In a spot for Bauer Hockey, you’d expect the sound and fury of the game — quick-cut shots of dramatic power plays, flying ice, vicious body checks and a sellout crowd going wild. Well, there’s none of that here. In an inversion of expectations, the drama in this cinematic and hushed commercial centers on a guy changing lightbulbs. So many goals have been scored using Bauer Vapor X:60 sticks, all the red lights behind the nets have worn out. It’s a well-crafted ad, but the premise is perhaps somewhat of a stretch. And one wonders if hard-core fans used to blistering action (or even casual viewers) will hang in for the punchline, especially since the setup moves at the glacial pace of a typical baseball game. –David Gianatasio
