Worlds collide in the latest spot from Venables Bell & Partners, as Google and Audi share in the stage in “Enhancing Navigation.” How significant is this pairing? Well, I want you to question that as you listen to this classic Powerman 5000 song from 1999. God, what a ridiculous song.
Anyway, the above spot follows an Audi A4-driving couple through a freeze-framed Google Street View rendering of San Francisco. As we watch the couple traverse a familiar blue line and arrive at various red checkpoints, it’s funny to think of how much Apple Maps made Americans pledge their undying allegiance to Google Maps. Perhaps it’s this rekindled fandom for Google (and the jangly soft indie folk track) that gives this spot a warm, almost nostalgic ambiance.
Finally, we see the couple arrive at (SPOILER) a sunny beach where we realize they’re using Google Maps (which pulls from Google Earth and Google Street View) to navigate to their own wedding. As an Easter egg, you may notice that the couple’s four pits stops along the way were to pick up something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue. Yes, the thought of something that cloying is a bit gag-inducing, but somehow VB&P keeps this spot fun-cute as opposed to annoying-cute. Credits follow after the jump.
EXECUTIVE CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Paul Venables and Will McGinness
ART DIRECTOR: Brad Kayal
COPYWRITER: Brad Phifer
DIRECTOR OF INTEGRATED PRODUCTION: Craig Allen
AGENCY PRODUCER: Mandie Bowe
PRODUCTION COMPANY: LOGAN
DIRECTOR: Eric Anderson
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: Jordan Levy
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Matthew Marquis
PRODUCER: Rich Kaylor
EDITING COMPANY: LOGAN
EDITOR: Jay Rogers
SOUND DESIGN: 740 Sound Design & Mix
SOUND DESIGNERS: Andrew Tracy, Nicholas Interlandi
MUSIC: Black Iris
MIX: 740 Sound Design & Mix
V/FX: LOGAN
V/FX PRODUCER: Matthew Loranger