Dodge and Paramount have joined forces in a co-branded campaign from W+K launching the new 2014 Dodge Durango featuring Ron Burgundy (of Anchorman and the upcoming Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues, but you already knew that).
The campaign, which spans television, print, digital and social media, debuted October 5th online and on television. Be prepared to see it everywhere.
“With the personal involvement of Will Ferrell, our writer / director Adam McKay, the comedy team at Funny or Die, and the Dodge creative team at Wieden+Kennedy, we were able to create a truly epic partnership,” says CMO of Paramount Picture Josh Greenstein in a statement. But are the spots actually funny? Some of them — they really very widely in quality. Each of the spots takes advantage of the 70s aesthetic in the Anchorman films, taking place in a colorful, very 70s auto showroom. The first spot, “Horsepower” is a bit of a letdown. It resurrects the tired “comparing horse power to an actual horse” theme commonly used in spots for powerful vehicles.
The staring contest with the horse at the end is almost worth a chuckle though. “Glove Compartment” is a lot better: it features Ron Burgundy toting the Durango’s glove compartment, which can hold “two turkey sandwiches or seventy packs of gum.” Another spot finds Burgundy struggling with a script that touts the Durango’s “m.p.g.” performance. The highlight is definitely “Ballroom Dancers,” featured above, which has a comically angry showdown between Burgundy and dancers that he thinks may “live in the rafters.” A lot of this is stuff that only Ferrell could get away with delivering, and only about half of the time is the writing worthy of his talent, but when it works it works. Plus, it will whet people’s appetites for the Anchorman sequel, which is kind of the point.
Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues debuts in theaters December 20th. Credits and additional video after the jump.
CLIENT: Dodge
PROJECT NAME: Burgundy Durango
CLIENT CONTACT: Melissa Garlick
SPOT TITLES
“Horsepower: Father”
“Horsepower: School”
“Horsepower: Staring Contest”
“Ballroom Dancers: Hide”
“Ballroom Dancers: Dirty Dancers”
“Ballroom Dancers ” (:60)
“Glove Compartment: It Comes Standard” (:60)
“Glove Compartment: Gumball Machine”
“Ride: Saying it Right”
“Ride: Babes”
W+K PORTLAND
Creative Directors: Aaron Allen / Kevin Jones / Michael Tabtabai
Copywriter: Mike Egan
Art Director: John Dwight
Interactive Art Director: Chuck Carlson
Producer: Monica Ranes
Executive Producer: Corey Bartha
Executive Creative Directors: Joe Staples / Susan Hoffman
Head of Production: Ben Grylewicz
Co-Writers
Co-Writing: Company Funny or Die
PRODUCTION
Production Company: The Gifted Youth & Caviar (a co-production)
Director: Jake Syzmanski
Executive Producer (Gifted Youth): Dal Wolf / Josh Martin /Ryan McNeely
Executive Producer (Caviar): Jasper Thomlinson / Michael Sagol
Line Producer: Stephan Mohammed
Director of Photography: Tim Hudson
EDITORIAL
Editorial Company: Arcade
Editor: Geoff Hounsell
Post Producer: Leslie Carthy
Post Executive Producer: Nicole Visram
VFX
VFX Company: Method
VFX Supervisor: Ben Walsh
Lead Flame Artist: Claus Hansen
VFX Producer: Colin Clarry
Executive Producer: Robert Owens
Titles/Graphics Trailer Park: W+K Motion
MUSIC + SOUND DESIGN
Song (if applicable): “Grazing in The Grass” by The Friends of Distinction
MIX
Mix Company: Barking Owl
Mixer: Brock Babcock
Producer: Kelly Bayett