Once upon a time, Wieden + Kennedy Amsterdam created a fairy-tale campaign for Mondelēz's Milka chocolate brand.

Set in the idyllic, magical Alpine hamlet of "Lilaberg," the ads consolidate Milka's candy and biscuit categories under the theme "Tenderness is inside."

A pair of commercials feature impressive visuals and fanciful story lines. The spots almost resemble children's books come to life—or Pixar interpretations of fables for kids. Fanciful details abound, including cats on every rooftop and a purple cow (Lila, the brand mascot, after whom Lilaberg is named).

In the clip below, set at the town's colorful carnival celebration, "The Strongman" proves he's really just a big softie—tender-hearted, you might say—bonding with a young fan whose confidence needs boosting:



Finish your candy bar, Junior, and you'll grow up big and strong like Gustavus!

"We wanted to create a timeless Alpine world, a self-contained microcosm of interesting characters and places," Daniel Schaefer, W+K creative director, tells AdFreak. "We wanted to create a world that feels truthful and relatable to people. Some people have asked us if Lilaberg actually exists. It doesn't. That's exactly the feeling that we wanted to create."

There's some nice continuity between "The Strongman" and the second ad, "The Biscuit Jar." Here, a young girl who briefly appears in the first commercial takes the starring role:



Watch out, those whimsical ceramic cake canisters will murder us all! (Unless they're full, in which case they'll probably just take a nap.)

"The biggest challenge was to find a place that could bring our vision of a timeless sun-drenched Alpine village to life," Schaefer says. "Not an easy feat when you have to shoot in October and the Alps are wet, dark and grim. So, ironically, due to our shoot window, we had to go all around the world to New Zealand to find our typical Alpine scenery."

Hobby Film director Vesa Manninen does a fine job of bringing Milka's fantasy world to life in the campaign, now breaking in Central and Eastern Europe as the first phase of a global multimedia rollout.

Overall, the approach is charming and relatable, if perhaps a bit sugary for some viewers.

The team went out of its way to include Lila, "a so-called Simmental cow, a very special breed from Switzerland, so naturally quite hard to find in New Zealand," Schaefer says. "Fortunately, we were able to find Willow on a remote farm around Christchurch—a bit of a diva but a total superstar."

And they lived happily ever after!

CREDITS
Client: Milka
Vice President, Marketing Communication and Brand Equity, Global Chocolate Category Team: Phillip Chapman
Global Milka Equity Director: Karine Chik
Milka Europe Marketing Director: Celine Berg (chocolate only)
Milka Europe Equity Manager: Martha Miralles (chocolate only)
Milka Europe Brand Activation Manager: Charlotte de Laleu (chocolate only)
Milka Europe Marketing Director: Ira Shandaryvska (biscuits only)
Milka Europe Treat Biscuits Base and Equity Marketing Lead: Charles-Henri Cassala (biscuits only)
Milka Europe Chocobakery Base and Equity Manager: Caroline Baume (biscuits only)

Agency: Wieden + Kennedy, Amsterdam
Executive Creative Directors: Mark Bernath, Eric Quennoy
Creative Directors: Szymon Rose, Daniel Schaefer
Art Director: Jordi Luna
Copywriter: Scott Smith
Head of Broadcast Production: Joe Togneri
Executive Producer: Tony Stearns
Head of Planning: Martin Weigel
Group Account Director: Clare Pickens
Account Director: Eleanor Thodey
Account Managers: Elianne Vermeulen (TV), Yulia Prokhorova (Print)
Studio Artist: Noa Redero
Project Manager: Janna Harrington
Business Affairs: Emilie Douque

Production Company: Hobby Film
Director: Vesa Manninen
Director of Photography: Franz Lustig
Executive Producer: Tom Rickard
Producers: Anna Bergström, Frederic Rinnan

Editing Company: Work Editorial
Editors: Mark Edinoff, Rachael Spann

Audio Post: Wave London
Sound Designer, Mixer: Aaron Reynolds

Music Artist: Phil Kay
Music Company: Woodwork Music

Postproduction: MPC
Lead 2-D Artists: Bill McNamara, Toya Dreschler
Lead 3-D Artist: Tim Van Hussen
Colorist: Jean-Clement Soret
Producer: Sophie Hogg

Print Production
Photographer: Marcus Gaab

From opening a cool experiential space in New York's trendy Meatpacking District to bringing virtual reality to the masses, Samsung is determined to connect consumers to the latest technology. As the electronics maker's chief creative officer, Jesse Coulter oversees marketing strategy and ad campaigns in North America. Here, he talks with Adweek about his first year on the job, the difference in working on the agency and brand sides, and why Samsung is betting big on VR.

Adweek: You've been at Samsung a little less than a year. What is your role there and what have you accomplished so far?
Jesse Coulter: Samsung is at the heart of nearly every experience where people connect with technology, and I get to help tell the brand's story—not only all the great and cool features the products and services have but also how the products connect deeply and emotionally into people's everyday lives.

Much of Samsung's recent work has focused on virtual reality. How do you market something like Gear VR that consumers may know nothing about?
We believe that virtual reality represents the next frontier of storytelling. Our technology is a catalyst to spark inspiration with this new medium, but we have an important role to play in developing the content, too. We're spearheading collaborations with some of the best filmmakers and studios in the business—Skybound Entertainment, the NBA, 20th Century Fox, Vrse, Vice, The Wall Street Journal, Funny or Die and Sundance—to give consumers fun, interactive experiences through VR. Ultimately, we want to not only tell and show people what it is but why it matters. Our goal is to democratize VR. We want everyone creating and pushing this medium forward.

Samsung opened its Marketing Center of Excellence in New York's Meatpacking District last year. What's the purpose of that space?
We actually just officially opened Samsung 837, a cultural destination and digital playground, and our Marketing Center of Excellence. It's a physical manifestation of the Samsung brand: the intersection of humanity, technology and culture that underscores how Samsung's full portfolio of signature services and technology, ranging from mobile devices to home appliances, can make your life more awesome.

You are the chair of the 2016 Clio Awards' new Brand Jury evaluating submissions in the Innovation & Integrated Campaign mediums. What will you be looking for?
What excites me is how brands are pushing the boundaries in how and where they tell their story—everyone needs a new playbook. It's an exciting time to embrace change, not fight it. Those who do will be rewarded. Innovation comes from the ability to have the courage and commitment to explore new ways to tell your story.

What are you working on now?
We just recently launched our latest smartphones, the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge. We're really focused on the question "Why?"—"Why can't your phone be slim, sleek and beautiful with a large, immersive camera that works even in low light, a more powerful, longer-lasting battery, expandable memory and still work after you accidentally drop it in water?" We want to position our products as something that solves our collective problems without taking ourselves too seriously.

Your work for Chipotle at CAA Marketing a couple of years ago was lauded because the branding was minimal. Are you taking the same approach with Samsung?
It's always about finding the right balance. Too much branding disrespects the audience; too little disrespects the brand. What's great about Samsung at this stage is that brand awareness is high. We don't need more sponsorship; we just need to tell our story.

