72andSunny launched a live action trailer for Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare, the latest release in Activision’s blockbuster first-person shooter series which arrives November 4.
Featuring cameos from swimmer Michael Phelps and comedian Danny McBride, the basic premise of the spot is summed up in the title. Tapping into the insanity of the presidential election, it opens on a scene of people fed up with their current country and planet. A man reads a story asking if 2016 is the worst year ever, a TV screen flashes the title “Canada Builds Wall,” and another news story informs viewers that a moderator punched a presidential candidate in the face during a debate.
“Screw this, let’s go to space,” says the guy from the beginning of the spot, now watching the news, at which point he and a group of likeminded individuals embark on an epic space battle, set to the tune of Guns N’ Roses‘ “Welcome to the Jungle.” It’s a clear parallel to the escapism video games offer during such tumultuous times while also quickly getting across that this is the first Call of Duty title set in space.
The formula, mixing humor and action in a live action trailer featuring celebrity cameos, is one we’ve seen from 72andSunny for the franchise in the past. Last year’s “Seize Glory” trailer promoting the release of Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 for a example, featured actor Michael B. Jordan, Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch and model Cara Delevingne. The musical selection also follows a familiar formula for the agency’s live action video game trailers, setting the action to an immediately recognizable classic rock song. In the aforementioned “Seize Glory” it was “Paint It Black,” the second time the agency turned to the Rolling Stones (they used “Gimme Shelter” in the trailer for the first Black Ops game). 72andSunny also used Led Zeppelin’s “Immigrant Song” in its trailer for the launch of another Activision series, Destiny. While executed fairly well here, we can’t help but wonder if injecting something new into the formula would be of service to the now veteran franchise.
“Classic rock has a timeless cool to it,” 72andSunny group creative director Matthew Curry told Adweek, explaining the musical selection. “It fits perfectly with the badass fun and swagger of the Call of Duty brand. For this particular spot … we considered everything from end-of-the-world songs to songs about escape. In the end, ‘Welcome to the Jungle’ had the perfect tone and message to tee up the badass fun of battling through the chaos of space.”
Credits:
Activision, Call of Duty Team:
Chief Executive Officer, Activision Publishing: Eric Hirshberg
EVP, Chief Marketing Officer: Tim Ellis
SVP, Global Consumer Marketing: Todd Harvey
SVP, Consumer Engagement, Digital Marketing & PR: Monte Lutz
Senior Director, Consumer Marketing: Carolyn Wang
Senior Manager, Consumer Marketing: David Cushman
Associate Manager, Consumer Marketing: Jared Castle
Coordinator, Consumer Marketing: Lynn Ballew
Senior Director, Digital Marketing: Justin Manfredi
Senior Manager, Digital Marketing: Rich Elmore
Senior Manager, Digital Marketing: Mario Sgambelluri
Digital Marketing Associate Manager: Peter Bowman
VP, Global Media: Caroline McNeil
Senior Director, Global Media: Simone Deocares-Lengyel
72andSunny Team
Chief Executive Officer: John Boiler
Chief Creative Officer: Glenn Cole
Chief Strategy Officer: Matt Jarvis
Director of Strategy: Bryan Smith
Chief Production Officer: Tom Dunlap
Group Creative Director: Matthew Curry
Creative Director: Robert Teague
Creative Director: Tim Wolfe
Sr. Designer: Jon Hall
Writer: Matt Meszaros
Designer: Lauren Albee
Group Production Director: Angelo Mazzamuto
Sr. Film Producer: Dave Stephenson
Jr. Film Producer: Skyler Courter
Group Brand Director: Rhea Curry
Brand Director: Simon Hall
Sr. Brand Manager: Brett Schneider
Brand Manager: Will Nader
Strategy Director: Daniel Teng
Strategist: Jake Watt
Partnerships and Legal Director: Kallie Halbach
Partnerships and Legal Manager: Jesse Sinkiewicz
Partnerships and Legal Coordinator: Molly Hogan
Production Company: Pony Show Entertainment
Director: Peter Berg
Director of Photography: John Schwartzman, A.S.C
Production Designer: Jeff Mann
Partner: Susan Kirson
Executive Producer: Helga Gruber
Head of Production: Gareth Wood
Editorial: Work Editorial
Editor: Jono Griffith
Assistant Editor: Keith Hamm
Executive Producer: Marlo Baird
Producer: Lynne Mannino
Visual Effects: MPC
Creative Director: Paul O’ Shea
VFX Supervisor: Michael Gregory
CG Supervisor: David White
Colorist: Ricky Gausis
VFX Producer: Matt Olmon
Line Producer: Ekta Gupta
VFX Coordinator: Sarah Laborde
2D Lead: Nikkesh K
2D Supervisor: David Rouxel
3D Lead: Jacob Oommen
Visual Effects: Pixomondo
VFX Supervisor: Timothy Hanson
Executive Producer: Mandie Briney
VFX Producer: John Baer
Bidding Producer: Patrick Neighly
DFX Supervisor: Patrick Schuler
Compositing Supervisor: Spencer Hecox
Previz Supervisor: Matt McClurg
Paint/Roto Supervisor: Lance Ranzer
Rigger/Maya Technical Director: York Schueller
Senior Production Coordinator: Enoch Davis
Production Coordinator: Antonia Oelmann
Costumes: Legacy Effects LLC
Effects Supervisor: J. Alan Scott
Production Coordinator: Damon Weathers
Sound Design: Formosa Group
Supervising Sound Editors: Per Hallberg, M.P.S.E.
