Creative: Best Spots

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 written by Mark Lang. AMERICAN EXPRESS Good jokes pepper this clever ad, starring Superman and superhero-obsessed Jerry Seinfeld. Recognize the Man of Steel's voice? David Puddy! With Seinfeld shutting down, you can't blame the Pudster for hanging on to Jerry's coattails as long as superhumanly possible. Title: Superman Agency: Ogilvy & Mather, New York Chief creative officer: Rick Boyko CD/copywriter: David Apicella Creative director: Ted Barton ADs/copywriters Dave Laden, Chris Mitton Executive producer: Gary Streiner Production co.: Propaganda Films Director: David Kellogg Editor: Chris Franklin BUD LIGHT Shopping with his girlfriend, a dude settles in for a long day. Then a voice: "Hey, buddy. Over here. In petites." Inside a rack of clothes, it's party time. Guys are drinking cold ones, BBQ-ing and watching football on TV. Title: Shopping Agency: DDB Needham, Chicago Chief creative officer Bob Scarpelli Creative director John Immesoete ACD/art director: Mark Gross ACD/copywriter: Bill Cimino Senior producer: Bryan Sweeney Production co.: Dave Merhar Director: Visitor Editor: Kathy Gannett, Lookinglass COCA-COLA Coke is "proud to be born red." To prove it, this spot combines free-spirited redheads and a type treatment of their nicknames-"carrot top," "firecracker," "ginger snap," "sparky" and "freckle face." Title: Nicknames Agency: Wieden & Kennedy, Portland, Ore. CDs: Todd Waterbury, Steve Sandoz Art director: Leslie Ali Copywriter: Harold Einstein Agency producer: Amy Davenport Production co.: HSI/Mars Director: Sam Bayer HORMEL CHILI With visuals of a covered car in the desert, this spot talks about "bold innovation," "raising the bar," "changing everything inside and out. It's totally redefined for '98." Finally, the tarp comes off, revealing a hot babe holding a hot bowl of "leaner, spicier, better-tasting" chili. A good effort in an often lackluster category. Title: All New Agency: BBDO, Minneapolis Creative director: Denny Haley Art director: Karn Knutson Copywriter: Dave Alm Agency producer: Anne Swarts Production co.: Fahrenheit Films Director: Justin Klarenbeck IBM Big Blue's e-business letterbox campaign continues. Here, a man proudly displays his photo wall. A business traveler, he's visited "52 countries in two years." But a tech guy is installing new Lotus software. "You never have to leave the office," he says. "It's going to be great to have you around." Can you say desk job? Title: Boondoggle Agency: Ogilvy & Mather, New York Creative head: Steve Hayden Creative director: Susan Westre Art director: Per Robert Jacobson Copywriter: Kate Levin Agency producer: Lee Weiss Production co.: Pytka Director: Joe Pytka I CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S NOT BUTTER Jane returns to the jungle. She brings back you-know-what and serves it to Tarzan-played by Fabio-who recites the "I can't believe it's not butter" line. (Best Spots almost disqualified the ad right then, but the commercial is a hoot.) Probably took muscle boy 50 takes to get the words right. Title: Jungle Agency: McCann-Erickson, New York Deputy CD: Irwin Warren Art director: Jan Rehder Copywriter: Vanessa Levin Senior producer: Linda Kramer Production co.: Pavlov Director: Rupert Wainwright KELLOGG'S POP TARTS The mantra of this funky spot? "Mouthes are people, too." As proof, the kids allow their faces to become "chin puppets." The action is fast and furious; the pastries fruit-filled and frosting-covered. Sugar rush! It's off to the Adweek vending machine, where two blueberry Pop Tarts will soon meet their maker. Anyone got 80 cents? Title: Mouths Agency: Leo Burnett, Chicago Group CDs/CDs Phil Raskin, Bob Akers Art director: Jim Furr Copywriter: Gary Doyle Agency prods.: Bob Davis, Bob Carney Production co.: Passport Films