Ad of the Week | Muse by Clios

Buffalo Wild Wings Mascot Is Jason Kelce’s New Bro

David Gianatasio — Mon, 26 Aug 2024 14:00:47 +0000

The sight of Buffalo Wild Wings’ freaky mascot taking a bubble bath is worth the price of admission. Add former NFL standout Jason Kelce to the mix, and you’re got one rad football-themed campaign from Anomaly.

In spots breaking today, Jason says he misses playing the game. And he wonders if brother Travis makes enough time for him.

These are issues only a brand-boosting buffalo with wings can address. But gridiron action playing on a TV above the bar, spicy wings and beer help, too.

“For B-Dubs, the start of football season is our Super Bowl. Because it turns out there’s no better place for football,” says Anomaly CCO Josh Fell. “True if you’re a recently retired Kelce and true if you’re a 3,000-pound Buffalo. And, you know, all the normal people in between.”

“When it comes to making ads, Jason Kelce is probably the next Peyton Manning—supremely talented, shockingly down to earth—which we assume Peyton also is—and of course, really, really tall,” Anomaly creative director Dan Berenson tells Muse.

Hank the buffalo debuted a year ago. His sassy personality rocks, and you’ve gotta smile at this schtick with Jason.

Just two hairy bros, sharing wings and NFL games. That’s how they roll in football country.

CREDITS

Agency: Anomaly
Brand: Buffalo Wild Wings
Production Company: Smuggler
Edit House: Cartel
VFX/Animation/Finishing: Untold Studios
Mix+Sound Design: Lime Studios

The post Buffalo Wild Wings Mascot Is Jason Kelce’s New Bro first appeared on Muse by Clios.

YouTube, NFL and DraftKings Get Ready for Some Football

Amy Corr — Thu, 22 Aug 2024 13:00:00 +0000

Ready or not, football season is here. Let’s look at a trio of high-profile campaigns designed to pump up fans for games and brands.

Everyone can agree that Sundays come to a halt for NFL action … especially the mascots! And for the most part, they all get along. Well, maybe not the falcon and cardinal. YouTube TV created “The Magic of Sunday” in-house, with sweet visual effects provided by The Mill.

The work promotes NFL Sunday Ticket, where fans can watch their fave teams on a single platform. In that spirit, the spot gets the mascots together, under one roof, to peep some games.

We get a ram, lion, bear, falcon, jaguar, cardinal, giant, cowboy, buccaneer and Viking. (Wouldn’t wanna clean up the room after that.)

Directed by Matthijs van Heijningen Jr., the ad is set to the soft sound of Velvet Underground’s “Sunday Morning.” It’s Muse’s Ad of the Week!

Meanwhile, the NFL itself and 72AndSunny launched “Football Country,” full of cameos from players and other celebs. There’s high school athletes, flag football star Makena Cook, YouTube content creator Deestroying—and Haley Van Voorhis, the first woman to play a position other than kicker in an NCAA gridiron game. Stefon Diggs, Myles Garrett, DeMarcus Lawrence, plus Jason and Kylie Kelce rep the league.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by NFL (@nfl)

Finally, If you’re a betting person, DraftKings’ NFL ad has Kevin Hart and LeBron James. Hart roasts James’ age when he believes James wants to suit up for the NFL. “They want someone that can run a 40, not someone that IS 40.” “How are you gonna celebrate a win? You gonna give everyone butterscotch candy?” LeBron laughed, and we did, too.

The post YouTube, NFL and DraftKings Get Ready for Some Football first appeared on Muse by Clios.

‘The Client’ Returns in a New Ad From Teamwork.com. He’s Sure to Give Agency Folks Nightmares

Christine Champagne — Tue, 13 Aug 2024 04:00:06 +0000

The Client’s back, and he’s more difficult to please than ever.

We first met the villainous character in last spring’s The Client: Part One, a brand-building video for project management software company Teamwork.com. Created by B2B marketing agency Umault, the movie-trailer parody portrays a nightmarish client who strikes terror into the hearts of advertising folks everywhere. He’s the type of client who makes endless “changes,” even though he approved everything just last week. *Shudders*

When Guy Bauer, the founder and creative director of Umault, developed that first ad, he thought it was a one-off. But the faux trailer enjoyed so much buzz that Teamwork.com decided to capitalize on its popularity with a follow-up.

