and equitable food future, the foundation supports farmers, ranchers, educators, and programs that are working to develop sustainable practices and teaching younger generations about issues in the food chain.

Over the years, Chipotle has contributed more than $2 million to fund initiatives that support sustainable agriculture, family farming, culinary education, and innovation that promotes better food.

Chipotle

Bewitching Promos For American Horror Story's Coven Are Spectacularly Spooky.

Two nights ago, the first real promo for the upcoming third season of the FX Network's American Horror Story: Coven began running. Preceded by five 20 second teasers (all of which are also shown in this post), the latest promo, Initiation, is the first to reveal the cast and is absolutely impossible to ignore. Beautifully shot and accompanied by an eerie rendition of House Of The Rising Sun, it is compelling enough to get just about anyone to tune into the premiere on October 9th.

Three Nice New TV Ads - For Cuervo, Cars and Carbs - Worth Noting.

It's been refreshing to come across this slew of nice tv spots in the past week. Given that 95% of commercials on the air are easily dismissed as forgettable, I thought I'd share this trio of well-produced, entertaining and engaging commercials for such common product categories as liquor, cars and food.

Advertising largely parody products that lack a distinguishing characteristic - booze, pizza and the vague history of a car manufacturer - it's not easy to do memorable advertising, yet these three have succeeded. All have a social media component as well.

Jose Cuervo Tequila


Keifer Sutherland has never been sexier as he encourages us to have a Cuervo and a story, but no regrets (albeit I know a lot of tequila stories that include regrets), in this new 60 second spot for Jose Cuervo Tequila by McCann Erickson New York:




The campaign includes TV, online and print advertising, and a social media effort inviting consumers to share their stories at #cuervostory.

Honda Branding Spot


Honda creates a worthy successor to their famous Cog Spot with "Hands" by Wieden + Kennedy, London. The 60 spot celebrates the curiosity of Honda engineers, which has led to some of the most successful Honda innovations over the past 65 years:




Discover the engineers notes, facts, insights and tales behind Honda's history in this embellished version shown here.

Dominos Pizza


And lastly Domino's newest spot and campaign by CP+B, Powered by Pizza, is a refreshing look at the common consumption of the convenient carb-laden pie by those burning the midnight-oil while celebrating innnovation:



Connecting with project and business owners who utilize Indiegogo, they will offer gift cards directly to individuals within the fundraising site who pledge support toward select projects reflecting great and innovative ideas.



In addition, the "Pizzavestors" program, where about 30 startup companies all throughout the U.S. were treated to a $500 Domino's Pizza gift card, will be an added part of the campaign – all in the spirit of fueling great ideas and encouraging organizations to keep up the good work. Share what you do when you're #poweredbypizza on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Now, back to your regularly scheduled mediocre advertising.

An Ad To Which We Can Relate. Tempur-Pedic's You Are How You Sleep (The :60 and the :30).

The best and most powerful ads tap into a reality to which people can relate. Minneapolis based ad agency Carmichael Lynch's debut creative for the Tempur-Pedic brand, "You Are How You Sleep" commercial, does just that.

A lousy mattress leading to a poor night's sleep may not be a genius insight, but it doesn't have to be when executed this well. Those who require solid slumber to be their best will certainly notice themselves in the big grumpy Mama bear when deprived of shut-eye.

The likeable and memorable television commercial has been cut as a :60 and a :30 (both are shown further down in this post).




Great casting of and performances by the twin actresses along with adept direction and excellent editing make the spot both poignant and funny simultaneously. Full credits are at the end of the post.



The 60 second cut:


The 30 second cut:





Full Credits
Agency: Carmichael Lynch
CCO: Dave Damman
Client: Tempur-Pedic
ECD: Marty Senn
Art Director: Brad Harrison
Art Director: Doug Pedersen
Director of Integrated Production: Joe Grundhoefer
Producer: Jon Mielke
Prod. Co.: The Directors Bureau
Director: Mike Mills
DOP: Kasper Tuxen
EP: Lisa Margulis
Line Producer: Youree Henley
Editing: Rock Paper Scissors
Editor: Grant Surmi
Producer: Joanna Hall
Producer: Marguerite Olivelle
Composer: Roger Neill
Sound Design: BWN Music and Sound
Sound Design: Carl White