What's been the biggest difference in working on the agency and brand sides?
I think my time at CAA and Wieden + Kennedy prepared me for the client side by teaching me about the business of creativity. That being said, it has been an adjustment, but in a great way. You're closer to the business and you have a macro view of it. It's definitely more responsibility, but I love the big picture. I've always cared about the business and the cultural impact of great work, so now I love working with our partners to create impactful work.

This story first appeared in the April 4 issue of Adweek magazine. Click here to subscribe.

Rory McIlroy keeps a grueling schedule, but he likes it.

The pro golfer stars in a new ad for Nike, from Wieden + Kennedy Portland, as he gears up in real life for this weekend's Masters tournament, in hopes of landing a grand slam—winning all four majors—on the 2016 tournament circuit.

The minute-long commercial is, in essence, an increasingly frenetic montage, as McIlroy trains for his big dream, waking up at 5:30 every morning, chopping vegetables for smoothies, lifting weights, hitting the driving range, running, lifting more weights and doing it all over again the next day.

It's packed with almost industrial sound design, and the odd snippet of a rattle snake, crescendoing perfectly to the tagline, "Enjoy the chase"—which lands more or less as a twist, given there's not much beforehand to suggest anybody would enjoy such a insane pace.



That payoff is all the more apt because it's true, capturing the obsessive appetite for repetition and discipline essential to mastering any craft, and also because it fits so squarely into Nike's history of a simplified, rah-rah approach to getting through pain: "Just do it."

More broadly, the spot—directed by Radical's Derek Cianfrance, no stranger to making cool sports ads—a strong addition to McIlroy's growing collection of Nike spots, part of a shiny five-year endorsement deal signed in 2013. Notably absent is Tiger Woods, who traded trick shots with McIlroy in the brand's hit "No Cup Is Safe" gag ad that year, and again in 2015's more heartfelt "Ripple" spot, about the 26-year-old Northern Irish athlete's rise to play alongside his older American idol.

Meanwhile, a fun series of 15-second vignettes (see below) expand on the new concept, featuring other pros like Tony Finau, Brooks Koepka, Michelle Wie and Patrick Rodgers honing their skills in odd and sometimes hilarious ways—practicing after dark, and in hotel hallways, and by splashing water on themselves in the middle of ponds.

Because anyone who isn't pressing themselves probably isn't going to succeed. And if it's not for love, then it's probably just torture.

Then again, there are worse gigs than being a celebrity athlete, even if it is still a job.

CREDITS

Client: Nike
Project: Nike Golf: Enjoy The Chase

Agency: Wieden + Kennedy, Portland, Ore.
Creative Directors: Stuart Brown & Chris Groom
Copywriter: Jared Elms
Art Director: Naoki Ga
Producer: Ross Plumber/Jeff Selis/Katie Sellon

Production Company: Radical
Director: Derek Cianfrance
Executive Producer: Alex Orlovsky
Director of Photography: Grieg Fraser

Editorial Company: Rock Paper Scissors
Editor: Biff Butler
Post Producer: Assistant Editor: Alyssa Oh/Daniel Benhamo

Post Executive Producer: Christopher Noviello.
Executive Produce: Linda Carlson
Creative Director: Angus Wall

VFX Company: VFX Studio:  a52
VFX Supervisor: VFX Supervisor: Andy McKenna
Flame Artist: CG Supervisor:  Manny Guizar
VFX Producer: 2D VFX Artist(s):  Cameron Coombs, Enid Dalkoff
Titles/Graphics: Finishing: Dan Ellis, Kevin Stokes, Gabe Sanchez
Head of Production: Kim Christensen
Executive Producer: Patrick Nugent

Music + Sound Company: Future Perfect

Composer: Craig Sutherland, Andy Huckvale
Producer: Max Gosling

Mix Company: Sound Mix
Lime Studios
Mixer: Zac Fisher
Mixing Assistant Kevin McAlpine
Exec Producer: Susie Boyajan

Love him or hate him, Kobe Bryant is a legend.

In China, they mostly love him—he's made a concerted effort, with Nike, to reach out to his Chinese fans over the past decade. And the Chinese have responded with adulation all but unmatched for American sports stars.

Now, with Bryant's last game fast approaching, Nike and Wieden + Kennedy Shanghai have created a stirring 60-second tribute commercial. And it's all about that love—which Bryant says might actually be a bit misguided.

"Kobe has an intimate relationship with the Chinese ballers, so he knows exactly how to teach and motivate them," says Terence Leong, creative director of W+K Shanghai. "Together with Nike China and Kobe, our team crafted the script and made sure the film was just as provocative as the man himself. It was an intense and uncompromising process because Kobe was just as demanding on the creative team as he was on the Lakers."

W+K creative director Azsa West adds: "[Kobe] chose to focus on becoming a legend rather than being a hero. When it comes to winning, Kobe is willing to push himself to risk everything. Because standing back and doing nothing, that's real failure. This philosophy is very Nike 'Just do it,' and Kobe is the perfect person to deliver this spirit of Nike."

CREDITS
Client: Nike
Campaign: "Kobe Last Season"
Spot: "Don't Love Me, Hate Me"
Launch Date: 7 April 2016

Agency: Wieden + Kennedy Shanghai
Executive Creative Director: Yang Yeo
Creative Directors: Terence Leong, Azsa West
Copywriters: Nick Finney, Wei Liu
Senior Art Director: Shaun Sundholm
Senior Designers: Patrick Rockwell, Will Dai
Integrated Production Director: Angie Wong
Assistant Producers: Yuan Fang, Jiji Hu
Offline Editor: Hiro Ikematsu
Business Director: Dino Xu
Associate Account Director: Jim Zhou
Account Executive: Shawn Kai
Senior Planner: Paula Bloodworth
Digital Strategist: Bill Tang
Project Manager: Nicole Bee
Business Affairs: Jessica Deng, Kathy Zhan

Production Companies: Elastic TV; Lunar Films
Director: Biff Butler
Line Producer: Kelly Christensen
Director of Photography: Rachel Morrison
Executive Producer (Elastic): Belinda Blacklock
Managing Director (Elastic): Jennifer Sofio Hall
Executive Producer (Lunar): Ken Yap
Post Producer (Lunar): Jeff Tannebring

Editing: Rock Paper Scissors
Editors: Biff Butler, Alyssa Oh
Post Producer: Christopher Noviello
Executive Producers: Angela Dorian, Linda Carlson

Postproduction: a52
2-D Visual Effects Artists: Michael Vaglienty, Adam Flynn
Smoke Artist: Chris Riley
Conform: Gabe Sanchez
Rotoscope Artists: Tiffany German, Cathy Shaw, Robert Shaw
Colorist: Paul Yacono
Design: Pete Sickbert-Bennett
2-D, 3-D Animation: David Do, Steven Do, Claudia De Leon, Sam Cividanis
Senior Color Producer: Jenny Bright
Producer: Drew Rissman
Head of Production: Kim Christensen
Deputy Head of Production: Carol Salek
Executive Producer: Patrick Nugent

Original Music, Sound Design, Mix: Lime Studios
Original Music: Andy Huckvale
Mixer: Zac Fisher
Assistant Mixer: Kevin McAlpine
Executive Producer: Susie Boyajan

A single shining moment can inspire a lifetime of greatness. That, at least, is the driving idea behind Nike's new soccer ad, "Spark Brilliance," from Wieden + Kennedy Amsterdam.

