Agency: Deutsch/LA, Marina del Rey, Calif. Chief creative: Eric Hirshberg ACD/AD: Karen Costello ACD/ CW: Chris Ribeiro Sr. CW: Michael Everard AD: John Megery CW: Beau Elwell Agency prod.: Rebecca Darvin Assoc. prod.: Alex Brook Prod. co.: Tool of North America Dir.: Chris Hooper Editor: Adam Parker, Jigsaw Animation: Michael Killen, 525 Studios
The talking cows are back. "Hey, here's the new girl," says one. "This could be interesting," says another. "Oooh, I love it here," says the new bossie. "No snow on the grass. I hate big snow drifts, don't you know." Of course, the California cows have never seen or heard of snow. "She's been tipped one time too many," says a local girl. Graphic: "Great cheese comes from happy cows. Happy cows come from California." It's a funny ad, although the Frances McDormand Fargo voice is so …1996.
Agency: Kowloon Wholesale Seafood Co., Santa Monica, Calif. CD/CW/Dir.: Dick Sittig AD: Dave Gassman CW: Robert Goldenberg Agency prod.: Fiona Forsyth Prod. co.: @radical.media Editor: Brendan O'Carroll, Oasis
Spoofing hyperactive technology advertising, this spot puts Jack in the middle of frenetic images and mindless people who say things like "I want the Internet to work for me" and "I want the world at my fingertips." "I just want you to try my Sourdough Grilled Chicken Club," he says. "It's a new kind of club."
Agency: Young & Rubicam, Chicago Chief creative: Mark Figliulo CD/AD: Jon Wyville CW: Tohru Oyasu Dir. of broadcast prod.: Karim Bartoletti Prod. co.: Omaha Dir.: Paul Gay Editor: Mike Coletta, Lookinglass Music: Asche & Spencer
"I saw Dr. Miller this morning … I'm pregnant," a wife tells her husband. He's stunned at first, but then gets to dreaming about it, especially the trip to the hospital. Weaving in and out of traffic, the guy drives like a maniac—or a race-car driver. "Faster, faster!" his wife screams. "Honey, I love you," he says. Tagline: "NASCAR. How bad have you got it?"
Agency: BBDO, N.Y. Chief creative: Ted Sann Sr. ECD: Michael Patti ECD: Don Schneider ACD/GCD/AD: Chris Cole CW: Mark Wegwerth Agency prod.: Gene Lofaro Music prod.: Melissa Chester Prod. co.: Pytka Dir.: Joe Pytka Editor: Sherri Margulies, Crew Cuts Visual effects: Johnnie Semerad, Quiet Man
Graphic: "What a 96 mph fastball looks like to Ken Griffey Jr." There's Jr., bat cocked, waiting for the pitch. "Find the seams," he muses to himself. "It's the splitter. No, it's the high heat … Did I lock my keys in the car? …Is that Sosa going for my Pepsi? Sammy, Sammy …" Upset about the theft in progress, Griffey hits the ball into the dugout, forcing Sosa to take cover.
Agency: Publicis in the West, Seattle Chief creative/AD: Kevin Kehoe CW: Jim LeMaitre Agency prods.: Pamela Hopkins, Adam Oliver Prod. co.: Hungry Man Dir.: Hank Perlman Editor: David Checel, FilmCore Sound design: Loren Silver, POP Sound
Dressed in a bad Halloween costume, Eugene Levy is Satan: "So, Michael, thought about my offer? You sell me your soul, and I guarantee the Seahawks a Super Bowl." "We don't need your help," says defensive end Michael Sinclair. Levy: "Oh, I know because ESPN says you had the best draft in the league … You can't get past Oakland without me, my friend." Sinclair refuses again. "What if I throw in a DVD player?" Levy asks. A message to Michael: Sell your soul, dude. Otherwise, you'll have to buy a ticket to see the big game.
Agency: Conn. CD/AD: Steve Garbett CD/CW: Agency prod.:Prod. co.: Mustard Dir.: Tim Rolt Editor: Marc Langley, The Firm
After a kid takes a bite of a Slim Jim, a nurse opens the curtains to his hospital room. "Let's lose that appendix," she says. In the OR, the boy gets put under. The gas, however, fuels a different effect internally, where the crazed Slim Jim guy starts to hallucinate. "Mother, I'm home," he says, adding, "I'm a beefy, spicy butterfly." Of course, the hallucination goes bad, and Slim Jim cuts his way out with an electric saw, bursting through the kid's stomach Alien-style. It's a hilarious ad, with the best tagline in the business: "Snap into a Slim Jim. Eat me."
Agency:Chief creative: Lawner GCD: Alan Pafenbach CD/AD: Tim Vaccarino CD/CW: Tim Brunelle CW: Matt Fishbein Agency prod.: Bill Goodell Prod. co.: Dir.: Editor:Music: Bent
As a van pulls out of a restaurant parking lot, a woman distributes food to "Vegas," "Austin," "Tulsa" and "Yuma." A man and woman are picking up young people who are thumbing across America. Up the road yonder is a kid hitching to Phoenix. The EuroVan stops, and "Phoenix" throws his pack in the back. Tagline: "There's nothing mini about it."
Agency:CD/ AD/CW:Prod. co.: Backyard ProductionsDir.: DP: Randy Editor: Sound design: Loren Silver, POP Sound
During a pickup basketball game, teammates discuss defense. "Man, I don't want to cover him," says one. "What are we going to do?" asks another. The camera pans right, revealing a naked guy, his private parts "scrambled." The nude dude sets a pick, backs into the defense and scores an uncontested dunk. He's unstoppable, for obvious reasons. Graphic: "Feel comfortable in your own skin." This funny ad pitches Yard Fitness, a southern California health club. Talk about in your face!