Here, Bauer talks about the making of The Client: Part Deux, which delves into how the eponymous Client—who once joined conference calls on time and was fully aware of “scope creep”—became the monster he is today.

Muse: There are so many great lines and moments in Part Deux. The writing process for this new ad—as well as the first one—must have been such fun.

Guy Bauer: I wrote both spots with the help of a couple of industry friends to lend some client horror stories.

The process for both started with a general beat sheet that we went back and forth on with Teamwork.com to establish the story structure. Then we fleshed out the dialogue from there.

The working relationship with Teamwork.com is really awesome in that we both listen to each other and are trying to make the most entertaining video possible.

Has it been cathartic to work on this project? I’m sure you must have dealt with a fair share of difficult clients over the years.

Oh, yeah! 95 percent of what’s in this spot is from real life. Obviously, we take it to the next level. But it’s all from real pain.

The lead actor is perfectly diabolical. Tell me how you worked with him to create this character.

The actor’s name is Christian Edwin Cook. And from the moment he first auditioned, we knew he was the perfect Client.

My direction was to play the part like an evil genius—like Rami Malek in No Time to Die or Paul Dano in The Batman. Christian took it from there and made it his own, including the raised eyebrow thing.

He also came up with the idea of the Client not having glasses in the flashback. If you watch closely, he takes the glasses off right before we start the flashback and puts them back on as we come back. That was all him.

And how about the actor who debuts in this new ad as Cheryl, his boss and mentor?

Her name is Heidi Drennan. I’ve worked with her on a few projects. I love evil characters who are nice on the surface—like Lalo Salamanca in Better Call Saul. Heidi never gets too overtly evil. She plays it perfectly pleasant, which is unsettling.

Fill me in on where and how you shot The Client: Part Deux. What did you need to capture to make this second ad really work?

Believe it or not, this was all shot in a day. We found a consumer research facility that had a two-way mirror for the opening and closing. And then we just made sets in their open areas.

Fun fact—for the room with the Client’s desk in the open office, we only had 4 desks—including his—to work with. So, we moved the desks and extras around to fill the frame in each shot.

We had a crew of nine.

The most important thing to get right was the performance of the Client and Cheryl. We’ve got a dodgy wig and dialogue that’s pretty out there—if the performances weren’t right, the whole thing would feel extremely corny.

Did the actors ad lib at all, or did they stick to the script?

For the most part, we have to stick to the script because time is of the essence. That being said, Christian will always add flourishes to his performances. So, I make sure not to yell “cut” too soon. For example, toward the end, when the focus group leader comes in and thanks the Client, he gives a nod like, “Of course what I said makes total sense for a focus group.” That was Christian’s idea.

Like the first one, this ad addresses something that we’re all aware of—the difficult client—in an honest and funny way. Can you talk about the advantages of Teamwork.com daring to broach this topic?

To me, the best brands are the ones that connect with their audience on a human and emotional level. There’s no one doing that in Teamwork.com’s market. All of their competitors look and sound the same and pretty much have the same functionality. It would just be adding to the white noise if we made a video with people smiling and pointing at Teamwork.com screens while V.O. drones on about, “Now you can manage projects!” Uh, I can do that with any software!

So, to me, we had to get daring in order to leave a mark. And with Teamwork.com’s brand promise being “profit from every client demand,” it seemed logical to focus on clients rather than smiley-happy project managers.

How’s the reaction to The Client: Part Deux?

Overwhelmingly positive. So far, my favorite comment was, “This one is better than the first!” Which alleviated my biggest fear about making a sequel.

Will there be a The Client: Part Trois?

That’s classified.

I have to ask: How is Teamwork.com as a client?

Honestly, they’re fantastic. I’ve been through two projects with Jenny Hayes, their brand lead, and she is a big reason why these spots have been successful. She gets creativity and has a great sense of humor. In fact, I think I acted more client-y on this project than anyone. I wanted to do a call while she was on vacation, and she obliged! I still feel bad for that one.

The post ‘The Client’ Returns in a New Ad From Teamwork.com. He’s Sure to Give Agency Folks Nightmares first appeared on Muse by Clios.

