Why Run a Marathon? This Wonderfully Fun Ad From Iceland Has Lots of Good Reasons

There are times when creatives sigh heavily, slump their shoulders and give themselves a facepalm when they see other work—not because it's bad, but because the concept was right in front of them the whole time. That's the reaction many might have to a new marathon ad out of Iceland. Tipping its hat to a wide range of Hollywood set pieces and tropes, the spot promoting the Reykjavik Marathon, from financial institution Islandsbanki and Icelandic agency Brandenburg, reminds us that running can have its benefits in all manner of unexpected situations: [kickout id="1"] “You Better Run” is dense, engaging work that features 13 locations in the country and a frenetic string of cinematic Easter eggs, leaving it to viewers to sort out all the references. Some of the classics include North by Northwest, Sleeping Beauty, The Graduate and Goodfellas. Most impressively, the spot was shot over the course of only two days. But it’s the concept that truly shines. The spark for the creative started when two of Iceland’s most famous actors approached the bank asking to participate, as long as their compensation went to the charity of their choice. Knowing that top-tier talent was available, the creative team pondered why people run and, in this case, why actors run. For most of the population, running is all about health. For actors, fear or survival is the strong motivator to get those legs pumping. "We knew we had to do something special when we suddenly had the crème de la crème of Icelandic actors on board for promoting this year's Reykjavik Marathon," said Jón Ari Helgason, one of Brandenburg's creative directors. "It was one of those rare moments we all crave where you know instantly that this is the idea to run with—pun intended." With high production values, Steve Winwood’s “Keep On Running” serves as the soundtrack for the work, giving it the perfect pacing. Sixty seconds might not seem a great deal of time for something this ambitious, but this is done exceptionally well and proves that a spot can accomplish quite a bit even in a short production window—as long as you hurry. CREDITS: Client: Islandsbanki Agency: Brandenburg Creative Directors: Jón Ari Helgason, Hrafn Gunnarsson Associate Creative Director: Högni Valur Högnason Art Director: Dóra Haraldsdóttir Copywriters: Bragi Valdimar Skúlason, Guðlaugur Aðalsteinsson Account Executives: Sigríður Theódóra Pétursdóttir, Ragnar Gunnarsson Production Company: Skot Production - Iceland Directors: Samuel & Gunnar Executive Producers: Hlynur Sigurðsson, Inga Lind Karlsdóttir Producer: Andri Omarsson D.O.P.: Ottar Gudnason Editor: Gunnar Pall Olafsson VFX: Kontrast Color Correction: Seamus O’Kane, The Mill London Online: Trickshot Sound Design: Gunnar Arnason

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Why Run a Marathon? This Wonderfully Fun Ad From Iceland Has Lots of Good Reasons

Shot in just two days, the spot is a film lover's delight

Doug Zanger

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Doug Zanger