This “film about a smile”, created by London-based agency Beattie McGuinness Bungay for client Thomson Holidays, reminds us of the best, most obvious way for washed-up celebrities to stay relevant: get weird.
The spot stars a teddy bear and a Ben Folds/William Shatner version of Mike Myers’ favorite Queen song, taken from one of the former Captain’s many Twin Peaks lounge singer-style “comeback” albums:
Lots of great details in this one. We’re particularly fond of the broken glasses and the extended pony moment.
The spot even somehow manages to make Shatner’s version of “Bohemian Rhapsody” tolerable. We’re just glad he didn’t actually try to hit any notes or attempt the impossible a capella section.
Credits below via Adweek — note the “teddy bear wrangler” title.
CREDITS
Client: Thomson Holidays
Spot: “A Film About a Smile”
Agency: Beattie McGuinness Bungay, London
Executive Creative Director: Trevor Beattie
Creative Director: Pat Burns
Creative: Rachel Miles
Creative: Michael Tsim
Producer: Gill Loftus
Production Company: Park Pictures
Director: Tom Tagholm
Executive Producer: Stephen Brierley
Producer: Fran Thompson
Production Manager: Ananda Coulier
DOP: Martin Ruhe
Model Maker: Anarchy
Soft Technician/Teddy Bear Wrangler: Danielle Boyne
Post Production: Realise Studio
Voiceover: William Shatner