In it, French player Blaise Matuidi flashes back through his rise to stardom, starting as a young boy witnessing former pro Jay-Jay Okocha land a perfect volley into the back of the net while playing for Paris St. Germain, where Matuidi is now a midfielder.

That sports-idol-spawned montage may sound a little like another Nike ad from elsewhere in the W+K universe. Last year, "Ripple" featured Rory McIlroy training his way through the years to play along Tiger Woods, after seeing and admiring the elder golfer as a child—created by the agency's Portland office.

This spot, if equally heartfelt in its own way, is less somber and more upbeat. In fact, it's almost carnivalesque, with the titular, metaphorical spark visualized as a literal meteoric explosion in a galaxy that's contained inside young Matuidi's eyeball, and the grownup version of him taking on proportions of celebrity well beyond his skills in the game.

He's not just a soccer star—he's a fashion icon and cultural force, whose victory-dance moves on the pitch serve as a source of inspiration for the likes of popular French hip-hop artist Niska.



Overall, it's a fun ad, glued together by an especially on-point choice of background music, Earth, Wind & Fire's "Shining Star." It's not only a perfect lyrical fit for the concept, but has the kind of irresistibly charming groove that in and of itself suggests everything is going to turn out well in the end.

Also, its indomitably happy sound, when coupled with the modern imagery of the spot, doesn't even seem dated, and plays an outsized role in carrying a message—and tagline ("Fais Briller Le Jeu" in French)—that flirts with the kind of enthusiastic naïveté that can be tough to swallow.

To its credit, the ad doesn't shy away from the doses of drilling and running that were also essential to Matuidi's success—the kind of hard work with which McIlroy is also intimately familiar. But the whole ad is infused with the love for play that's at the heart of much of Nike's marketing.

The 90-second spot's true moment of brilliance, though, comes at the end—itself a new beginning—when the camera cuts to another future soccer star, glimmering as he watches Matuidi celebrate a goal.

CREDITS
Client: Nike
Ed Collin: Senior Brand Communication Director, Nike EMEA
Nick Kettelhake: Brand Communications Director, Nike WE
Jean-Luc Bragard: Brand Communications Manager, Nike WE

Agency: Wieden + Kennedy Amsterdam
Executive Creative Director: Eric Quennoy, Mark Bernath
Creative Director: Craig Williams, David Smith
Art Director: Sébastien Partika
Copywriter: Edouard Olhagaray
Head of Broadcast Production: Joe Togneri
Broadcast Producer: Elissa Singstock
Planner: Stéphane Missier
Communications Planner: Josh Chang
Digital Strategist: Greg White
Group Account Director: Kathryn Addo
Account Director: Tim Ryan
Account Manager: Jorge Fesser
Project Manager: Loes Poot
Business Affairs: Kacey Kelley

Production Company: Division Films
Director: Fleur+Manu
Director of Photography: Steve Annis
Producer: Jules de Chateleux
Executive Producer: Jules de Chateleux

Editing Company: Whitehouse Post London
Editor: Russell Icke

Audio Post: Wave Studios Amsterdam/ Grand Central Recording Studios London
Sound Designer/Mixer: Alex Nicholls Lee/ Raja Sehgal

Music:
Title: "Shining Star" (Sebastian Remix)
Original Artist / Remix Artist: Earth, Wind & Fire (Remixed by Sebastian)
Publishing & Master Recording: Sony/ATV & Sony Music Entertainment
Remix : Ed Banger Records

Postproduction: Glassworks Amsterdam
Flame: Morten Vinther (Head of 2d) Kyle Obley (VFX Sup/ Flame)
3D: Rudiger Kaltenhauser
Telecine: Daniel de Vue
Producer: Anya Kruzmetra, Christian Downes

Partner Agencies:
Media Agency: Mindshare Paris
Digital Agency: RGA London

Procter & Gamble's Secret deodorant is launching an interesting campaign from Wieden + Kennedy that looks at larger, generational reasons why young women sweat—often because of political, gender-based struggles—and not just their more random individual reasons.

The new brand campaign, themed "Stress Tested for Women," begins with the 60-second spot below, titled "Raise." The plot is simple: A young professional woman is psyching herself up in the bathroom at work to ask her boss for more money.

Check out the spot here: 

It's nicely shot (by Aoife McArdle) and very well acted. The scene is full of real drama, as our heroine tries out different approaches in the mirror—and suffers through a horrifying moment when she realizes she isn't alone (though her potential enemy thankfully turns out to be an ally).

Janine Miletic, brand director for North America deodorants at P&G, said the approach here isn't exactly new—that Secret has always shown women's evolving role in society through its advertising. The new campaign, she added, is based around an insight into "stress sweat," which P&G says is biologically different than physically induced sweat.

"We understand the stress that comes with challenging cultural norms and are committed to providing women with high-quality products that can stand up to today's stressors—big and small," Miletic says. "Secret was the first antiperspirant brand made specifically for a woman's needs. We've continued to be on the forefront of innovation for women and that's why we developed product technology designed specifically to fight stress sweat, which is more unpredictable and worse-smelling than normal sweat."

Justine Armour, creative director at W+K in Portland, said the creative team approached the assignment by thinking big—about what it means to be a young woman today.

"What are women still not really 'allowed' to do? What are the barriers they're still up against? What roles and situations still make them feel uncomfortable?" Armour asked. "These are the areas where they're really feeling the stress, and where Secret is going to step up for them in a way that other deodorants can't."

The political bent of the new spot is interesting, and raises familiar questions about how, when and to what degree brands should engage in political causes—and whether tying those causes to particular product benefits engenders loyalty from like-minded consumers or just trivializes the whole thing.

The gender pay gap works nicely as a creative hook here, but of course it would be nice to see the brand take things further by offering resources to women who want to learn more and obtain tools to actually fight the pay gap. (Nothing like this has yet been announced by the brand, or appears on the website.)

On the other hand, the pay gap isn't a particularly polarizing political cause. It's one that many brands could get behind without fearing any backlash, or feeling an obligation to make a more extended commitment. It's also probably good to bring up the issue whether or not the brand really cares deep down about it.

In other words, perhaps the creative hook, on its own, is all Secret needs to worry about.

In any case, it will be interesting to see how this particular campaign develops, and how, exactly, P&G plans to help young women—beyond not wanting to see them sweat. 

