SportsCenter anchor Steve Levy looks … amused?

“There have been iconic NHL This Is SportsCenter commercials, so to be lucky enough to add to the canon is really special,” says creative director Chris Kim of Arts & Letters, which developed the spot. “We loved getting to work along with two of the sport’s biggest stars—the Stanley Cup and Steve Levy.”

Hey, they snuck a funny into the canned quote. Well played!

Meanwhile, Nashville Predators Juuse Saros and Ryan O’Reilly star in Grey N.Y.’s silly :30 for MassMutual. There’s no Cup in this one. Better luck this year, Nashville.

How’d Juice ever memorize all those lines?

“We hope to convey to viewers that planning and protection go well beyond the rink,” said MassMutual’s Jennifer Halloran, head of brand and marketing. “We had a lot of fun filming this spot with Juuse and Ryan, and hope fans will take a moment to consider their own financial goals.”

Finally, the NHL poses a loaded question in its 2023-24 hype video:

The clip, from Highdive, features budding stars Jack Hughes, Cale Makar, Connor McDavid and Matthew Tkachuk. It employs a lighter touch than another recent big-time sports promo that pops to mind (and no tires were harmed in the making of the NHL’s ad).

“There’s a fun and youthful energy in hockey being driven by player personalities and fan passion,” says agency GCD Brian Culp. “This on and off-ice combination is getting new fans to embrace the sport, and it’s what we strive to show in this spot.”

This week’s #BlackTea guest is Grey N.Y. music producer/supervisor Beliansh Assefa. While she may be living in New York now, she’s got the receipts to prove that the Midwest is just as important to culture and swagger as the coastal cities.

Join our conversation as Beliansh speaks to her diversity within the Black experience as a child of immigrants coming up in Middle America. She explains: “Blackness is multifaceted. I’m not an expert on Blackness.”

Hear her expound on her belief that you’re never too cultured to have curiosity about other cultures. Plus, she’s not just a music producer, she’s a historian, y’all. Her love for history and deep retro sounds informs her work in the most interesting ways.

And wait until you learn what she’s listening to right now that gets her feeling inspired. You’ll never guess. Tap to watch and share! See more episodes of Black Tea at https://musebycl.io/blacktea.

Chamsseddine is a creative director/copywriter at Grey, based in NYC. He worked in nonprofits before starting in advertising. Chamsseddine was born and raised in Tunisia but also lived and worked in Estonia.

We spent two minutes with Chamsseddine to learn more about his background, his creative inspirations and recent work he’s admired.

Chamsseddine, tell us…

Where you grew up, and where you live now.  

I was born and raised in Tunis, Tunisia. I now live in New York City. 

How you first realized you were creative.   

My high school in Tunisia was one of the few that made boys wear a dorky dark blue coat over your regular clothes. I thought mine was lame so I drew a bunch of stuff on the back using white-out pens. The school didn’t allow us to do that. One time, the principal stopped me to look at the drawings on my back. I was expecting to be expelled and told to buy a new coat. He just said that it looked pretty cool and let me off with a warning.

A person you idolized creatively early on.   

Dr. Dre. I love the early-2000s west coast hip-hop vibe. It was fresh and rebellious. Dr. Dre created the soundtrack of that culture and everything he touched was gold.

A moment from high school or college that changed your life.   

It’s not a moment as much as it is people. I come from a family that has always been pragmatic about careers with small interest in art and creativity. In high school I met friends who opened my eyes to art and culture. In college I met ambitious friends who made me believe that it was possible to have a successful career in the U.S. or Europe, even though I come from a small country where not that many people get to have that privilege.

A visual artist or band/musician you admire.   

Ktyb. A Tunisian rapper with a very distinctive style.

A book, movie, TV show or podcast you recently found inspiring.   

Untold: The Rise and Fall of And1. It’s on Netflix. When I started playing basketball, And1 was the cool brand for the real ballers. The story of how they blew up is worth learing. They also go into detail on how they created the And1 mixtapes which is in my opinion the greatest piece of advertising ever made.

Your favorite fictional character.   

Itachi Uchiha

Someone or something worth following in social media.   

Accidental Bronson on Twitter. It’s an account that gathers tweets that sound like Action Bronson lyrics.

How Covid-19 changed your life, personally or professionally.  

I didn’t leave N.Y. through all of the pandemic. I was stranded in the U.S. because of my visa situation back and missed out on many weddings and gatherings. After that, I promised myself I would prioritize being there for the important moments no matter what the cost might be (literally and figuratively).

One of your favorite creative projects you’ve ever worked on. 

When I worked on Cadillac at Rokkan, the client asked us to send potential names for their new car. One of the names I wrote became the name of Cadillac’s first EV—the Lyriq. I still haven’t seen the car in the wild, but whenever I see an ad for it, I’m in disbelief.

