BEST SPOTS

NOVEMBER Best Spots are selected by Adweek editors from commercials breaking on broadcast and cable television. Call Nancy Sobel at (212) 536-6453 to submit reels or to order this month's collection. The Best Spots section is compiled by Mark Lang. Acura SLX A schoolmaster tells his young students that the roads are closed due to inclement weather. "Arrangements have been made for you to stay on in the dormitories. Unfortunate news for everyone." Except for the kid whose mom drives an Acura SLX 4x4. Title Snowbound Agency Suissa Miller, Los Angeles Creative director David Suissa ACDs Leeanna Golden, Jeff Weakley Art director Mary Lawrence Copywriter Caroline Di Giulio Agency producer Mike Davison Production co. Industrial Light & Magic Director Joe Johnston Baby Gap A white background, Christmas props and the cutest kid ever born. The child is so cute, in fact, it almost makes Best Spots wish it had offspring, too. Almost. Title Snow Biz Agency In-house Creative director Lisa Prisco Art directors Carl Byrd, Stephen Niedzwiecki Agency producer Sandra Kimberly Director Jock McDonald SVP marketing Michael McCadden Account manager Amy Maniatis Checker's Along with her meal, Julie orders a car commercial, but for burgers. (Don't ask why.) So the Checker's folks design the burger, check it for aerodynamics and crash-test it. With food in hand, the counter guy says, "Everybody, this is Julie's first Double DeVille." It's a nice goof on Saturn and a funny spot. Title Double DeVille Agency Crispin, Porter & Bogusky, Miami Creative director Alex Bogusky Art director Markham Cronin Copywriter Scott Linnen Agency producer Sara Gennett-Lopez Production co. Complete Pandemonium Director Jeff Mishler Children's Tylenol With playful kids and loving parents, this ad says, "In your hands, you have the power to nurture and protect. To safeguard your little ones, and when there's a fever or a hurt, you can count on Children's Tylenol." (Yes, Best Spots has a heart.) Title In Your Hands Agency Saatchi & Saatchi Healthcare Connection, New York Exec. CD Dick Anderson CD/copywriter Dick Holt Art director Howie Cohen Producers Liz Mistriel, Jerry Levenson Music director Eric Korte Production co. A Pictures Director John Alper Editor Ann Craddock, Red Car Music house Big Foote Columbia Crest Beautifully shot, this ad is a stunning blend of typography, visuals and music. The scene of the carefree girls squishing grapes in the giant vat is freedom incarnate. It's easy to see why the folks at Columbia Crest love making wine. Title Passion Agency Elgin DDB, Seattle CD/copywriter Laurie Fritts Art director Shari Layman Agency producer Niki Polyocan Assistant producer Amy Poisson Production co. Porter Films Director Kimball Rendall Editorial Straight Cut Dean's Milk Chug A cool purple dude plays hoops, surfs, skateboards, drives a car to the moon and chugs milk. Packaging the white stuff this way may actually get kids to drink it. Title Chug-a-Lug Agency Euro RSCG Tatham, Chicago Chairman/chief creative officer Bob Welke ECD/art director Barbara Wiecek CD/copywriter Walt Horsfall Executive producer Kim Kubiak Animation co. Duck Soup Produckions Director James Murphy Music Steve Ford Music Sound design Mike McDonald Eddie Bauer This ad goes out to Peter Pan guys everywhere. After he wraps his coat around her, she says, "I really love you, Kevin." Kev pats her on the arm. "I like you, too." "Like" doesn't get it done, and she storms off--still wearing his jacket. Sadly (gladly?), Best Spots can relate. Just don't go there, Tinkerbell. Title I Love You Agency Lowe & Partners/SMS, New York Chairman/chief creative officer Lee Garfinkel EVP/deputy CD Gary Goldsmith EVP/creative group head/ art director Michael Vitiello Copywriter Eddie Van Bloem EVP/director of broadcast