CREDITS
Client: Procter & Gamble/Secret
Project: Secret Stress-Tested for Women

Agency: Wieden + Kennedy, Portland, Ore.
Creative Directors: Justine Armour / Caio Lazurri
Art Director: Johan Arlig
Copywriter: Justine Armour
Producer: Jessica Staples
Strategic Planning: Angela Jones
Media/Comms Planning: Stephanie Ehui
Account Team: Dana Borenstein / Alexina Shaber

Production Company: Anonymous Content
Director: Aoife McArdle
Executive Producer: SueEllen Clair / Eric Stern
Executive Producer Somesuch: Sally Campbell / Tim Nash
Producer: Christopher Gallagher
Director of Photography: Alexis Zabe

Editorial Company: Final Cut
Editor: Paul Zucker
Assistant Editor: Betty Jo Moore [Editor on 'Three Dots']
Exec Post Producer: Eric McCasline
Head of Production: Suzy Ramirez
Producer: Sarita White

VFX Company: MPC Los Angeles
Exec Producer: Elexis Stern
Shoot Supervisor: Ben Persons
Colourist: Mark Gethin
VFX Lead: Susanne Scharping
VFX: Sandra Ross / Vincent Blin / Warren Paleos
Designer: Kathleen Kirkman

Music Company: Marmoset
Composers: 'Proposal' by Will Canzoneri / 'Raise' by Jeffrey Brodsky / 'Three Dots' by Kerry Smith
Producer: Tim Shrout
Sound Design Company: Barking Owl
Sound Designer: Michael Anastasi
Exec Producer: Kelly Bayett

Mix Company: Lime Studios
Mixer: Sam Casas

Advertisers have been saying goodbye to Kobe Byrant, who plays his final NBA game on Wednesday night, with either comedy or drama.

But Nike, which has always prided itself at balancing both, offers a mix in "The Conductor," a just-released spot that portrays the retiring 37-year-old Laker as an orchestra conductor fully in control of an arena of players, coaches and unruly fans—lovers and haters alike.

The spot, created by Wieden + Kennedy in Portland, Ore., and directed by Mark Romanek, also features Phil Jackson, Paul Pierce, Rasheed Wallace, Benny the Bull and fans representing nine basketball teams.

Check it out here:



As in Nike's earlier tribute to Bryant, starring the brand's other endorsers, the theme here is the love and hate that Bryant has experienced over the years—depicted in the new spot by the "symphony of cheers and jeers" across the stadium, as Nike puts it.

The spot has a goofy theatricality to it that actually recalls W+K's Old Spice work, particularly the "Momsong" and "Dadsong" spots, which were also musicals. But while it walks that line, "The Conductor" is also clearly not a parody—but rather illustrates "how hate has manifested into respect and admiration for Bryant," Nike says. 

Beginning at tipoff tonight, fans will also be able to customize and purchase a limited-edition of the KOBE 11 Mamba Day NIKEiD shoe. The final NIKEiD shoe of his pro career will feature a graphic highlighting eight notable career stats (see below).



We'll have more on Bryant's retirement, and marketers' handling of it, later today.

CREDITS
Client: Nike
Agency: Wieden + Kennedy, Portland, Ore.
Director: Mark Romanek
Production Company: Anonymous Content
Executive Producers: SueEllen Clair, Eric Stern
Producer: James Graves
Director of Photography: Greig Fraser

We're exactly 100 days out from the opening of the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, and less than two weeks away from Mother's Day. To mark both occasions, Procter & Gamble has brought back its "Thank you, mom" campaign for another round. And this time, the marketer has both broadened the scope of why it's celebrating moms and zeroed in on a particular attribute—their strength.

The spot was created by Wieden + Kennedy in Portland, Ore., and directed by Jeff Nichols of Rattling Stick. And while previous installations of "Thank you, mom" have mostly focused on the effort and sacrifice mothers make specifically in helping their sons and daughters train for sports, this new spot goes further—showing vignettes of them being rocks for their kids beyond athletics and into their everyday lives.



Many of the vignettes are quite dark. The young athletes aren't just facing the physical and emotional challenges of preparation and competition. They're facing oncoming tornadoes, frightening airplane turbulence, car crashes. In each case, the terrified youngster is soothed by his or her unflappable mother. And only later do we connect this sense of grounding to the athlete's ability to perform under pressure at the highest level of sport.

The final frames are quite familiar, showing—as the past ads did—the athletes and moms embracing after Olympic victory. Those images, connecting public glory to personal love and dedication, have become a visual shorthand for P&G's Olympic marketing and continue to nicely position the packaged-goods company, in its behind-the-scenes role, as the champion and enabler of mothers everywhere (who are themselves, in a nice parallel dynamic, champions and enablers of their offspring).

If the vignettes here seem particularly dramatic, that's because P&G has to keep the campaign evolving even after it perfected the form back in 2012 with "Best Job." And the darker, cinematic visions here feel like a great way of raising the stakes in a way that still connects emotionally. (Also, the idea of celebrating female strength is a very relevant one today, and already a popular one this Mother's Day, as we saw with the Teleflora spot surprisingly set to a Vince Lombardi speech.)

The final onscreen lines of the new spot are perfect, too: "It takes someone strong to make someone strong." That's an even better exclamation point than the "Best Job" coda ("The hardest job in the world is the best job in the world").

As follow-ups to famous campaigns go, it doesn't get much stronger than this.

CREDITS
Client: Procter & Gamble
Project: "Strong"

Agency: Wieden + Kennedy, Portland, Ore.
Creative Directors: Karl Lieberman/Eric Baldwin
Copywriter: Matt Mulvey
Art Director: Lawrence Melilli
Integrated Executive Producer: Erika Madison
Account Team: Jordan Cappadocia/Ebony Francis/Eric Gabrielson

Production Company: Rattling Stick
Director: Jeff Nichols
Executive Producer: Joe Biggins
Line Producer: Sally Humphries
Director of Photography: Adam Stone

Editorial Company: Joint
Editor : Peter Wiedensmith
Assistant Editor: Dylan Sylwester
Post Producer: Jen Milano
Post Executive Producer: Leslie Carthy

VFX Company: The Mill
Executive Creative Director: Phil Crowe
2D Lead Artist: Glyn Tebbutt
3D Lead Artist: Nick Lines
Executive Producer: Enca Kaul
Senior Producer: Chris Harlowe
Production Coordinator: Mary Hayden

Company: Company 3
Colorist: Tom Poole
Producer: Rochelle Brown

Music Supervision: Walker
President/Founder: Sara Matarazzo
Music Track: "Experience" by Ludovico Einaudi
Sound Design: Brian Emrich
Additional Sound Design/Mix: Noah Woodburn @ Joint

Mix Company: Eleven
Mixer: Jeff Payne
Producer: Suzanne Hollingshead

If you like mapping your runs and wish someone would reward you for your cardio cartography, Old Spice might have you covered.

Old Spice Dream Runner, launched today, is a mobile website created by the brand and agency Wieden + Kennedy. Use it on your neighborhood run, and it will draw a map of your route. Upload the resulting shape, and Old Spice might send you a gift vaguely shaped like the thing you drew.

Here's a video to help explain:

The site was made to promote Old Spice's Hardest Working Collection of men's bodywash and deodorants.

The brand has already begun awarding prizes, with some creative interpretations clearly going on behind the scenes: 

You can check out the full gallery of submitted and rewarded runs on the Dream Runner site.

Ever wish 30 Rock were still on the air?