A recent project you’re proud of.

While at Instagram, I worked on an integrated campaign for the brand focusing on Gen Z. It showed how for that generation the smallest interaction on the app can lead to the most meaningful relationships in their lives. The campaign felt fresh and real. It was an amazing effort from the team at Instagram and the agency partner Johannes Leonardo. Here is one of the many spots we made shot by Vincent Haycock.

Someone else’s work that inspired you years ago.

Nike Football’s “The Mission.”

Someone else’s work you admired lately.

The Corteiz x Nike drop in Paris. 

Your main strength as a creative person.   

On a good day I can find unexplored insights and angles that can lead to exciting new ideas.

Your biggest weakness.   

I’m stubborn but I’m working on it.

One thing that always makes you happy.   

Watching a movie at the theater. I do it every week. Shoutout to my AMC Stubs A-List membership.

One thing that always makes you sad.   

The fact that life is unfair.

Eli Manning had never done any sort of choreographed touchdown celebration in his career, and he isn’t exactly Johnny Castle, either. Yet he was the perfect choice, along with Odell Beckham Jr., when the NFL picked two players to star in a Super Bowl commercial announcing the return of touchdown celebrations to the league. In our latest episode looking back at Super Bowl classics, Eli tells us all about the making of the 2018 spot—which endeared him not only to Super Bowl viewers but, amazingly, to Patriots and Eagles fans as well.

Featuring:

• Michele Tafoya, NFL Sideline Reporter 
• Danny Robinson, Chief Creative Officer, The Martin Agency
• Tiffany Rolfe, Global Chief Creative Officer, R/GA
• Tim Nudd, Editor in Chief, Clio Awards and Muse by Clio
• Eli Manning, Former NFL Quarterback
• Tyler Cameron, Television Personality & Model

Check out more Super Bowl Classics below.

Always ‘Like a Girl,’ From Online Viral Hit to Super Bowl Champion

The Sad, Somber Hilarity of Monster.com’s ‘When I Grow Up’

Chrysler and Eminem’s Epic Salute to Detroit and Its Auto Industry

The Enduring Charm of Coke’s Mean Joe Greene Ad

The Night Alexa Lost Her Voice but Spoke Louder Than Ever

The NFL’s Epic Super Bowl Ad That Was 100 Years in the Making

When Every Ad Was a #TideAd: How P&G Hijacked the Super Bowl

Nothing but Net: Jordan and Bird’s Epic Showdown for McDonald’s

How Reebok’s Terry Tate Smashed His Way Into Super Bowl History

Cindy Crawford for Pepsi: Two Icons, One Perfect Super Bowl Ad

Budweiser’s ‘Puppy Love’ … the Cutest Super Bowl Ad Ever?

How Doritos and Mountain Dew Created a Rap Battle for the Ages

Betty White and Snickers: A Match Made in Super Bowl Heaven

Sometimes you wanna go where everybody knows your name. And that place is … Applebee’s?

Seems so, if the casual dining chain’s new commercial holds true. Grey developed the spot, which proclaims, “Here’s to the regulars. We wouldn’t be here without you.”

Families, firefighters, veterans, little leaguers and a group of friends from Pittsburgh appear. Gary Portnoy’s 1982 theme song from Cheers—oft voted the best TV tune ever, and a familiar Applebee’s selection—plays on the soundtrack.

We could see Cliff and Norm sidling in for brew pub pretzels with beer cheese dip. Diane probably wouldn’t be caught dead in the place, though. She’s “Fancy Like” that.

Speaking of which, it feels a tad odd to watch an Applebee’s ad sans Walker Hayes’ toe-tapper. Yet, it also makes for a refreshing menu change.

Smuggler director Henry-Alex Rubin serves up a thick slice of comforting American pie, which feels in step with the times, as folks yearn for simple pre-pandemic pleasures like dining out with friends.

Rubin adds to an impressive portfolio of styles ranging from holiday extravaganzas (for Amazon) and poignant nostalgia (his Clio Grand-winning spot for Dick’s Sporting Goods) to last year’s somber musical for Sandy Hook Promise fueled by Katy’s Perry’s “Teenage Dream.”

Applebee’s same-store sales rose nearly 30 percent during the third quarter of 2021, so the spot represents an effort to maintain momentum amid the Omicron surge.

“Here’s to the Regulars” will run during NFL playoff games and on prime-time programming.

