VW: The Dark Side. Greenpeace Protests Volkswagon by Mocking "The Force" Ad and Pulling A Big PR Stunt in London.

Claiming that Volkswagon, whose charming television ad for the Passat, "The Force", is a fan favorite and award-winner, emits harmful CO2 emissions, Greenpeace of the UK has organized a large PR stunt in protest.


above: a still from the Volkswagon "The Force" by ad agency Deutsch.

According to Greenpeace UK, automotive brand Volkswagon opposes the European climate laws. In its report, 'The Dark Side of Volkswagen', Greenpeace complains that Europe's largest car manufacturer has purposely restricted its most fuel efficient engines to a tiny minority of vehicles, and then drastically increased the price for consumers.



Unfortunately, the memorable and likeable tv ad served as a perfect target for their message "Welcome To The Dark Side."

The original VW The Force Ad from Deutsch:


Greenpeace created their own parody of the popular ad which, because of a LucasFilms copyright violation, has been pulled from YouTube and Vimeo and other articles on the web. However, here it is from EFE of the UK news (with newscaster talking over it, sorry):

VW: The Dark Side ad from Greenpeace:

Greenpeace Reveals Volkswagen's "Dark Side" by NewsLook

The PR Stunt


The PR stunt began early the morning of June 28th in London's 'Silicon Roundabout" on Old Street. Two teams of climbers scaled the largest billboard ad space in the city to post four banners starring Darth Vader and a VW logo.




As rush hour approached multiple people dressed as Star Wars stormtroopers began standing on boomboxes in the area, broadcasting the Imperial March music, while volunteers gave out flyers and explained the issues to the public.





Later the men in white gathered around the Foundry in the heart of Shoreditch as a second banner unrolled and thousands of people passed en route to work.




Greenpeace has a site that asks you to "Join The Rebellion" here.

images and info courtesy of Greenpeace UK and the EPA

Stunning Sapporo Beer Ad, Website And Game Combine Live Action & Animation.

This has got to be one of the most beautiful ads I've ever seen. This award-winning two minute video -and its web counterpart- for Sapporo Beer combines live action with animation to tell the story of the brand and brewing history of the Japanese beer.



Created by Dentsu, Canada in 2010, the two minute spot was co-directed by Mark Zibert of Sons and Daughters and Gary Thomas of Crush. It took over a month to shoot this creative film on location in Guangzhou, China.



“We looked at a few techniques off the top,” says Zibert. “We first considering creating the entire spot with motion control and CG. Then experimenting with projecting 2D art/matt paintings onto geometry (developed by Crush Sean Cochrane) and finding it had a unique quality to make this campaign stand apart. So the spot is not entirely photo or CG or 2D illustration, but a combination of all three,” adds Zibert.

a few screen grabs of the spot so you can see some of the beautiful imagery:










The video has also been edited down for a series of 15-second TV commercials, as well as a 60-second spot.

“We wanted something distinctly Sapporo and wanted to go through the heritage and the brewing process and combine the Japanese flavour but take it beyond sushi and make it mainstream,” said Glen Hunt, creative catalyst, Dentsu Canada.

The campaign is the first full-scale national effort in Canada and the first of any sort for the Toronto-based agency since taking the account over in January 2009. Sleeman had not worked with a full-service agency since 2007, when Doug (now Doug & Serge) held agency of record status.

The campaign took one and a half years of planning, and six months to shoot. The agency developed five distinct campaign ideas before narrowing it down to three, which were presented to the client, said Hunt.

“Each one of them had a wonderful response [but] ‘Legendary’ was their favourite,” he said.

Parts of the ad were shot in China in front of a green screen, and then brought back to Toronto where each shot was placed in position on a “map painting” and given a “3D type effect so that it created depth,” said Hunt.

Dentsu also assisted Concrete in the design of a new 500 ml can that features Japanese script meaning “premium” and the historic Sapporo “north” star embossed on the front.

