W+K New York teamed up with late night host Jimmy Kimmel, singer/producer/nepotism benefactor Robin Thicke and an entourage of other celebrities for “It’s Playoff Time,” a 60-second spot promoting ESPN’s College Football Playoff Semifinals, which airs on December 31, at 4:00 and 8:00 p.m.
The spot opens on Kimmel and Thicke singing a College Football Playoff-related re-imagining of New Year’s Eve traditional “Auld Lang Syne.” Soon they are joined by an entire room full of celebrities, including actor Josh Duhamel, singer/actress Kelly Rowland, Washington Nationals pitcher Max Scherzer, New York Jets cornerback Antonio Cromartie, Arizona Cardinals linebacker Dwight Freeney, actress Tracee Ellis Ross and actor Ken Jeong, as well as a slew of college football mascots. There’s not much to the ad aside from its star power, with the repurposed song featuring such uninspired lyrics as “Footballs will spike, midnight will strike.‘Cause now it’s Playoff time.”
The ad, the latest in W+K New York’s ongoing “Who’s In? campaign for ESPN’s College Football Playoff, will make its broadcast debut tonight during Monday Night Football in anticipation of tomorrow’s unveiling of the CFP Selection Committee’s first official ranking of the season. Supporting the effort will be digital banners and a social extension which also debut today, followed by digital, print and social elements which will run until the end of the College Football Playoff in January.
Credits:
W+K NEW YORK
Executive Creative Directors: David Kolbusz, Jaime Robinson
Creative Directors: Brandon Henderson, Caleb Jensen, Erwin Federizo
Creatives: Will Binder, Andy Dao, Jed Heuer
Executive Producer: Temma Shoaf
Assistant Producer: Lisa Delonay
Head of Integrated Production: Nick Setounski
Account Team: Mike Welch, Joe Morelli
Project Manager: Kristin Daly
Business Affairs Manager: Tana Prosper
Head of Business Affairs: Sara Jagielski
Traffic: Sonia Bisono, Andy Hume
PRODUCTION
Production Company: Arts & Sciences
Director: Matt Aselton
Director of Photography: Peter Donohue
Executive Producer: Marc Marrie
Managing Director: Mal Ward
Producer: Zoey Odum
EDITORIAL
Editorial Company: Cosmo Street
Editor: Tom Scherma
Assistant Editor: Andy Berner
Post Producer: Luiza Naritomi
Post Executive Producer: Maura Woodward
VFX
VFX Company: The Mill
Producer: Andrew Hamill
Lead Compositor: Anne Trotman
Compositor: Jeff Butler
Compositor: Rob Meade
MUSIC
Music: Co Walker
Executive Producer: Genevieve Vincent
Composer: Adam Brock
TITLES
Company: Joint
Motion Graphics: Dustin Bailey
Producer: Michelle Carman
MIX
Mix Company: Sonic Union
Mixer: Steve Rosen
COLOR GRADE
Color Company: Company 3
Colorist: Tim Massick