Sedelmaier Productions has summoned his creative crew to produce a series of vitally important cartoons depicting the heroic actions of the Maxim Ranger as he strives to show man how to protect his precious sense of manhood in these perilously confusing times. The heroic figure is an animated icon for MAXIM MAGAZINE, the highly successfully mens entertainment publication.
Continuing a successful collaboration with Goodby, Silverstein and Partners and director Francois Vogel of Paris-based Paranoid Projects: Tool, Zoic Studios has just completed the visual effects for HP's FRANCOIS II, which showcases the capability of the HP Photosmart 375. Last year's spots, FRANCOIS I and PICTURE BOOK, were both recent Clio winners, garnering the Bronze and Silver for Best Visual Effects, respectively.
In its first-ever ad project, Luma Pictures teamed with Wieden & Kennedy and Notorious 24:7 director/vfx artist Brent Bonacorso to create a new series of spots for Nike that compare NBA players to some of the most fearsome forces of nature. Luma, best known for its movie vfx for UNDERWORLD and SKY CAPTAIN, created a series of surreal CG environments, seamlessly melding images of the Serengeti, the Brazilian rain forest and other natural environments with a pro basketball court.
JibJab founders Gregg and Evan Spiridellis have joined with Budweiser to develop online entertainment staring Bud Lizards Frank and Louie in teaser videos to promote the beer.
In an effort to maintain its brewing industry lead in reaching Internet-savvy adult consumers, Budweiser decided to employ the brothers who created the wildly popular THIS LAND video that swept the Internet during last fall's presidential election.
When Nike needed innovative animations to showcase its new Air Jordan XX (AJXX), the new, advanced basketball shoe, it turned to New York City-based creative collective Tronic Studio, continuing a two-year collaboration.
Tronic previously worked with Nike on the products featured on Nikelab, and as part of the Nike Speed campaign they directed and animated the fully-CG short film, A LONG TIME AGO, TOMORROW, which documents one man's attempt to travel at the speed of light.
Working with Pedone & Partners of New York, Hornets directing duo JJ & Maithy have completed their first directing project for Hornet, a :30 spot for Sweet'N Low starring TVs most cool, collected cat, the Pink Panther. The spot began airing May 23, in anticipation of the Aug. 5 release of THE PINK PANTHER remake starring Steve Martin.
Director Thor Freudenthal of Reactor Films/SM teamed with STEELE to produce an effects driven package of spots for Popsicle. An homage to the kitschy, low-budget special effects of 1950s Hong Kong cinema and 1960s TV, the Freudenthal/STEELE collaboration makes Popsicles seem not only tasty but heroic. This campy campaign, via Campbell Mithun/MN, features a superhero The Man of Popsicle whose motto is, If its Popsicle, its possible!
Framestore NY has completed work on POETRY, a :30 spot for GMCs new Envoy Denali via agency Carol H. Williams. POETRY, which develops around the visual motif of materializing fantasies, features underground hip hop artist Mos Def and began airing May 7.
FlickerLab finished the animated TV commercial for MoveOn PAC, dramatizing the Republican effort to change Senate filibuster rules on Federal judicial appointments, in 44 hours for its debut April 26, 2005.
New York-based Quiet Man recently created a vibrant young CG elephant that hooves up the classic Gene Kelly SINGIN IN THE RAIN routine from the 1952 film. Quiet Man's CG elephant recreates the footwork from Kelly's famous routine for a General Electric corporate image TV commercial. Headed by ad agency BBDO New York, this light-hearted spot promotes G.E.'s involvement with ecological research and development. The spot began airing April 28, 2005.
Radiant Media has been selected to create the HypeFest festival's 2005 show open that will run prior to each screening at the event, which takes place in Hollywood, July 29-31, 2005.
"HypeFest links independent ideas with commercial creativity and Radiant's concept and company attitude reflects that idea in a truly complementary fashion," said HypeFest Festival co-director Jessie Nagel. "Choosing the right creative team for our open is always a fun and difficult challenge. Each year we see such great work, and Radiant's concept is no exception."