“We know our consumers not only demand a high quality product, but also a brand that conveys attributes that appeal to their individuality,” said Kenny Sadai, president and CEO of Sleeman Breweries, in a release. “We felt tapping into the brand’s Japanese heritage and bringing to life the essence of ‘Biru’ would further illustrate those qualities.”




THE INTERACTIVE WEBSITE



Sapporo launched a microsite with a contest that asked consumers to locate the hidden scrolls placed throughout the video for a chance at a trip to Japan. The trip has already been awarded but you can still play the game and explore the site to find the hidden 'scrolls'.



Working with Dentsu, Lollipop created the site to support the launch of the Legendary Biru campaign for Sapporo Beer.



The site itself is centered on a character – the Sage – that is the keeper of the legend of Sapporo. He leads visitors on a ‘treasure hunt’ through the site where the goal is to collect a number of hidden scrolls. Some are easy to find and tell a brief story about the beer, while others are well hidden and require diligence to unlock. Those who reach the end of the journey are given a message tailored to the number of scrolls they’ve discovered, while those who manage to collect all 15 scrolls are entered to win a trip to Japan.



Check it out at legendarybiru.com.

Lollipop designed and built the site, in addition to shooting the sage video. Sons & Daughters shot the live action, while Crush created the CG, mattes and final compositing.

Sons & Daughters and Crush managed production, Lollipop was responsible for the interactive, and Grayson Matthews created the music featured in the spot.

Credits:
Title: "Legendary Biru"
Agency: Dentsu Canada, Inc.
City: Toronto
Campaign: Legendary Biru
Advertiser: Sapporo Breweries Ltd.
Brand: Sapporo
Type: Television
Length: 120 seconds
Market: Canada
Creative Director: Mr. Glen Hunt
Creative Director: Les Soos
Art Director: Les Soos
Art Director: Mr. David Glen
Copywriter: Mr. Dhaval Bhatt
Copywriter: Mr. Glen Hunt
Director: Mr. Mark Zibert
Director: Mr. Gary Thomas
Production Company: Sons & Daughters
Production Company: Crush
Account Director: Mr. Tim Binkley
Agency Producer: Ms. Sharon Kosokowsky
Post Production: Crush
Music Company / Composer: Grayson Matthews

Information, text and images courtesy of Creativity-Online, Sapporo, Lollipop and Adland

Special thanks to Thom Cordner for bringing the spot to my attention.

Bombay Sapphire's New Ad Campaign is Projected & Infused with Imagination.

A new tv commercial and an augmented reality projection for Bombay Sapphire gin have launched as part of their Infuse Your Imagination campaign. The campaign is born out of the rich heritage and story of the product itself; infusion is linked to the innovative production process of Vapour Infusion used in the making of the gin and imagination relates to the brand's story, from the launch of the pioneering blue bottle to the botanicals that give Bombay Sapphire its unique, balanced and uplifting taste.

The "Project Your Imagination" on London's Battersea Power Station:



The London Landmark Battersea Power Station was illuminated Wednesday night in a rainbow of changing colors as part of an ambitious £100,000 3D projection coinciding with a new ad campaign, 'Infused with Imagination,' from Bombay Sapphire.



The imaginative design was created by Erjola Veliaj from Albania following a global competition by Bombay Sapphire and an image of the winner herself was projected onto the building in honor of her contribution. The first chapter in a new global campaign from Bombay Sapphire, 'Infused with Imagination,' the imagination installation is a specifically commissioned three-dimensional visual artwork representing the essence and character of Bombay Sapphire.

Working with some of the world’s best creatives to make the 3D spectacular projection come alive, Erjola saw her imagination become a reality at Battersea Power Station, the first of a series of 3D installations to be projected on iconic buildings in various cities around the world. The technique involved in the projection, being coined ‘4D’ by its producers, was unique to most as rather than being stereoscopic, it employed 3D lighting, CGI technology and the architecture of the building itself to produce a stunning depth.