production Bob Nelson VP/producer Laurie Leokum Production co. Johns + Gorman Films Director Jeff Gorman Editorial Ohio Edit Eidos Tomb Raider II Where are the boys? At the computer playing video games, avoiding their usual haunts--like the strip club. Best Spots, however, does not play games, and when the art choice for this item came down to 1) buxom video character Lara Croft or 2) real-life babe wearing garters . . . hmmm, 2) please. Title Where the Boys Are--Stripper Agency Winkler Advertising, San Francisco Creative director Pat Marcoccia ACD/art director Jon Migliaccio ACD/copywriter Cordell Jeffries Agency producer Catie Williams Production co. radical.media Director Jeff Zwart Editorial FilmCore ESPN SPORTSCENTER Spoofing a scene from the film Broadcast News, the videotape relay goes: Jackie Joyner-Kersee to Roger Clemens to Bill Bradley to Evander Holyfield to Pete Sampras to Fluff the caddy to Drew Bledsoe to Best Spots. Title Broadcast News Agency Wieden & Kennedy, Portland, Ore. CDs Jerry Cronin, Vince Engel Art director Rick McQuiston Copywriter Jerry Cronin Producers Beth Harding, Dan Duffy Production co. radical.media Directors Rick LeMoine, Steve Miller Hanes MJ Collection "Calvin can't crossover dribble." "Tommy can't play D." "Giorgio can't tomahawk dunk." "So why," asks Michael Jordan, "are you wearing their underwear?" Title Designers Agency Long Haymes Carr, Winston-Salem, N.C. SVP/CD Frank Campion SVP/GCD Tim Ronan VP/CD Grant Pace VP/ACD Bob Ranew Jr. Sr. broadcast prod. Sara March Barber Production co. The Lopes Picture Co. Director Rob Lopes Hewlett-Packard An elderly woman uses H-P imaging technology to produce a book about her life for her nine grandkids. This thoughtful ad plays off the idea that everyone has a story--and a photo wall to tell it with. Title Herta Agency Goodby, Silverstein & Partners, San Francisco CDs Jeff Goodby, Rich Silverstein Art director Claude Shade Copywriters Steve Simpson, Scott Aal Agency producers Elizabeth O'Toole, Heidi Bryant Production co. Dektor/Higgins Director Leslie Dektor Editor Bob Frisk, Phoenix Music Crescendo LinensThings Most Martha Stewart parodies can't compare to the real thing. But this spot gives it a run. Making a homemade wool robe, "Martha" prepares to shear a sheep, squishes red elderberries with her feet and cracks wheat. The best way to turn wheat into a belt? "Intertwine the husks. Twist, twist, twist," she says. Title Suzy Homemaker Agency DeVito/Verdi, New York Creative director Sal DeVito ACD/copywriter Rob Slosberg Art director/copywriter Dawn Prestom Agency producer Chris Crowley Production co. Peretti Productions Director Jim Peretti Mennen Speed Stick With sweaty guys and grossed-out females, this ad wins Best Spots' truth-in-advertising award. Hey dudes, if you show up with pits, even your mother will disown you. Not only did Mennen join the antibacterial craze, it coined the word "antibact." Title Love Stinks Agency Young & Rubicam, New York Creative director Jane Talcott Art director Leonard Peters-Smith Copywriter Jon Tell Executive producer Kim Lowell Agency producer Jennifer McCullen Assistant producer Tasha Norman Production co. Coppos Films Director Craig Gillespie Miller Lite This Dick stuff is starting to wear thin, but midst the chaff dwells a chestnut. A pickup truck pulls off a deserted road and a cowboy drags some beer over to a waiting steer. As the guy leans in, the bull whispers, "Stampede. Tomorrow at 2 a.m." Yee haw! Title Informant Agency Fallon McElligott, Minneapolis Creative director Bill Westbrook Art director Rick Yamakoshi Copywriter Rob McPherson Agency producer Julie Hampel Producer Fran Ratcliffe Production co. Paul Weiland Films Director Frank Budgen Nike "I do not dabble when it comes to Scrabble," says L'il Penny. After