When members of Tina Fey's unofficial fan club last encountered Jenna Maroney and Kenneth Parcel in the series finale, the former had finally taken "The Rural Juror" to Broadway while the latter achieved his rightful place as an ageless executive perched atop the NBC hierarchy like its signature peacock. 

Now the two—played by Jane Krakowski and Jack McBrayer—have returned in a new Verizon campaign from Wieden + Kennedy. In "Backdoor Brag," the almost-stars of one of Netflix's most popular streaming choices illustrate how much difference an allegedly superior service can make for those in the midst of an epic binge. 



So when Tracy Jordan himself once said, "My incompetence knows no bounds," he could have been speaking of Verizon's rivals. 

For part-time fans who missed it, the spot above was a direct reference to the Season 2 episode "Cooter," in which Kenneth must write a personal essay to apply to work as a page at the 2008 Summer OIympics in Beijing. (It even inspired an Urban Dictionary entry for "backdoor bragging.")

In the next—and sadly, last—ad in the series, Frank Rossitano (Judah Friedlander) and his signature hat(s) join in on the fun as the team (sort of) gets back together to illustrate what streaming might be like with any provider other than Verizon.



W+K and director Wayne McClammy managed to get much of the show's original crew back together to rebuild the sets and very briefly recapture the magic that can only come from well-scripted television. 

Conspicuously absent from these spots are Liz Lemon and Jack Donaghy. This isn't too surprising, given that Tina Fey has a plate full of film work beyond The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and Alec Baldwin has been busy acting as go-to brand advocate for Amazon and Kiehl's. 

But we're still holding out hope for a reunion. It could be a Curb Your Enthusiasm-style mockumentary of the making of the comeback special. It could even be a "He Needs a Kidney" musical fundraiser or a less disastrous Rockefeller Center Salute to Fireworks!

Think about it, NBC. In the meantime, we will continue chasing our lifelong goal of living every week like it's Shark Week.

Credits

Client: Verizon

Agency: Wieden + Kennedy, Portland, Ore.
Executive Creative Director: Joe Staples
Creative Directors: Aaron Allen, Jason Kreher, Joe Staples
Copywriter: Alex Romans
Art Director: Robbie Rane
Producer: Endy Hedman, Monica Ranes
Account Team: Diana Gonzalez, Marcelina Ward
Business Affairs: Laura Caldwell

Production Company: Hungry Man
Director: Wayne McClammy
Executive Producer: Mino Jarjoura, Dan Duffy, Nancy Hacohen
Line Producer: Dave Bernstein
Director of Photography: Matt Clark

Editorial Company: Exile
Editor: Kirk Baxter
Post Producer: Toby Louie
Post Executive Producer: CL Weaver

VFX Company: The Mill (LA)
Senior Executive Producer: Sue Troyan, Bidding Producer; Leighton Greer
Senior VFX: Producer Kait Boehm
Shoot Supervisor: Chris Knight, Robert Sethi
Executive Creative Director: Phil Crowe, Creative Director; Chris Knight
2D Lead Artist: Chris Knight
3D Lead Artist: Rasha Shalaby
2D Artists: Tim Bird, Peter Sidoriak, Scott Wilson, Alex Candlish, Jale Parrsons
3D Artists: Anthony Thomas, Michael Lori, Jason Jansky, Samantha Pedregon, Jie Zhou, Danny Yoon, Steve Olson
Matte Painting: Rasha Shalaby
Colourist: Adam Scott, Color Producer; Diane Valera, Color Exec Producer: Thatcher Peterson
VFX Coordinator: Chris Lewis

Music: 30 Rock theme song
Composer: Jeff Richmond
Sound Design Company: Barking Owl
Sound Designer: Michael Anastasi
Producer: Kelly Bayett

Mix Company: Eleven Sound
Mixer: Jeff Payne

Bud Light is kicking off Pride Month with a new 30-second spot celebrating same-sex weddings.

Unveiled on Wednesday via The Ellen Show's social channels, the new ad is part of Wieden + Kennedy's on-going campaign for the brand, "The Bud Light Party," which spoofs the election season, and features Amy Schumer and Seth Rogen. 

"The Bud Light Party champions inclusivity among modern beer drinkers and bringing people together—for fun—over a beer," said Alex Lambrecht, vp of Bud Light at Anheuser-Busch, in a statement. 

He added: "By featuring Seth and Amy at a same-sex wedding, we're showing how all weddings—regardless of who is getting married—share many similarities and moments to celebrate. We created this spot because equality for all Americans is a concept that unites many Bud Light drinkers." 

The A-B InBev brand also erected two rainbow-lit billboards (see below) which will be up for the month of June in New York City and Los Angeles. 

The beer behemoth showcasing a same-sex wedding in its Pride Month work isn't all that surprising; it is, after all, the one-year anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court decision legalizing same-sex marriage in all 50 states. And, of course, June is big for wedding season. 

According to the company, Bud Light has worked to be an inclusive brand for decades and featured its first LGBT print ad in 1995. The company has also been a long-time partner with the GLAAD as well as local community and PRIDE organizations nationwide. Bud Light is one of a number of brands leading the battle for LGBT Equality.

To promote the campaign, MediaCom, Bud Light's media shop, amplified it through social media. The spot will also appear on prime-time broadcast channels in New York and L.A. this evening, the brand tapped major influencers like Ellen DeGeneres and GLAAD. 

        

        The illuminated billboard above is up in NYC. Bud Light

It's been more than six years since Old Spice advertising started getting very peculiar indeed, with help from Isaiah Mustafa and, particularly, Terry Crews. But Wieden + Kennedy Portland has now outdone itself in the oddities department, taking two strange Old Spice spots from last year and remixing them, with help from video artist Nick DenBoer, into—in the brand's own words—a "horrifying mutant nightmare abomination."

It's as over-the-top as a commercial can get, and some might say the brand officially jumps the shark here by fully crossing over into self-parody . (There's even a shark in the spot.) But W+K tells AdFreak it's proud of this deviant monstrosity.

W+K creative director Jason Kreher says the idea for the remix came about when the agency team was looking over some contracts and realized they still had usage rights for a couple of 2015 commercials.

"We'd all seen Nick's work from Conan, but right during this period of time he released The Chickening, which is amazing," Kreher says. "We worked with him for about three weeks, and every version got better and funnier and weirder. He is obviously a video genius, but he also composed the song. … The stuff he was able to create using assets from just two commercials seemed impossible."

Check out the original two ads below. 

The only way England will produce its own Cristiano Ronaldo is if the Portuguese superstar accidentally crashes into a young British fan at a game and—in a bit of Freaky Friday style body switching—inhabits the kid for a few years, until he can become a star. 

That, at least, is one way to interpret the cute and amusing plot line of "The Switch," Wieden + Kennedy's epic Nike film for Euro 2016. 

The work is classic Nike—that familiar mix of mix of flash and humor, with loads of cameos by other pro footballers and delightful details at every turn. (At 5:57, it's also Nike's longest-ever brand film, eclipsing 2014's "The Last Game" by 30 seconds.)  

It was directed by Ringan Ledwidge, a bit of a superstar himself, who counts the Guardian's "Three Little Pigs" and Nike's "Winner Stays," from the 2014 World Cup, among his big advertising scores. 