If you never saw first their wonderful augmented reality projection, from 2010, "Project Your Imagination", take a look at this :


The "Infuse Your Imagination" television commercial:



Inspired by the word 'Infused' and constructed using the unique imagination of a design team including up-and-coming illustrator Yehrin Tong and renowned photographer, Richard Foster, the Imagination Installation is a dramatic but elegant testimonial to the brand in Tong's distinctive illustrative style.



Incorporating elements that represent the product, the 3D piece has been intricately created with over 75,000 sparkling crystals, all meticulously applied by hand and taking over 2,500 hours to fashion. The installation embodies the timeless elegance, luxury and craftsmanship of Bombay Sapphire.

Details:




Bombay Sapphire

Satirizing Satan. A Wickedly Good Ad for Dirt Devil Parodies The Exorcist.

above: the commercial mimics some memorable scenes from the original movie, such as the opening shot (above) and the Exorcist movie poster and scene (below)


Directed by Andreas Roth, this :90 second commercial for the Dirt Devil vacuum cleaner is a beautifully executed take on William Peter Blatty's, The Exorcist. Starting with the opening frame, a nod to the very famous scene used for the movie's poster (shown above), the spot does a brilliant job of echoing the horror film, only to reveal a comical and unexpected ending.



Credits:
Dirt Devil - Exorcist (90")
Brand: Dirt Devil
Product: Centrino Cleancontrol
Production Company: Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg
Creative: Andre Price
Producer: Christian Hergenröther
Director: Andreas Roth
Dop: Roland Stuprich
Music: The German Wahnsinn Team
Editor: Alexander Menkö
Postproduction: lafourmi postproduction, nhb video

Saucony Asks You To Find Your Strong In A New TV Spot And Ad Campaign.

The visually driven "Find Your Strong" campaign conceived by Mechanica founding partner and creative director Libby DeLana and her colleagues features print and online executions, retail and event-marketing components, and the brand's first-ever television spot, which was directed by Andre Stringer from U.S. creative production company Shilo.






"This new campaign continues to amplify our brand mission to inspire runners every day," said Chris Lindner, chief marketing officer for Saucony. "As we confidently emerge as a global athletic brand, we too are finding our 'strong.' Our first national television spot marks a pivotal point for Saucony, signaling a continued expansion of our marketing efforts to further drive brand awareness. Together with our partners at Mechanica, we had extremely high ambitions for every aspect of this significant spot, and the passion and craftsmanship of Andre Stringer and everyone at Shilo has truly exceeded our expectations."


The spot appears as a :60, a :30, and two different :15 versions (complete credits and behind the scenes stills for the spot can be found later of the post).


above: Director Andre Stringer
Along with the other elements appearing through targeted media placements, the :60 TV spot debuted two nights ago tonight on ESPN, and it will continue airing on CBS College, ESPN, ESPN2, Fox Sports, NBC Sports and Versus over the next five weeks.

The following print ads for the campaign were shot by the very talented photographer John Huet:







LEXINGTON, MA (April 25, 2011) – Signaling a continued expansion of its marketing efforts, Saucony, Inc., a leading global supplier of performance athletic footwear and apparel, today announced its new multi-media global brand campaign entitled Find Your Strong. The campaign, the brand’s largest marketing effort to date, inspires consumers to find their personal "strong" through running. The new platform encompasses multiple touch points, including an immersive digital and social media experience and the brand's first-ever national television commercial. The TV spot breaks nationally on Wednesday night, April 27th on ESPN.


above: a still from the spot

"As runners, we know that people run for intensely personal reasons," said Chris Lindner, chief marketing officer for Saucony. “Whether in honor of a relative, for a charity or medal, or for ourselves, running inspires the human spirit, making us stronger. At the core, this campaign is about just that; it's where and how we train and the people and moments that strengthen us. Ultimately, we're tapping into this emotional connection to create a dialog that we hope will inspire even more people to run."