Director Elena Colombo KELLOGG'S SPECIAL K Burly guys complain: "I have my mother's thighs, I have to accept that." "I will not let my dress size determine my self-worth." "Do I look fat?" The super says: "Men don't obsess over these things. Why do we?" Memo to Kellogg's: We like this ad, but please don't dump the Special K mirror babes. Title: Bar Guys Agency Leo Burnett, Toronto and Chicago Creative director: Jeff Finkler Art directors: Elspeth Lynn, Marianne Besch Copywriters: Lorraine Tao, Kerry Keenan Agency producers Colleen Floyd, Tom Keramidas Director: Richard Dellessio LINENSTHINGS "What's up, Santa?" asks an elf. "Sit down," says the big guy. "As you know, the Christmas rush is over and, uh, well, I'm going to have to let you go." The elf is stunned. "There's always professional wrestling," Santa says, laughing all the way. This ad promotes the store's 50 percent cutback sale. Title: Christmas Is Over Agency: Devito/Verdi, New York Creative director: Sal Devito AD/copywriter/director: Rob Slosberg Copywriter: Andrew Donnelly Agency producer: Sheran James Production co.: U Direct Editor: Daniel Miller LIPTON BRISK ICED TEA Another clay-animation classic, this time with Yankees Babe Ruth, Reggie Jackson, Billy Martin and George Steinbrenner. Good to see George get whomped by a bat. Great to hear Scooter's voiceover. Title: The Babe Agency: J. Walter Thompson, New York Creative supervisor/art director/ copywriter: Mickey Paxton Copywriter: Mike McCommon Agency producer: Peter Cohen Production co.: Loose Moose Ltd. Director/animator: Ken Lidster MAIL BOXES ETC. With their Pocket Pump invention, Rob and Chuck are the winners of Mail Boxes Etc.'s smallest business on the Super Bowl search. "We put Pocket Pump on the Super Bowl because helping small business operate like big business is what we do," says the Mail Boxes guy. Sure is an interesting way to spend $1.3 million. Title: Super Bowl Search Agency: Kenneth C. Smith Advertising, San Diego CD/copywriter: Rich Badami Art director: Scott Mayeda Agency producer Betsy Wilder Production co.: Vihlene & Associates Director: Arnie Lerner Editor: Nicole Rulle, Dakota Group MITSUBISHI MONTERO SPORT Jumping in the backseat, a cowboy says "Hey" to his tough-guy buds up front. When dude No. 1 starts applying lipstick, dude No. 2 says, "Can I borrow your eyebrow pencil?" They're rodeo clowns! Of course, it's possible they take their work home-not that there's anything wrong with that. Title: Car Pool Agency: G2 Advertising, Huntington Beach, Calif. CDs Holly Hood, Gregg Bergan Art director: Nick Rooth Copywriter: Melanie Levant Agency producer: Candace Bowes Production co.: Dektor/Higgins Director: Leslie Dektor Editor: Michael Bartoli OREO A kid watches his big brother dunk an Oreo into a glass of milk. Cool, he thinks, but his milk is in a covered cup and the cookie won't dunk. But the little guy figures it out-he pours the milk through the spout onto the Oreo. Title: Dilemma Agency Foote, Cone & Belding, New York Group CD/art director: Bob Phillips Group CD/copywriter: Bob Neuman Agency producer: Paddy Giordano Production co. Johnson Burnett Director: Rob Lieberman Editor: Noelle Webb, Mad House PEPSI A goose and a sky surfer go mano-a-mano at 15,000 feet, trying to top each other with inflight acrobatics. For keeping up, the dude rewards the bird with a drink of Pepsi. This spot is a Gen X "Dueling Banjos": Can you honk like a goose? Title: Goose Agency: BBDO, New York Chief creative officer: Ted Sann Executive CD Michael Patti Senior CD/copywriter: Bill Bruce CD/art director Doris Cassar Agency prod.: Gary Delemeester Production co.: House of Usher Director: Kinka Usher Editors John Murry, T. Muldoon, Nomad PGA TOUR Using a 9-iron, Ray Floyd hits a 103-yard "field goal" to help the Cowboys defeat the Dolphins. "These guys are good," says Dan Marino, referring