George Gervin spells "prolific," L'il claims that's like Big Penny spelling "unstoppable," "penetrate" or "MVP." "Or," says Chuck Daly to LP, "like you spelling 'shrimp.'" Of course, L'il has a comeback. Know what? Chris Rock is funnier as a piece of wood than he is in the flesh. Title L'il Penny--Scrabble Agency Wieden & Kennedy, New York CD/copywriter Stacy Wall CD/art director Gary Koepke Agency producer Jennifer Smieja Production co. Pytka Director Joe Pytka Editor Chuck Willis Nissan Frontier A man, a dog and his chair: As man sleeps, dog steers chair in and out of traffic en route to a Nissan dealer. Dogs may like trucks, but Best Spots likes Peanuts--the music brings memories of a simpler time before Snoopy started shilling insurance. Title Chair Agency TBWA Chiat/Day, Venice, Calif. Creative director Rob Siltanen ACD Joe Hemp Art director Scott MacGregor Copywriter Michael McKay Agency producer Elaine Hinton Assistant producer Barbara Joy Laffey Production co. Satellite Films Director Spike Jonze Editor Eric Zumbrunen, Spot Welders Polaroid Polapulse Light Using Morse code, a guy hits on a girl with a "kind of pocket light thing." One problem, matey: Barnacle Bill the sailor intercepts the message. This ad is a nice execution for a gizmo that has no reason to be. Title Morse Agency Bartle Bogle Hegarty, London Creative director John Hegarty Art director Andy Smart Copywriter Roger Beckett Agency producer Richard Packer Production co. Outsider Director Christian Lyngby Editorial Strewn Prodigy "All of a sudden it's cool to spend all of your free time in front of a computer?" asks the voiceover. So cool, in fact, a guy passes up sex to surf the Net. Prodigy says get on, get your information, then get off. "Go live a little." Sounds like good advice, but you'll still find Best Spots in the Thong Beach chat room. Title Weekend Agency TBWA Chiat/Day, Venice, Calif. ECD Eric McClellan Art director Eric Houseknecht Copywriter Shalom Auslander Producer Lisa Young Production co. Partizan Director Traktor Editorial Crew Cuts Sony Playstation In this spot, Crash Bandicoot keeps setting off the airport's metal detector. He empties his pockets, but the alarms buzz. Complaining, he turns around, revealing his highly flammable jet pack. We hear you, Crash: Not like it's a gun or anything. Title Jet Pack Agency TBWA Chiat/Day, Venice, Calif. Creative director Jerry Gentile Art director John Payne Copywriter Gary Pascoe Agency producer Peter Friedman Production co. Wild Life Management Director Brian Belefant Editor Dan Bootzin, Venice Beach Editorial Target Asked if he'd like to be at Target's two-day sale after the holidays, Al the turkey says, "I'd like to be anywhere after Thanksgiving." The tone is set for this hilarious ad in which clever gobblers escape the meat cleaver. Of course, if turkeys were really this smart, we'd be saying grace over squab. Title 2 Day Sale Agency Martin/Williams, Minneapolis Creative director Lyle Wedemeyer Art director Jim Henderson Copywriter Jill Palmquist Agency producer Lisa Keljik Production co. Wilson Griak Director Greg Winter Editor Steve Shepard Music Echo Boys Special effects Pixel Farms Visa Check Card This brilliant ad blows away the competition. His ID confirmed by fingerprints, voice and retinal scans, James Bond still can't buy caviar with a check. "Just need some ID," says the salesgirl. "Driver's license, license to kill, that sort of thing." Title James Bond Agency BBDO, New York Chief creative officer Ted Sann Sr. exec. CD Charlie Miesmer Sr. CD Jimmy Siegel CD Rick Hanson ACD/GCD/copywriter Peter Smith Art director Russell Sinclair Agency producer David Frankel Production co. RSA USA Director Allan Van Rijn Editor Sherri Margulies, Crew Cuts

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