KromA put an ordinary guy behind the wheel of a NASCAR racer in an amusing new spot for Ford Trucks and Detroit agency J. Walter Thompson. The Los Angeles-based visual effects and animation studio combined images of real cars with CG vehicles in telling the story of a race fan whose ultimate dream almost turns into a nightmare.
A52 has finished design, animation and visual effects work for the new Infiniti M campaign from TBWAChiatDay in Los Angeles. Two campaign broadcast spots, DUSK and ALL WHEEL DRIVE, recently debuted, featuring environments created completely in CGI, as well as CGI light flourishes which are widely being used in the agencys print and outdoor elements of the nationwide campaign.
Skittles, the brightly colored candy, has launched a new brand: Smoothie Mix Skittles. This time, the candy combines all the different fruit flavors used in the original sweets to create these new flavors. This new line was launched with two :30 spots that focus on mixing up two unbelievable items. These challenging vfx heavy spots were created by Mill New York, who was involved right from pre-production.
The promo for the latest Chemical Brothers single, Believe, which premiered last month on MTV, offers an unnerving and blackly humorous glimpse of a mind at the end of its tether. Directed by Dom & Nic, and produced by John Madsen for Factory Films, BELIEVE features artful 3D and compositing work from the Framestore CFC Commercials team.
Pet retailer, Petco Inc. tapped STEELE to bring out the Pet in PETCOs employees in a series of four spots airing nationally. Looking for a creative way to bond employees with its pet loving customers, PETCO and its agency, The Phelps Group, relied on STEELE to create the illusion of employees interacting with life-sized pet products to prove their hands-on knowledge and passion for pets and those who love them.
In honor of its 60th anniversary this year, the United Nations (UN) will debut a special public service announcement (PSA) at MIP-TV 2005. The 60-second spot, produced by Harmony Gold, is part of a broader effort to increase awareness of the work of the UN during this special period culminating with the 60th opening session of the UN General Assembly in the fall.
Award-winning Zoic Studios has just contributed to a three-spot package for Cadillac that showcases the appeal of both of the SRX and CTS to various and diverse audiences. The campaign is unique in that it encompasses a variety of tones and narratives, each appropriate to the spotlighted vehicle.
Wild Brain director Gordon Clark recently completed NINJA, the second animated spot in a comedic campaign for Coca-Cola via Z Publicidad/Mexico. The first spot, BULLFIGHT aired last month and NINJA began airing this month. The two :30 spots are geared to a Spanish-speaking audience and are currently airing throughout Latin America.
Wild Brain used a loose, painterly technique with watercolor textures in the animation. They wanted the characters to look cartoon-like while maintaining a more adult vibe.
From their gleaming new space in Manhattans SoHo neighborhood, Framestore NYs team of artists recently manifested WORKDAY and TRIPLETS, new visual effects-driven spots in the ongoing high-profile Cingular Wireless More Bars in More Places campaign.
One of the hottest online threads, Gene Kelly break dancing in his iconic SINGIN IN THE RAIN routine over the new Volkswagen Golf GTI, was given the digital treatment by Moving Picture Co. The BMP DDB :60 spot, directed by NE-O at Stink, originally aired in the U.K. in late January.
FlickerLab has wrapped up its new spot, APPARITION, an effects-laden :30 released in Spain for Ford Europe/Agency Bassat Ogilvy, Madrid.
Ad agency JWT/Denver recently commissioned digital studio !mpossible Pictures to create a visually compelling spot for Ford. BIG PICTURE, which airs in the Midwest, takes viewers on an exhilarating topographical adventure and introduces the Ford Big Picture Event at Midwest Ford dealers.
CUPBOARDS, a commercial honoring 75 years of PG Tips tea in the U.K., was created by Aardman Animations through DDB London and included a series of vignettes through the last three quarters of a century. Animators included Richard Webber, Kim Keukeliere and Martin Davies. Post-production was done at Rushes under the production of Joe West. Rushes had to make sure that in each vignette the room was comped and graded to give it the unique feel of sepia tone, heavy grain and scratches or black-and-white.
Three NBA players are touched by the hand of the Creator and made to perfection in Method Studios latest work for Adidas and TBWA Chiat/Day. The spot, aptly titled MADE TO PERFECTION, was lensed by Rupert Sanders of Omaha Pictures and began airing Feb. 7, 2005.