Trivia Crack Makes Everyone So Darn Angry

David Gianatasio — Mon, 05 Aug 2024 13:30:33 +0000

Angry losers are actually winners in GUT Buenos Aires’ amusing work for online game Trivia Crack.

The capital of Canada is Ottawa, not Toronto. Spaghetti was developed in China, not Italy. Chess is considered a sport.

Trivia Crack players answer such questions incorrectly in the film below. Tempers flare, screams of consternation rock the night and tchotchkes get smashed.

Maybe they should learn how to behave in polite society. But whatever.

“Before we became the agency for Trivia Crack, we were players,” GUT CCO and partner Ramiro Rodríguez Gamallo tells Muse. “We knew exactly how it felt to win—but especially the rage of losing. So, I guess the idea was already growing inside us.”

He adds: “But then you take a step back and realize that a trivia game is different from any other online game. When you lose, you always walk away with something: a fun fact, a historical event or the name of a famous painting. Information that can make you look good on a date, at a barbecue with friends, or when meeting your in-laws.”

“That’s how we came up with the concept, a phrase that feels honest to us,” he says. “It shows the game’s worst side, but at the same time, highlighting its best features.”

The work breaks on digital channels this week and across Trivia Crack’s social platforms managed by The 3Hundred agency.

The post Trivia Crack Makes Everyone So Darn Angry first appeared on Muse by Clios.

Colonel Sanders’ Tie Transforms Into a KFC Clock

David Gianatasio — Tue, 30 Jul 2024 09:24:15 +0000

Colonel Sanders’ tie isn’t just an example of natty (nonsensical?) neckwear anymore. Now, it’s a clock, featured in OOH across Canada so patrons can keep track of KFC’s expanded summer hours.

Toronto-based Courage developed the campaign, known as “Bolo Ti(m)e.”

Actually, Sanders’ tie is more bow than bolo. But this is advertising. Just go with it.

One day soon, I’ll be able to buy or win a Colonel clock for my kitchen wall, right?

“We actually started with making a physical clock,” agency founder and CCO Joel Hotly tells Muse. “Some things might be cookin’ in that direction soon for store art as well.”

At any rate, drumstick-starved Canadians can tell how long their fave KFCs plan to stay open. Why check an app when you can stare up at a sign on the side of a building? Thanks, Courage!

“KFC has such iconic brand assets and we are constantly looking for new ways to bring more life and meaning to them,” Holtby says “It’s such a fun thing as a creative to get to play around with and that becomes the secret sauce in briefs and in the creative process. The bolo gave us not just an ‘ad,’ but a full design system and platform that answered a communication problem.”

The work launches this week across billboards, social media and OLV.

Previous offbeat efforts from KFC and Courage included this tearful onion ring epic, a heated attack on Thanksgiving turkeys and non-apologies to knives, forks and spoons.

As for the latest entry, better return Sanders’ f***ing tie or he’ll kick your ass!

The post Colonel Sanders’ Tie Transforms Into a KFC Clock first appeared on Muse by Clios.

As Olympics Dawn, Nike Explores the Winning Mindset

Muse — Wed, 24 Jul 2024 14:00:00 +0000

No participation trophies are handed out in Nike’s 2024 summer campaign, “Winning Isn’t for Everyone.”

Launched ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, this in-your-face effort from Wieden+Kennedy celebrates athletes who, above all else, are out to win.

Now, are you are the kind of person who lets your friend beat you at tennis every once in a while just to boost their ego? Are you fine with your favorite WNBA team tanking in the finals because they tried their best?

If so, this work may not be for you.

Then again, you’re not a professional athlete. And it isn’t your job to win. Athletes can’t always play nice—at least not on the field, court or wherever they pursue their sport.

That’s according to me, a casual sports fan, who, as casual as I try to be, simply won’t be okay if the New York Liberty goes down in the finals this year.

Anyway, the anthemic spot “Winning Isn’t for Everyone,” directed by Kim Gehrig of Somesuch, is at the heart of the new Nike campaign. The team at W+K smartly cast actor Willem Dafoe to narrate.

At the outset of the ad, Dafoe, in his gravelly voice, asks, “Am I a bad person?”

What follows is an action-packed supercut—edited by Spotwelders’ Robert Duffy—of superstar Nike athletes including LeBron James, Victor Wenbamyama, Sha’Carri Richardson, Cristiano Ronaldo, Kobe Bryant, Serena Williams, Sabrina Ionescu, A’ja Wilson and more in the heat of competition.