It's a little odd for the world's biggest sports marketer, in 2016, to have a head injury be the precipitating event in a long-form comedy. But once the action gets going, the production is pretty irresistible, and the circular pattern of the spot—anchored by The Heavy's pulsating track "Turn Up"—brings everything nicely full circle. 



The spot took five days to film in Spain, says Nike, which claims it was the most extensive brand shoot that the 31-year-old Ronaldo has ever done for any company.

American audiences also get a nice treat with the inclusion of Megan Rapinoe, the U.S. women's national team midfielder, who is seen on stage in the light-colored suit in the award scene. ("She made the most of production pauses by switching into sneakers and juggling between takes," Nike says.)

The other pros who make cameos are Raheem Sterling, Joe Hart, Harry Kane, Chris Smalling, John Stones, Ross Barkley, Ricardo Quaresma, Andre Gomes, Jose Fonte, Cedric Soares, Vieirinha, Raphael Varane, Anthony Martial, Sergi Roberto and Javier Mascherano.

Ronaldo's co-star, 16-year-old Gerson Correia Adua, was actually the understudy for the film, but took the starring role when the original actor hurt his leg in a car accident (he does get an appearance at the 5:15 mark). 

Nike ads are highly anticipated around every major soccer tournament, and this one certainly doesn't disappoint. Now, if the English can employ some Ronaldo-esque wizardry for real, they might do a little better at Euro 2016 than they did in the last World Cup.

CREDITS
Client: Nike
Agency: Wieden + Kennedy
Director: Ringan Ledwidge

The Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity has long been a celebration of some of the most inspiring and creative work, which in turn means some of the most talented creative minds descend on Cannes each year to honor that work. It's a rare opportunity for agencies to track down and acquire some of the top talent in the business.

For some recruiters, the strategy is to hunker down and research a few potential candidates and set up meetings during the week of Cannes. For others it's all about the spontaneous meet ups and conversations at the Gutter Bar over a beer. Everyone has their different strategies, but most recruiters would agree, Cannes is the place to be if you want access to the best talent out there. 

So what is it really like on the Croisette when recruiters are doing their best to scout out some of the biggest names in the business? 

It's not any sort of secret James Bond type mission with people sneaking onto yachts for private meetings according to headhunter Jay Haines, founding partner, Grace Blue. It does, however, require "a huge amount of planning. It requires some strategic thinking upfront and a lot of energy to begin to get in touch with those people," Haines said.

Cannes can be an especially valuable time to recruit when an agency has a specific position to fill. Looking for a batch of the best creative directors in the world? Look no further than the Cannes judging rooms. Last year, when 180LA was in the market for a new creative director, it decided to target Cannes judges by creating a sneaky recruitment ad which it entered into four different categories. The video, a mock case study, called out a number of creative directors by name and provided them with the agency's contact information. In the end, 180LA ended up snatching up Jessica Schnurr.

While the stunt paid off for the agency, William Gelner, managing partner and chief creative officer for 180LA, noted that the agency will not be sending any recruiters this year (but does have a stunt up its sleeves). More and more, agencies have opted to not send recruiters for a number of reasons. Cost tends to be a major factor.

"I don't want to sit here and bash Cannes because I have personally had a lot of good things come out of it. Those serendipitous moments are very productive," Melanie Myers, global director of creative recruiting for Wieden + Kennedy, said. "But it's really expensive, and due to that fact, there's a lot of people that can't go, which is unfortunate."

After attending Cannes for nine consecutive years, Myers decided that instead of investing a ton of money to "fish from the same pool of talent as everyone else," she would look on less mainstream creative events "that aren't necessarily award shows, and to be blunt maybe aren't so much about the industry self congratulating," she said. That doesn't mean the agency won't be back next year, but it's simply trying something different.

Some agencies have found a way around the additional cost problem. Rather than sending a group of recruiters, they rely instead on the senior level executives that make the trip each year to do the heavy lifting. SapientNitro, for example, did not send a recruiter to Cannes last year and will opt out again this year.

Kristina Shedd, director, global hiring at SapientNitro, explained that while the agency realizes that Cannes is the perfect place to find the best talent, "it's difficult to have conversations there. There are so many parties and events and people aren't necessarily focused on having those meaningful conversations." Leading up to Cannes, recruiters will spend a few hours with some of its executives, giving them the low down on talent gaps and a handful of names that have been on their radar.

Once the executives are in Cannes, the process for meeting the talent is both strategic and straightforward. Last year, rather than renting out a room and booking back-to-back meetings with people the agency is interested in hiring, the recruitment team planned a lunch event (avoiding any kind of party atmosphere) and invited some candidates to attend. This year, SapientNitro is holding a panel discussion on diversity and inclusion and reaching out to those on its radar who might have similar interests, "creating an opportunity to invite them to the panel and meet someone from the senior leadership team."

Shedd added that her team pays extra attention to detail when it comes to matching personalities and interests between current employees and prospective ones, doing "a fair amount of research on people, especially if we haven't had conversations with them or spoken to them in the past," Shedd noted.

There's still value to getting recruiters on the ground during that week, despite the chaos. Haines said he continues to recognize the importance of Cannes to the industry, but notes that the talent component, while important, is simply a "byproduct to the main event," he said. "The show is very important from an international perspective because it's the only chance where you get all of the best talent in one place at one time at any given moment," Haines added.

It's also a place for an agency to find a diverse group of people. This year in particular, recruiters believe the focus on a potential new hire's skill set will continue to shift with the addition of new award categories including the digital craft category (which includes everything from user experience design to typography) and the entertainment Lions. Gone are the days when agencies only needed creative copywriters, art directors or designers. Nowadays, creativity in an agency has expanded. The new Cannes categories reflect that and recruiters are taking note.

"We live in a different time and it's quickly accelerating the need for people form more technical backgrounds who can code, who can think and produce quickly. Those types of makers are attracted to Cannes because there are so many different types of categories, so many different types of awards are given to really unorthodox and innovative ideas," Gelner told Adweek.

"This year there's a particular focus on the technology brands who will dominate the live space. It's a much broader canvas and a much broader group to get to know," Haines added.

Tim Nudd contributed to this report.

Comedians Bobby Lee and Jane Lynch won't be making it to the wedding of their colleagues Jordan Peele and Chelsea Perretti ... because they'll be too busy making love and eating sushi off each other on their own holiday getaway. 

So go two new ads in Booking.com's campaign around Peele and Perretti's nuptials. Two months ago, the duo—engaged in real life—launched the Wieden + Kennedy Portland-created push in an ad series about their planning difficulties, and the ease with which the online travel agency helps them make necessary changes. 

Now, in a 40-second spot, Lee and Lynch appear in a hotel room, respectively wearing a towel and a bathrobe. Lynch laments they'll miss the wedding, but Lee insists they can still change plans at the last minute—thanks to Booking.com's easy cancellation policy. 

That proactive attitude gets Lynch worked up, triggering a hot-and-heavy make-out session that suggests nobody will be going anywhere anytime soon.