Sound Designer: Ann Scibelli, M.P.S.E. , Jon Title, M.P.S.E. , D. Chris Smith, M.P.S.E.
1st Assistant Sound Editor: Philip D. Morrill
Recording Studio / Mix: Lime
Mixers: Rohan Young / Jeff Malen
Assistant: Ben Tomastik / Lisa Mermelstein
Executive Producer: Susie Boyajan
OMD Team
Group Account Director: Natalie Holbrook
Associate Media Director: Carly Haw
Media Supervisor: Amir Ghareaghadje
Senior Media Strategist: Justin Levenstein
Media Strategist: Natalie Garretson
Assistant Media Strategist: Deveny Rohrer
PMK•BNC
SVP, Brand Marketing and Communications – Michele Wyman
Senior Director, Brand Marketing and Communications – Mark Van Lommel
Senior Director, Talent Relations – Jonathan Kichaven
Senior Account Executive, Talent Relations – Ashley Studer
Program Manager – Chong Kim
Account Executive, Brand Marketing and Communications – Renee Felton
Edelman
Jordan Atlas – Executive Creative Director
Zach Tindall – Group Director, Activision
Sam Kennedy – VP Strategy, Activision
Chris Swanson – Associate Creative Director
Lauren Curtis – Senior Account Supervisor, Activision
Ben Lewis – Senior Strategist, Call of Duty
Katie Stemler – Project Manager, Activision
Gabe Duran – Copywriter
Ronnie Lee – Copywriter
Matt Kugler – Copywriter
Michele Pappas – Art Director
Alex Sutton-Hough – Designer
Ji Choi – Designer
Justin Fitzwater – Senior Community Manager
Kurt Wendler – Community Manager
Jason Suh – Community Manager
Michael Fein – VP, Insights & Analytics
Jocelyn Swift – Manager, Insights & Analytics
Tyler Phillippi – Analyst
Carol Chu – Analyst
Megan Cooper – Junior Analyst
AKQA
Creatives:
Nick Strada – Group Creative Director
EB Davis – Creative Director
Nils Westgardh – Art Director
Oscar Wickman – Art Director/ Photographer
Tandeka Lauriciano – Associate Copywriter
Cliff Li, Hovin Wang, Charles Calixto, Enoch Tengler, Randy Santos – Sr. Designer
Account:
Kristin Goto – Client Partner
Erin Morgan – Account Director
Production:
Cody Lucas – Program Manager/ EP
David Shuff – Director of Film and Motion
Ryan Jones – Motion Designer
Jim MacMurray – Sr. Production Artist
MediaMonks Films:
Director – Rogier Schalken
Asst. Dir. – Mel Anderson
Dir. of Photography – Dallas Sterling
Executive Producer – Lauren Becker
Line Production – Theresa Marth, Mark Aran
Post Supervisor – Wesley Kolsteeg
Post Producers – Marlose de Rijke, Gerben Molenaar
PullString:
Head Writer: Scott Ganz
Writer: Eva Steele-Saccio, Jessica Kitchens, Nicholas Pelczar
Operations Manager & Producer: Jennifer Dobbs
Head of Enterprise: Mike Houlahan
Infrastructure Engineering Lead: James Chalfant