Dafoe represents their collective mindset, basking in the oft obsessive, selfish and even deceptive spirit it takes to win.

This ad itself serves as an example. Nike’s not an official Olympics sponsor. And yet, here we are talking about the sneaker giant in Oregon as the games in Paris are about to begin.

That’s just how winners do it.

Back to the ad: “I have no empathy,” Dafoe says before laughingly delivering the line, “I don’t respect you!”

It’s a winning read from the 68-year-old actor, who has stayed in shape physically and mentally by practicing ashtanga yoga for the last 40 years.

The post As Olympics Dawn, Nike Explores the Winning Mindset first appeared on Muse by Clios.

Apple Depicts Surveillance Cameras as Birds and Bats

Muse — Tue, 16 Jul 2024 16:30:00 +0000

Privacy threats ruffle feathers. So, Apple’s new film from TBWAMedia Arts Lab transforms surveillance cameras into birds and bats, eager to swoop down and spy on our iPhone usage.

It’s a tad on the nose, but still ranks as an impressive piece of work.

Fusing Hitchcock, Terry Gilliam and Hollywood action tropes, its zippy visuals deliver an unsettling yet ultimately reassuring message.

Video Reference

Jul 16 2024 – 12:34pm

David Gianatasio

Video file

Poster Reference

Apple | Flock

Sure, those metallic menaces steal passwords. But at least they can’t poop on our heads. Yet.

Clang-y tones created by sound engineer Gus Coven—and that flighty flute!—heighten the sense of unease to the edge of distraction. But maybe that’s the point.

And of course, wags might argue that a Big Tech promise to protect users feels insincere—and that keeping a watch on us is more their style.

Ah well, it’s easy to snark at Apple. Low hanging fruit, as it were. Truth is: Cyber-safety reminders are always relevant, and “Flock” soars above most.

The ad drops today across TV, social, cinema and digital platforms.

As part of the push, a separate set of videos will mimic browser hijacks in real time:

Video Reference

Jul 16 2024 – 12:37pm

David Gianatasio

Video file

Apple | Disruptive Displays

CREDITS

Agency: TBWAMedia Arts Lab
Production Company: Smuggler
Director: Ivan Zacharias
Bird design: Legacy FX
Editorial: Rock Paper Scissors Editorial
VFX: House of Parliament
Color: TRAFIK
Sound Design / Mix: Barking Owl
Music Editorial: Model Citizen

The post Apple Depicts Surveillance Cameras as Birds and Bats first appeared on Muse by Clios.

Zendaya and Roger Federer Air It Out for On Footwear

Muse — Wed, 10 Jul 2024 04:30:00 +0000

Zendaya vs. Roger Federer … it’s so On.

Federer’s an all-time great, with 20 ATP Grand Slam wins on his resume. Zendaya, on the other hand, honed her skills for Challengers.

As for their match in the spot below, we’re talking about air tennis. They don’t need no stinking ball!

Keep your eye on the brand:

Video Reference

Jul 10 2024 – 12:23pm

David Gianatasio

Video file

Poster Reference

On | Roger vs. Zendaya

That’s a fun, cross-generational matchup with two charismatic stars (plus Darnell Appling, who also appeared in Challengers). They illustrate the brand’s playful side and work to broaden its appeal.

Zendaya launched a partnership with the Swiss sportswear company last month. Federer’s retired, so no more Wimbledon titles for him. (Surely, eight’s enough.)

Though Rog still hits London occasionally—with Amazon footing the bill.

The post Zendaya and Roger Federer Air It Out for On Footwear first appeared on Muse by Clios.

Oslo Tourism Ad Is a Deadpan Trip—and an Instant Classic

Muse — Sun, 30 Jun 2024 12:30:00 +0000

“Is it even a city?”

In fact, it’s Oslo, Norway, described in unflattering terms by local dude “Halfdan” (actor Bendik Aunan) in the most deliciously deadpan bit of reverse psychology we’ve seen in a long time.

Visit Oslo takes an unadorned, point-and-shoot approach that matches Halfdan’s blasé monotone as he bemoans his hometown’s lack of glitz and glamor.