A second, 15-second spot, meanwhile, features Lynch enjoying a feast of raw fish off Lee, who is naked with the exception of a Speedo—playing on the Japanese practice of eating sushi off the bodies of nude women, and, to a lesser degree, men. Unlike more traditional settings, Lee, the human table, gets to participate in the meal, though he manages to be thoroughly—and appropriately—gross while doing it.



Their antics follow those of two other comedians—Peele's longtime co-host Keegan-Michael Key, and Rebel Wilson—who last month made similarly absurd contributions to the campaign in joint commercials about a road trip to the wedding. 

Some viewers may love Lee and Lynch's additions; others may find them lurid and off-putting, but one thing is for sure: It's hard to look away, if only because it's like watching a bad accident. 

CREDITS

Client: Booking.com

Agency: Wieden + Kennedy, Portland, Ore.
Creative Director: Micah Walker
Copywriter: Nick Morrissey / Mike Egan
Art Director: Jon Kubik / Meaghan Oikawa
Producer: Hayley Goggin Avila
Art Producer: Andrea Bakacs
Account Service: Regina Keough / Tristan Harvin / Mimi Kim / Thomas Harvey
Comms Supervisor: Destinee Scott
Strategic Planning: Eugee Krasnopolsky / Nicole Brandell
Business Affairs: Karen Roche
Interactive Producer: Blake Carrillo
Studio Design: Dana Beaty / Grey Jay
Studio Manager: Sally Garrido-Spencer
Retouchers: Kyle Pero / Saskia Thomson
Motion Designer: Adam Sirkin
Motion Producer: Sarah Gamazo / Tori Herbst

Production Company: Smuggler
Director: Randy Krallman
Executive Producer: Patrick Milling Smith / Brian Carmody / Shannon Jones / Andrew Colon
Line Producer: Ian Blaine
Director of Photography: Darko Suvac
Production Designer: Jason Schuster

Editorial Company: Cartel
Editor: Andy McGraw
Assistant Editor: Eddie Mikasa
Post Producer: Meagen Carroll
Post Executive Producer: Lauren Bleiweiss

Photographer: Emily Shur
Line Producer: Tricia Sherman
Production Company: Bauerfeind Productions

VFX Company: Joint
On Set Supervision: Brad Hayes
Lead Flame: MB Emigh
2D Artists: Leif Peterson  / Noah Poole
VFX Producer: Gail von Dedenroth
VFX Coordinator: Nathanael Horton
VFX Executive Producer: Alex Thiesen

Mix Company: Lime
Mixer / Sound Design: Sam Casas
Producer: Susie Boyajan

Telecine Company: The Mill
Color Producer: Diane Valera
Colorist: Adam Scott

The Cleveland Cavaliers have reached the playoffs 20 times in their 46-year history. But on Sunday night, they finally reached the promised land—winning the NBA title on their third trip to the Finals. Cavaliers fans could be forgiven for not quite believing that the day had come. 

That's the theme memorably illustrated in this new Nike spot from Wieden + Kennedy in Portland, Ore. "Worth the Wait" shows fans from around city—as well as the team's top players, including LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, Kevin Love and J.R. Smith—celebrating their long-awaited triumph. 



The theme isn't new—it brings to mind BBH's great spot about Andy Murray's Wimbledon victory in 2013, which ended a drought of 77 years for British male singles champions there. But it feels like the perfect tribute to Cleveland—the team and its fans. 

And of course, if things had gone south on Sunday, it never would have aired at all. 

CREDITS
Client: Nike
Agency: Wieden + Kennedy, Portland, Ore.

Consumer packaged goods aren't usually considered a creative canvas for agencies. But these six campaigns proved otherwise—showing that even staid categories can be fertile ground for fascinating creative ideas, and massive viral hits. 

 
•Old Spice
Agency: Wieden + Kennedy
Year: 2010

W+K had been revitalizing the P&G brand for a while, but nothing could prepare the world for Isaiah Mustafa in his towel—at once, the ideal man and the ultimate parody of him. With its sharp writing and hyperbolic visuals, this spot defined postmodern masculinity and created a whole, often-imitated style of self-aware advertising.

 
•Dove
Agency: Ogilvy Brazil
Year: 2013

The Unilever brand's "Campaign for Real Beauty," launched in 2004, reached its apotheosis with "Real Beauty Sketches." As part of a brilliant social experiment, a police sketch artist drew women as they described themselves, and as others described them—illustrating, quite literally, women's issues with self-esteem.

 
•Cheerios
Agency: Saatchi & Saatchi
Year: 2013

This General Mills brand became a somewhat unlikely pioneer for progressive advertising after a quiet, cute spot with a mixed-race family got swamped by racist comments online. The brand seemed taken aback at first, but embraced its sudden role as a leading voice for acceptance by running a follow-up spot on the Super Bowl.

 
•Honey Maid
Agency: Droga5
Year: 2014

Mondelez also took up the cause of inclusive advertising with "This Is Wholesome," a campaign showing the full range of real American families. The launch spot showed gay dads, two mixed-race families (one military) and a single dad—and the lauded campaign has also touched on everything from divorce to disability to immigration.

 
•Axe
Agency: 72andSunny
Year: 2016

For years, this Unilever brand was stubbornly troglodytic in its ads, appealing to young men with bluntly sexist portrayals of women. But lately it's been evolving, and this year rolled out a campaign with an impressive, grownup take on manhood. One guy in high heels, another in a wheelchair—this isn't your older brother's Axe.

 
•Knorr
Agency: MullenLowe
Year: 2016

Tatia Pilieva, who directed the famous "First Kiss" film a few years back, returned with this great branded work for Unilever's soup mixes and condiments brand. It was another social experiment about affection—to see if strangers could fall in love over food. With almost 60 million views, it's one of 2016's most viral ads to date.

This story first appeared in the June 20, 2016 issue of Adweek magazine.
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After so many years of its signature quirky advertising, it's tempting to think of the Old Spice work as dated. But then "Rocket Car" plays for a full house at the Cannes Lions Film awards, to the absolute delight of the crowd, and you remember that this is a campaign that stays fresh not by reinventing itself regularly—but by fully committing to its bizarre ideas and executing to perfection.

A new Old Spice campaign by Wieden + Kennedy Portland for the Old Spice Swagger line broke during the Cannes festival with a spot called "Five Year Plan." It stars a brand new Old Spice guy, actor Thomas Beaudoin, who emerges victorious in the most anatomically freaky job interview you'll ever see.

The new tagline is, "Smell 'Em Who's Boss."



That spot is already well on its way toward 4 million YouTube views. But it turns out it's just the opening piece of a larger campaign that actually introduces two new Old Spice guys—Beaudoin for Swagger, and actor Alberto Cardenas for the new Desperado scent.

A second Beaudoin spot has rolled out, along with two Western-themed ads starring Cardenas. Check those out below. The work as a whole illustrates the "transformational" powers of the Swagger and Desperado scents to give men "pure unadulterated confidence," says the agency.

As usual, all the language around the campaign is amusingly pear shaped. (Check out the YouTube descriptions of the spots for a chuckle.)