to the golf pros. Perhaps, but are they good guys? Judging from the proceedings at the Casey Martin trial, nope. Title: Football Agency: GSD&M, Austin, Texas CD/art director Tom Gilmore Copywriter Paul Hicks Agency producer Kenny Grant Production co.: HSI Director Zack Snyder Editor Jack Waldrip PING Meet Mr. Skruggs, golf ranger. Probably a postal worker in a past life, this guy takes his job seriously. When a guy hits a ball out of bounds, Skruggs wheels into action; he frisks the golfer, snaps on handcuffs and takes him away. "Does power corrupt people?" asks Skruggs. "I think so." Ping's titanium driver will keep golfers on the fairway. Title: Reckless Driver Agency The Martin Agency, Richmond, Va. Creative director: Hal Tench Art director: Sean Riley Copywriter: Joe Alexander Agency producer: Pam Campagnoli Production co.: HKM Productions Director: Richard Sears PONTIAC GRAND PRIX After plunging over a cliff on rocket skates, Wile E. Coyote discovers the secret weapon: Widetrackus Grand Prixus. As the car hugs the winding turns, Wile E. catches up to the Roadrunner, reaches out and the spot ends. FYI, Pontiac: Next time, let the coyote wring the bird's scrawny little neck. Title: Coyote Agency DMB&B, Bloomfield Hills, Mich. Creative director: Mark Zapico Art director: Pete D'Agostino Copywriter: Tom Topolewski Agency producer: Jane Liepshutz Production co.: ILM Director: Steve Beck POST-IT NOTES "You know those clever, little Post-it Notes?" asks a guy. "The ones you use every day that remind you to do important stuff." He shows a note: "Fix cat. Walk dog." That's the MO of this fast-paced, funny spot. The sell: Post-its come in colors, not just yellow. Title: Post-it Colors Agency: Grey Advertising, New York Group CD: Ed Hannibal ACD/copywriter: Tony Alfano Art director: Dave Giles Copywriter: Jack McGoldrick Production group head Maura Dausey Production co.: Crossroads Films Director: Mark Story Editor: Jeff Dell, Shoot First RITZ CRACKERS Larry Lefton's Ritz chili blitz snack is the hit of the party. One guy calls Larry a "cracker guru." But it's John Madden who brings perspective: "Larry's one of the all-time great TV tailgaters." Looks like John's been inhaling quite a few Ritz himself lately. Title: Larry Agency: McCann-Erickson, New York Deputy CD: Jonathan Cranin CD/art director: Chris Quillen Copywriter: Dan Cohen Agency prod.: Kelly Long Assistant prod.: Scott Brittingham Production co.: Shelter Films Director: Jonathan David SPRITE VO: "We set out to create the first politically correct soft drink, Granola Cola. Blending tofu, soy milk and carbonation, our beverage restores the ozone layer, promotes world peace and tastes like 100 percent natural " This ad is a funny goof on everything PC. Log the rain forest, says Best Spots. Down with the Man. Title: Granola Cola Agency Lowe & Partners/SMS, New York Chief creative officer: Lee Garfinkel Creative group heads: Todd Godwin, C.J. Waldman Art director: Galen Bernard Copywriter: Steve Doppelt Producer: Liz Hodge Production co. Satellite Films Director: Josh Taft VISA A little girl wishes she "had an elephant who would play with me." So she gets one, and it sprays her with water, shares tea, watches TV and performs head stands. This is one seriously cool elephant. Visa provides the purchasing power (in the form of a stuffed animal). Ah, such gentle giants. Remember Babar? Title: Elephants Agency: BBDO, New York Chief creative officer: Ted Sann Sr. exec. CD Charlie Miesmer Sr. CD/copywriter Jimmy Siegel CD/art director: Rick Hanson Art director: Missy White Copywriter: Jordan Allen Agency producer: David Frankel Production co.: Headquarters Director: David Cornell Editor: Gary Hernandez, Crew Cuts

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Creative: Best Spots - January

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