CREDITS

BRAND: Applebee’s
John Cywinski: President
Joel Yashinsky: Chief Marketing Officer
Heather Boyer: Director, Advertising and Partnerships 

CREATIVE AGENCY: Grey New York 
Advertiser: Applebee’s
Spot Title: Regulars
Agency: Grey 

WW Chief Creative Officer: John Patroulis
Chief Creative Officer: Justine Armour 
Executive Creative Director: Lance Parrish 
Creative Director: Mike Latshaw 
Creative Director: Talia Bradicich 
Associate Creative Director: Talia Rapp
Associate Creative Director: Jessica Bass 
EVP, Account Director: Nadine Falco 
VP, Account Director: Ilyssa Harbatkin
VP, Account Director: Lucie Kittel
Account Supervisor: Ariana Tsapralis
Senior Account Executive: Mary Jane Fischer 
Executive Strategy Director: Tony Lederer
Planning Director: Lauren Friezo 
Senior Brand Planner: Taylor McLean
Brand Planner: Estie Wassner 
Project Director: Arie Andrews 

EXECUTIVE PRODUCTION: Townhouse
Chief Production Officer: James McPherson
Director of Production: Kim Kietz
Executive Producer: Peri Brand
Executive Producer: Liat Ebersohl
Music Producer: Leland Drake
SVP, Director of Business Affairs: Stephen Bernstein 
VP, Head of Talent: Natasha Howell
Business Manager: Lisa Johnson 

PRODUCTION COMPANY: Smuggler 
Director: Henry-Alex Rubin
Co-Founder: Patrick Milling-Smith
Co-Founder: Brian Carmody
Executive Producer: Drew Santarsiero
Chief Operating Officer: Andrew Colon
Head of Production: Alex Hughes 
Producer: Leah Allina

EDITING/FINISHING: Cartel
Executive Producer/Managing Director: Lauren Bleiweiss 
Head of Production: Meagen Carroll 
Head of Production: Vietan Nguyen 

COLOR: COMPANY 3 LA
Senior Colorist: Dave Hussey
Assistant Colorist: James Harmon
Senior Producer: Mario Castro
SVP Short Form: Ashley McKim
Audio Post: Heard City 
Managing Partner: Gloria Pitagorsky 
Mixers: Eric Warzecha, Phil Loeb, Evan Anderson
Executive Producers: Jackie James & Sasha Awn 
Senior Producer: Liana Rosenberg 
Assistant Producer: Nick Duvarney 
Assistant Mixers: Ronnie Stapleton, Seth Brogdon, Virginia Wright, Zoltan Monori, Chenoa Tarin 

PR: Current
SVP, Client Experience: Shannon McGovern 
SVP, Integrated Media Strategy: Mara Mazzoni 
Manager, Media Relations: Josephine Bonnie Mallari

MEDIA: Initiative 
Managing Director, Client Advice & Management: Kat So
Senior Group Director, Partnerships: Sharon Iancu
Director, Video Partnerships: Allison Rapps
Director, Digital Performance: Brian Pankauskas
Director, Communications Design: Karyn Saldanha

Black people in movies and TV series are often viewed through a ridiculously narrow lens, portrayed as thugs, victims or other stereotypes whose fate seems predetermined regardless of the storyline.

Procter & Gamble’s “Widen the Screen” initiative strives to change that dynamic, empowering Black creators to tell their truths and display the depth, breadth and vibrancy of their communities.

The thought-provoking short film below seeks to subvert audience expectations.

We watch two Black youngsters enter a convenience store, eyed with trepidation by the owner. Will the kids shoplift? A violent episode appears primed to explode before our eyes.

In separate threads, a pregnant African-American woman walks her kids to the bus stop, while a young Black dude wearing gold bling bangs loudly on a door.

How might white or Black viewers, inundated by untold hours of Hollywood fare, produced for the most part by the white entertainment establishment, expect such scenarios to resolve?

“If you think you know what happens next, ask yourself why,” begins Academy Award-winning narrator Mahershala Ali, over moody scenes sculpted by Oscar-nominated director Kevin Wilson Jr. “These are the Black stories we’ve been shown. A narrow view that limits our understanding. But there’s so much more to see—the full picture of Black life.”

Over the course of the spot’s two minutes, each narrative strand ends happily. These logical, life-affirming wraps almost feel like surprise endings, given some viewers’ assumptions.

“Let’s widen the screen so we can widen our view,” Ali concludes.

P&G developed the project with Grey New York. It also includes the brief interview/behind-the-scenes clips below. Talent from both sides of the camera discuss Black imagery in mass media, and what can be done to foster inclusivity.

“For me, widening the screen is basically taking a look at life in the middle for Black people, a normalization of Black life to allow people to see themselves,” says actor Njema Williams.

“We need more Black storytellers that come from an authentic place, and not just one person, because we’re not a monolithic people,” adds sound mixer Chykeria Thompson.

As part of the push, P&G fashioned this website, which outlines its efforts to fund and encourage Black creators at all levels. Such efforts include a new content deal with LeBron James and Maverick Carter’s Spring Hill Entertainment, and supporting Queen Latifah’s Queen Collective, which backs Black women writers and directors. P&G will also work with collective Saturday Morning to craft scripted stories told in 8 minutes and 46 seconds (a reference to the killing of George Floyd and a symbol of police brutality).