Here's a description of the campaign that W+K provided: "Once there was a man who wanted to be the man. But that man lacked the confidence to be the man. Then along came Old Spice Swagger and Desperado. And soon that man smelled like the man. But not just the man. A better smelling version of the man."

CREDITS
Client: Old Spice
Project: Old Spice | Smell Em Who's Boss
Janine Miletic: Marketing Director
Mathew Krehbiel: Brand Manager
Danny Suich: Senior Assistant Brand Manager

Agency: Wieden + Kennedy, Portland, Ore.
Creative Directors: Erik Fahrenkopf | Max Stinson
Copywriter: Matt Mulvey
Art Director: Lawrence Melilli
Integrated Executive Producer: Erika Madison
Producer: Chris Capretto
Account Team: Georgina Gooley | Nick Pirtle | Michael Dalton

Production Company: MJZ
Director: Steve Ayson
President: David Zander
Executive Producer: Emma Wilcockson
Line Producer: Mark Hall
Director of Photography: Robert Elswit

Editorial Company: EXILE
Editor: 5-Year, Innocent, Perfect Ending: Kirk Baxter
Editor: Standoff: Nate Gross
Assistant Editor: Zaldy Lopez
Post Producer: Toby Louie / Brittany Carson
Head of Production: Jennifer Locke
Executive Producer: Carol Lynn Weaver

VFX Company: The Mill | LA
Executive Producer: Sue Troyan
Producer: Chris Harlowe
Coordinator: Rustie Burris
VFX Supervisor: James Allen
2D Lead Artist: Narbeh Mardirossian
2D Artists: Andy Dill, Alex Candlish, Jale Parsons, Don Kim, Lisa Ryan, Brad Scott, Chris Payne
3D Artist: Michael Lori
Matte Painting: Andy Wheater, Nathan McKenna

Music and Sound Design – Five Year Plan, Standoff
Original Music: Walker
Executive Producer: Sara Matarazzo
Senior Producer: Abbey Hickman
Sound Designer: Brian Emrich / Trinitite

Music and Sound Design – Innocent
Original Music: Joint
Composers: Noah Woodburn, Tim Ribner
Producer: Sarah Fink
Sound Designer: Brian Emrich / Trinitite

Music and Sound Design – Perfect Ending
Original Music: Woodwork
Track: Sunset Scrubdown
Composer: Philip Kay
Producers: Rachel Wood, Andy Oskwarek
Vocal Arrangement: Walker
Vocals Producer: Abbey Hickman
Sound Designer: Brian Emrich / Trinitite

Final Mix
Studio: Lime Studios
Engineer: 5-Year, Innocent, Perfect Ending: Rohan Young
Engineer: Standoff: Sam Casas
Assistant Engineer: 5-Year, Innocent, Perfect Ending: Ben Tomastik
Assistant Engineer: Standoff: Peter Lapinski
Executive Producer: Susie Boyajan

Color Transfer
Company: Company 3
Artist: Sean Coleman
Color Producer: Matt Moran

Time is always running short, so Samsung is offering to help you save some.

In a fun new action-comedy ad, created by Wieden + Kennedy and starring Danny Glover, the tech giant claims its Galaxy S7 phones will help you shave precious minutes off the chore of charging ... with dire consequences for the owners of mobile devices that take longer. 

While the Lethal Weapon star may be the headliner, his appearance comes relatively late in the minute-long ad. The spot opens with philosophical musings on the ever-turning cosmic clock, treating viewers to a montage of absurd scenes and quippy lines. 

"Time is the most valuable thing there is," says the voiceover. "Since the beginning of time, there never seemed to be enough of it." Meanwhile, a dinosaur laments the incoming meteor that will wipe out its entire species. 



The jokes continue. A woman finds her car trapped beneath a descending barricade. A pair of jewelry thieves miss their escape window. A rich old aristocrat tries to cryogenically freeze herself in hopes of a longer life in the future. 

Around 0:25, Glover appears for a Murtaugh-esque set piece, before quickly disappearing in what may be the ad's most brilliant moment—an apology for wasting 34 seconds of the audience's time with a commercial. That meta streak continues, to good effect. 

After his partner gets caught in a ridiculous taco-truck time-bomb explosion (he was stuck charging his phone, naturally), the perspective zooms back to Glover, at home in bed, reviewing his performance on his Samsung phone. "It's not my best work," he says to the woman lying next to him, shrugging in a who-cares-the-check-cleared way that sums up how people feel about many a celebrity endorsement, including those far more mediocre than this one. 

In all, it's a clever ad that can easily be forgiven for interrupting your life, if only because it knows it's doing it and is actually fun to watch. It shoehorns the product benefit into a much bigger concept, but does so with the just right kind of dumb panache. 

And should you choose to watch it, you'll never get that minute back. So you might as well enjoy it.

CREDITS

Date: Jun 20, 2016
Agency: Wieden + Kennedy Portland
Client: Samsung Galaxy S7
Client Contact: Jesse Coulter
Client Contact: Kristin Harrer
Client Contact: John T. Field
Creative Director: Craig Allen
Creative Director: Jason Bagley
Copywriter: Derek Syznal
Art Director: Brandon Mugar
Art Director: Croix Gagnon
Executive Producer: Erika Madison
Producer: Shannon Worley
Account Director: Mimi Kim
Account Supervisor: Phil Williams
Executive Creative Director: Mark Fitzloff
Executive Creative Director: Joe Staples
Strategist: Renny Gleeson
Strategist: Bruno Frankel
Project Management: Laurie Holtz
Project Management: Amanda Rudolph
Business Affairs: Teresa Lutz
Business Affairs: Amber Lavender
Director of Integrated Production: Patty Brebner
Production Company: Imperial Woodpecker
Director: Stacy Wall

Jordan Spieth knows when to come in from the rain.

With the pro golfer's first outdoor commercial shoot for Coca-Cola cancelled because of a torrential downpour, and a deluge forecast for the makeup date, the creative team, led by Wieden + Kennedy and RSA Films director Terence Neale, went to plan B.

Instead of showing Spieth reaching for a cold Coke on a golf course, they worked the rain-out into a new storyline and filmed him inside his trailer, executing various trick shots with items on hand to pass the time:



As for how much filmic fakery was involved, well, it's difficult to say. Spieth took a few mulligans, naturally, but he really did ring up that bell glass shot:



And it took only three takes for him to master the ice bucket. That's pretty cool:



Ironically, once the crew committed to the indoor concept, the sun reappeared, and W+K employed rain towers to achieve the stormy ambiance.

Even so, whether the rain (or trick shots) are entirely for real is beside the point. Viewers took a shine to the spot's dry humor, and the clip has generated more than 1 million combined views across Facebook and YouTube since it dropped two weeks ago.

CREDITS
Client: Coca Cola
Spot: "Rain"
Agency: Wieden + Kennedy, Portland, Ore.
Production Co.: RSA Films
Director: Terence Neale
Creative Directors: Hal Curtis, Antony Goldstein
Producer: Ben Grylewicz
Executive Producers: Jules Daly, Tracie Norfleet
DoP: Eric Tremi
Music: Missy Elliott, "The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)"