For its latest campaign for Subaru, promoting the 2015 Outback, agency-of-record Carmichael Lynch teamed up with director Lance Acord (best known for his cinematography on films such as Being John Malkovich, Adaptation, and Lost In Translation) and production company Park Pictures for a couple of 60-second spots emphasizing that the Outback can “go anywhere.”
In “Memory Lane,” a family picks up a hippie grandmother for a road trip to Woodstock. The grandmother imparts some questionable teachings on her granddaughter and finds the spot where she met her grandfather, in a cute moment that also shows the Outback’s off-road capabilities.
“Bison” also features a road trip, as a father attempts to wow his tween son with major American landmarks. The bratty son is unimpressed with Redwoods and The Grand Canyon, more interested in his smart phone than anything outside the car, but the father does eventually get through to him, followed by the voiceover, “There’s nothing I can’t reach in my Subaru.”
Both spots are impressively shot (which shouldn’t come as a surprise, given the director) while delivering their message in a way that should appeal to parents (always a target demographic for Subaru). And if they cross the line into cheesiness, it’s in a way that fits the brand well.
Credits:
CLIENT: Subaru of America
Agency: Carmichael Lynch
Chief Creative Officer: Dave Damman
Exec Creative Director: Randy Hughes
Associate Creative Director, Writer: Conn Newton
Associate Creative Director, Art Director: Michael Rogers
Head of Production: Joe Grundhoefer
Senior Exec Content Producer: Brynn Hausmann
Director of Business Affairs: Vicki Oachs
Account Service Team: Brad Williams, Krista Kelly, Sarah Larsen
PRODUCTION
Production Company: Park Pictures
Director: Lance Acord
Executive Producer: MaryAnn Marino
Director of Photography: Lance Acord
POST PRODUCTION
Edit House: Final Cut
Editor: Eric Zumbrunnen
Assistant Editor: Scott Butzer
Post House: Volt Studios
Online Artist: Steve Medin
Assistant: Sarah Thomas
Telecine: Company 3, Sean Coleman
Audio Mix: BWN Music, Carl White
Sound Design: BWN Music, Carl White
“Memory Lane”
MUSIC
Artist: The Bones of J.R. Jones
Track: “Hearts Racing”
Composer: Jonathon Linaberry
Music Supervisor: Jonathan Hecht, Venn Arts
TALENT
On-camera talent: Pat Caldwell, Rita Obermeyer, Chloe Bleu, Scott Rinker
Voiceover Talent: Justin Beere, Scott Rinker
“Bison”
MUSIC
Music House: Singing Serpent
Track: “Morocco Begins”
Composer: Jason Begin
Producer: Glen Galloway
TALENT
On-camera talent: Paul Bartholomew, Tommy O’Keefe
Voiceover Talent: Justin Beere, Paul Bartholomew