“Widen the Screen” shares themes with Ghetto Film School’s recent campaign supporting multicultural creativity, and Apple’s ads from 33 Black artists, commissioned to capture the soul of their hometowns using iPhones. Vimeo and Mailchimp explored the vitality of minority-owned businesses in a video series from filmmakers of color.

Below, P&G chief communications officer Damon Jones and Grey associate director Ben Howard discuss “Widen the Screen” in greater detail.

Muse: Can you explain the campaign’s genesis?

Damon Jones: The idea originated from the knowledge that 6 percent of writers, directors and producers of U.S. films are Black. The visual of that narrow screen [which appears in the interview clips] inspired the idea and program name. Because Black filmmakers are not given enough opportunity to share real stories of Black life, the images that we are shown in advertising, media and film are stereotypes that reflect that limited narrow and racist view of the Black experience.

Does this represent a new chapter in P&G’s focus on diversity?

Jones: It is a significant expansion of the work we started with “The Talk,” “The Look” and “The Choice” to address systemic bias, racism and inequality. However, we knew we could do more to provide a sustained and systemic impact by bringing our efforts under one umbrella to provide expansive content creation, talent development and joint partnerships that enable increased inclusion of Black creators across the advertising, film and television industries. This key shift provides a broader and deeper impact.

Why this intense focus on media tropes?

Jones: As a corporate citizen and one of the world’s largest advertisers, P&G has an opportunity to serve nearly 5 billion consumers around the globe and aims to be a force for good and a force for growth. Through P&G’s brands, the company has greater awareness of bias that exists in many forms. We want to spark conversation that can motivate change and create new expectations for people, to help drive equality and inclusion for all. We recognize there are different challenges for different people, and we address those challenges uniquely to meet the need. We continue to learn and grow from the work we do to support LGBTQ+ visibility, gender equality, and racial and ethnic equality to drive lasting impact and change.

Can you talk a bit about making the anthem film?

Ben Howard: We had a majority Black cast and crew. Our director, DP, sound technician, line producer, gaffers, makeup and wardrobe stylists were all Black. This made for a powerful and electrified dynamic.

There was a moment, after wrapping the first scene, where we looked around and saw the laughter and joy of everyone involved. It was an emotional moment. For many, it was the first time we had ever been a part of a predominantly Black cast and crew, and where we all could relate to the message of the film. One of our actors, Al-Teron [Williams], spoke about how he’d typically been type cast for thug roles and how the film we’re creating can work to change that monolithic view of Black men.

How will “Widen the Screen” evolve?

Jones: The effort also expands into addressing systemic investment inequalities in the media and creative supply chain by reaching out directly to Black-owned and -operated providers to enable more access to P&G. We are also working with business partner and creative agencies like ADCOLOR and the Marcus Graham Project to build the pipeline and support Black talent in the industry through recruiting, career development, training opportunities and employment.

CREDITS

P&G Widen the Screen Creative & Production Credits

Creative Agency: Grey New York
Client: Procter & Gamble
Title: Widen the Screen

Worldwide CCO: John Patroulis
CCO: Justine Armour
CCO: Keith Cartwright
Executive Creative Director: Joe Mongognia
Associate Creative Director/Art: Ben Howard
Associate Creative Director/Copy: Alvaro Soto
Copywriter: Abigail Hoeflinger
EVP, Account Director: Debby Reiner
SVP, Account Director: Lisa Montana
VP, Account Supervisor: Allison Lane
Planning: Jhanell Biggs
Planning: Juliana Diatezua

Director: Kevin Wilson, Jr.
Voiceover: Mahershala Ali

Production Agency: Townhouse
Chief Production Officer: James McPherson
Executive Integrated Producer: Rondell Wescott
Business Affairs Manager: Vicky Giovanis
Talent Manager: Natasha Howell
Music Producer: Kurt Steinke
Music Producer: David Lapinsky

Production Company: Chelsea Pictures
Editorial Company: Work Editorial
Telecine Company: Electric Theatre Company (ETC)
VFX Company: Electric Theatre Company (ETC)
Audio Finishing: Sound Lounge
Music Company: Found Objects
Sound Design Company: Sound Lounge
Casting Company: Kelly Tippens Casting
Picture Finishing: Electric Theatre Company (ETC)
BTS Photography: Apostrophe Reps
BTS Video: Two Fifty Media

Music by Found Objects
Trevor Gureckis – ECD
Jay Wadley – ECD
Ben Marshall – Creative Director
Composer – Gary Gunn
Adam Weiss – Creative
Jennie Armon – Executive Producer
Matt Nelson – Head of Production
Katt Matt, Nick Chomowicz – Producers
Agatha Lee – Associate Music Producer