How many references can you spot in BBDO’s “Everywhere” for AT&T? The new spot promotes the network’s service allowing users to stream DirecTV programming on mobile devices without using data.
Created in collaboration between BBDO Atlanta and BBDO New York and directed by Tom Kuntz, the spot opens with an homage to Rocky as the protagonist goes for a walk in the city while watching shows on his phone (probably not the safest idea). From there, the references just keep coming, including nods to popular series like Game of Thrones and Breaking Bad and throwbacks to classic shows and movies like Seinfeld, Ghostbusters and Back to the Future. David Hasselhoff even makes a brief appearance in an allusion to Knight Rider.
The message is a clear one: watch what you want, when you want without worrying about your data limit. That’s a powerful selling point and while some may gripe that there’s not much of an idea beyond throwing a bunch of references together, viewers enjoy seeing such allusions to thier favorite shows and movies. There’s also some artistry to how the reference, including musical cues, flow into one another and the quick barrage of film and TV allusions means viewers may pay attention on repeat viewings, to see if they missed anything the first time around.
“Our hope is that viewers will really begin to look at AT&T from a whole new perspective,” Dave Brown, AT&T Entertainment Group director of advertising, told Adweek. “The past few years have been really exciting when you think about where we are going and what we are now bringing to our customers. You can watch a blockbuster movie on your commute to work and we help make that possible. We want to bring a little bit of that wow we feel to our customers in a way that reflects this new reality.”
“We wanted to use shows and movies across the entertainment spectrum, from modern to classic, to really give the viewer the sense that everything is at your fingertips,” added BBDO New York executive creative director Steven Fogel. “At the same time, it was important that the music be very recognizable and iconic, and that each piece work well as a part of the music track.”
CREDITS
Client: AT&T
Title: “Everywhere”
Agency: BBDO Atlanta, BBDO New York
Chief Creative Officer, Worldwide: David Lubars
Chief Creative Officer, New York: Greg Hahn
Executive Creative Director, AT&T: Matt MacDonald
Executive Creative Director, AT&T Entertainment Group: Steven Fogel
Executive Creative Director, AT&T Entertainment Group: Doug Fallon
Senior Creative Director: Rob Munk
Senior Creative Director: Mark Voehringer
Art Director: Kristin Clark
Copywriter: Matt Low
Group Executive Producer: Julie Collins
Executive Producer: Matt Nowak
Executive Music Producer: Melissa Chester
Junior Producer: Victoria Wills
Managing Director: Doug Walker
Group Account Director: Lesley Brown
Account Director: Khari Mpagazehe
Account Executive: Noelle Bough
Production Company: MJZ
Director: Tom Kuntz
Director of Photography: Matthew Libatique
President: David Zander
Senior Executive Producer: Eriks Krumins
Producer: Emily Skinner
Production Designer: Jahmin Assa
Editorial: Mackcut
Editor: Gavin Cutler
Assistant Editor: Pamela Petruski
Executive Producer: Gina Pagano
Mix: Mackcut
Sound Designer & Mixer: Sam Shaffer
Post Production: The Beauty Shop
Executive Producer: Stuart Robinson
Senior Colorist: Company 3 // Tim Masick
Senior Color Producer: Company 3 // Rochelle Brown
Visual Effects: The Beauty Shop // Method Studios
Creative Director/VFX Supervisor: Method Studios // Doug Luka
Creative Director: Method Studios // Eduardo ‘Alvin’ Cruz
CG Supervisor: Method Studios // Ivan Guerrero
Senior Producer: Method Studios // Bennett Lieber
Lead Flame Artist: Method Studios // Mario Caserta
Music: Beta Petrol
Music by Beta Petrol
Composer: Rafter Roberts
Creative Director: Bryan Ray Turcotte
Executive Producer(s): Dayna Turcotte and Brent Asbury
Producer/Engineer: Andy Brohard
Media: Hearts & Science
President, AT&T: Ralph Pardo
Executive Director: Melissa Kimble
The Marketing Arm/Platinum Rye Entertainment
Managing Director: Matt Delzell
Senior Director: Kristen Hellwig
Director: Amanda Levine
Cast and shot list in order of appearance:
Rocky
Cheers (John Ratzenberger and George Wendt as Cliff and Norm)
Breaking Bad
Game of Thrones
SportsCenter
Sex and the City
Sesame Street (Matt Vogel as Big Bird)
Seinfeld
Psycho
Knight Rider (David Hasselhoff as Michael Knight and KITT as himself)
Back to the Future
Ghostbusters
Lead actor: Joel Kelley Dauten, star of the upcoming Showtime series I’m Dying Up Here