above: a still from the spot

"The new campaign continues to amplify our brand mission to inspire runners every day. As we confidently emerge as a global athletic brand, we too are finding our 'strong'. Our first national television spot marks a pivotal point for Saucony, signaling a continued expansion of our marketing efforts to further drive brand awareness. The timing couldn't be better as the Kinvara 2, the campaign's featured product, was recently named Best Buy by Runner's World in their annual Summer Shoe Guide," added Lindner.


above: a still from the spot

The new campaign, developed by Mechanica of Newburyport, Massachusetts, includes the following elements:

Television
The campaign's new TV spot entitled "What is Strong?" was produced by the Emmy Award-winning creative production company Shilo, and directed by Andre Stringer. Filmed at various locations in California's Marin Headlands, the spot depicts a composition of runners finding their "strong" as they run on roads, trails, tracks and playing fields. The diversity of runners featured conveys the premise that finding one's "strong" is an intensely personal experience.


above: a still from the spot

Stringer once again teamed up with director of photography Max Goldman for this project. On various locations in California's Marin Headlands, the Saucony, Mechanica and Shilo executives and production crew filmed many of the same premier athletes who appear in the agency's campaign print ads.



above: shooting the commercial

Footage was captured on Kodak 35mm and 16mm color negative films using two ARRI 235 and one Aaton A Minima camera packages, the Revolution Steadicam and a custom camera car. Footage was transferred and color-graded by Tom Poole of Company 3 in New York. Editorial credit goes to Cassidy Gearhart, and the spot was finished in HD at Shilo's New York studio.

The 30 second spot breaks nationally on April 27th with an ad flight of 5 weeks, and will be seen nationwide on ESPN, ESPN2, Fox Sports, CBS College, Versus and NBC Sports.


Digital
Because runners are both personally motivated and passionately united, "What Is Strong?" the campaign's online destination, allows runners to honor the people and moments that inspire them while drawing inspiration from the "strong" of others.



The innovative digital application creates a visual depiction of user-generated "strongs," highlighting those most shared by the community. Additionally, users can share their personal "strongs" through social media channels and personalized tee shirts. To coincide with the launch of the TV spot, saucony.com/strong will go live on Wednesday, April 27th. Boston-based Beam Interactive developed the campaign's digital platform.


above: the tv ads were shot in the Marin Headlands and San Mateo

Print
The national and regional print campaign, shot by famed sports photographer John Huet, was launched this month in vertical running and consumer fitness magazines, including Runner's World, Running Times, Men's Health, Women's Health, Fitness, ESPN Rise and the Running Network's regional publications.

In-Store
In-store elements at key national retailers include window displays, point-of-purchase, product displays and consumer brochures. A mobile video resource will reinforce the brand's new marketing platform and feature its product collection.

Event sponsorships, a national tour and a new expo booth will also support the brand's marketing platform.

The Find Your Strong campaign is planned to run throughout 2011, with several new executions for the fall. Saucony will continue to integrate the theme into upcoming marketing initiatives throughout the year.

Complete Project Credits: Saucony "What is Strong?" TV Spots

Project Title: Saucony "What is Strong?"
Project Lengths: :60, :30, 2 x :15s
Debut Date: 4/27/11
Film Location: Marin County & San Mateo, CA
Client: Saucony, Inc.
Chief Marketing Officer: Chris Lindner
Advertising Agency: Mechanica
Partner/Creative Director: Libby DeLana
Creative Director, Copywriter: Ted Jendrysik
Brand Director: Arabella Plum
Producer: Mary D. Hanifin
Director: Andre Stringer
Production Company: Shilo
Director of Photography: Max Goldman
Editor: Cassidy Gearhart
Assistant Editor: Hedia Maron
Rotoscopers: Paul Daniel, Djeison Canuto
Associate Producer: Sheina Dao
Line Producer: Jeremy Yaches
Head of Production: Julie Shevach
Executive Producer: Tracy Chandler
Telecine: Company 3
Colorist: Tom Poole
Music Composer: Darrin Weiner
Sound Design and Final Mix: Penny Lane
Sound Designer/Mixer: Joseph Miuccio