While doing so, of course, he portrays the Norwegian capital as the ideal vacation spot for travelers weary of the stress and confusion they’d encounter in Paris, New York or Rome.

Video Reference

Jun 30 2024 – 8:24am

David Gianatasio

Video file

Poster Reference

Visit Oslo | Is It Even a City?

His delivery is dry and precise, with oh-so-many droll comments packed into the ad’s less-than-2-minute run-time.

These include:

“I wouldn’t come here, to be honest.”
“I grew up here. And I temporarily live here. Unfortunately.”
“I don’t understand why people go swimming in the middle of the city. It’s disgusting.”

Sometimes, he’s just dully negative. But plenty of positives seep through:

“You walk around a corner, and it’s like: ‘Oh, there’s the prime minister.’ You walk around the next corner, and it’s like: ‘Oh, there’s the king.'”
“You could just walk from one side of town to the other in, like, 30 minutes. Try that in New York or Paris.”
“Sometimes, I just walk right in off the street and get a table. And I’m not even famous. What does that tell you?”
“Culture? I dunno. If you don’t have to stand in line for at least a couple of hours, is it even worth seeing?”

That last bit comes as he strolls the National Museum, noting that Munch’s “The Scream” is “not exactly Mona Lisa.”

Media commentators are falling all over themselves praising Visit Oslo’s style. I concur. This fab fun is perfectly pitched. It holds our attention in a way that feels unexpected and compelling.

What say you, Halfdan?

“I think a city should feel a little hard to get. It’s like a good relationship. It’s not supposed to be easy.”

Per Visit Oslo, the campaign has generated 15 million views across Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube and more in just a few days since launch.

“Using humor in an international campaign is never completely risk-free. Fortunately, we have received an enormous amount of positive interest,” says Anne-Signe Fagereng, marketing manager at Visit Oslo.

The goal, she says, was to create advertising different enough to stand out from so many other ““good-looking advertising for beautiful and exciting destinations.”

Ultimately, the team chose an unconventional route that’s proven immensely relatable.

“We genuinely desire the kind of accessibility that Halfdan dismissively critiques. At the same time, I hope people will find it refreshing when an advertiser or destination approaches things with the same casual, unpretentious attitude that we embrace here,” Fagereng says.

Oslo creative studio NewsLab developed the campaign. One of its directors, August Jorfald, hit upon the concept following a recent excursion to France.

“I was so concerned about ‘not being a tourist’ that, among other things, I insisted on not seeing the Eiffel Tower,” he recalls. “On the plane home, I saw myself from the outside, and felt like a jerk.”

“This was the first taste of what was to become the Halfdan character: A well-informed vagabond who is too cool for all kinds of tourism, and way too cool for his hometown. At the same time, Halfdan gets a little confused in his ‘coolness.'”

Viewers readily appreciate the irony. The sly, sharable message resonates loud and clear.

You know, this might just put Oslo on the map.

The post Oslo Tourism Ad Is a Deadpan Trip—and an Instant Classic first appeared on Muse by Clios.

Awesomely Unhinged Bill Shatner Slams Open-Net Salmon Farms

Muse — Thu, 20 Jun 2024 21:00:00 +0000

No more Captain Nice Guy!

William Shatner jettisons Canadian courtesy and hurls f-bombs in an epic tirade, bashing open-net salmon farming in British Columbia.

Video Reference

Jun 20 2024 – 4:54pm

David Gianatasio

Video file

Poster Reference

Pacific Wild | F Off Open-Net Salmon Farms

Cute cameo from NHL vet Kirk McLean. Kirk—heh.

Ryan Reynolds’ Maximum Effort created the spot. That seems fitting, as both Bill and RR hail from our neighbor to the north, and they rock no matter the cause or context. (Ryan recently made a similar bleeping ad for Mint Mobile.)

Shatner’s effort backs conservation group Pacific Wild, and invites Canadian viewers to join them in sending “the most un-Canadian letter ever to your elected officials.”

Specifically, the organization contends that open-net salmon farming “releases deadly pathogens, parasites and pollution into the ocean.” The campaign protests the Canadian government’s decision to extend licenses to such facilities through 2029.

The clip began breaking online today. Vincent Peone directed through More Media.

The post Awesomely Unhinged Bill Shatner Slams Open-Net Salmon Farms first appeared on Muse by Clios.