Mississippi-based Maris, West & Baker is launching a new ad to teach children about the harmful effects of tobacco. "Candy Factory" is the latest :30 spot for the award-winning creative agency to begin airing this month throughout the state of Mississippi. "Candy Factory" is the second recent anti-tobacco spot that Maris, West & Baker has produced for its client, The Partnership for a Healthy Mississippi.
Hollywood-based ka-chew! headed by evp Richard Marlis produced the stop-motion spot, which features children taking a tour of a local candy factory. As the children go on the tour they discover that the factory doesn't make sweet treats but rather manufactures deadly ones instead. The spot ends with one of the children on the tour speaking out in disgust over the factory's real purpose, to make cigarettes. The spot is designed to reach out to young children and help them speak out and "teach up" to adults about the harmful effects of tobacco.
Director Mark Caballero stated, "This was one of those projects you feel great to have been a part of, both in terms of the message and the amazing design and animation possibilities. The world outlined in the script from Maris, West & Baker was so cool, we couldn't wait to start translating it into three dimensions with our own visual twists."
Director Seamus Walsh continued, "Working on this spot was a blast. We found ourselves let loose to create a demented factory populated with strange characters..."
John Andrews, svp/creative director of ka-chew, said "Seamus and Mark are two of the most respected names in stop-motion, having co-directed Ray Harryhausen's TORTOISE AND THE HARE, animated on CELEBRITY DEATHMATCH and supervised Cartoon Network's ROBOT CHICKEN. We were thrilled to have brought them into the ka-chew fold. With this and our recent campaign for Hallmark's Hauntington line last Halloween, we feel we've made significant progress to launching them into a full-fledged spot career."
Marc Leffler, writer/creative director for the spot agrees that Walsh and Caballero brought the perfect sensibility to the spot, "Chris Nolen and I were really looking for a style that could play up the darker aspects of the story. We definitely didn't want it to turn out to be another cartoony kids commercial. But through their character and set design and incredible stop-motion work, Candy Factory came to life as a classic, timeless tale."
Maris, West & Baker credits include:* Marc Leffler, writer/creative director* Chris Nolen, art director, Eyevox production coordination* Tim Mask, account executive
ka-chew's credits include: * directors Mark Caballero & Seamus Walsh* exec producer John Andrews* producers Kristina Schoentag & Chris Finnegan* director of photography & art director Joe Schmidt* character design Mark Caballero, Seamus Walsh & Chris Finnegan* music Thomas Truax* storyboards Jeremy Costello* animators Josh Jennings, Ethan Marak, Sihanouk Mariona & Sarah Meyer* costumes Robin Walsh & Lisa Davis* puppet fabricator Cameron Baity & Clint Zoccolli* set builder Kelly Mazurowski* production assistants Kyle Arneson & Brian LoSchiavo* effects artist Michael Landon
Maris, West & Baker Inc. (MWB) is a full-service advertising and public relations agency located in Jackson, Mississippi. Founded in 1970, MWB provides the most effective marketing strategies to its clients. MWB combines award-winning creative, production, and marketing expertise to its clients. For more information, log on to www.mwb.com.
Whether a project involves live action, design, 2D, CG, or a combination of all of the above (mixed media), ka-chew! has assembled a team that understands client needs. Headed by evp Richard Marlis, ka-chew! has produced award-winning projects for some of the most respected networks and agencies and networks in the industry, including on-air promotions for ABC, A&E, Discovery and Paramount Domestic Television, on-air design for ESPN, FOX, E! Ent., MTV and Nicktoons, as well as commercial spots for Kodak, Kraft, Mattel, Lands End, and Earthlink. For more information, consult www.kachew.com.
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks
