Eschewing the type of treatment typically associated with soccer games (e.g..
a humdrum pastiche of goal kicks and famous players), Digital Kitchen
conceived of and produced the spot with a pure cinematic eye.

“The creative
challenge was to make sure we conceptualized something that would not look
and feel and smell like a thousand traditional soccer montages,”
says Johan Liedgren, creative director at Digital Kitchen. “Instead,
Digital Kitchen captured more elusive emotions that precede the World Cup:
100% pure anticipation.

Digital Kitchen dispatched a small camera crew to Cape Town, South Africa,
to shoot everything from soccer players getting ready to candid street
scenes. The crew used a shot list as a starting point but was always on the
hunt for “little off moments that had more authenticity than anything we
could ever plan,” as Liedgren explains.

DK took their original footage and
juxtaposed it with stock footage to create a rousing montage that captures
the vitality not only of the game, but also of life in South Africa. Thanks
to the vibrant, immersive footage, the spot transports fans to the African
nation and simulates the excitement of being there, waiting for the games to
begin. “It’s not just anticipation, it’s anticipation that’s happening
now,” explains Digital Kitchen editor Brian Cole. “It’s a montage of images
that could all be happening a few miles from each other.”

To further build a sense of anticipation, Digital Kitchen applied quick jabs
of sound to keep viewers on their toes and bathed the spot in vivid colors.
The first 10 seconds are seeped in red — a girl in a red skirt, fans in red
jerseys. The next 10 seconds are bathed in orange — neon signs, a sunset
glow, the orange seats of a stadium.

The spot progresses through the colors
of the rainbow and eventually climaxes with an explosion of mingled color.
Though it’s subtle, the progression of color creates a visual arc that
unifies the panoply of imagery. DK also peppered the spot with close-ups of
television screens and pixilated soccer footage to connote the experience of
televised viewing.

“We wanted to find a raw and primal sense of South Africa and in soccer, and
combine the two in a meaningful way,” Liedgren sums up.

About Digital Kitchen
Digital Kitchen is a digital agency and production company. We demand
consumer attention by disrupting their existing perceptions of marketing and
media. We believe that credibility is the cornerstone of post-modern
communication and strive for authenticity in everything we do. To achieve
this we have erased the lines between commerce and art and agency and
content producer.

This hybrid capacity has allowed us to move effortlessly between the
entertainment and marketing worlds and provided us with the tools and talent
to craft innovative, effective, and award-winning solutions in both. We
uphold the highest creative standards for our work, product and people.

Credits:
BBC WORLD CUP

TV MARKETING CAMPAIGN

CREDIT LIST

Client: BBC Sport Marketing
Head of Marketing and Communications, BBC Sport: Louisa Fyans
Marketing Manager, BBC Sport: Karen Potterton

Agency: RKCR Y&R

Executive Creative Director: Damon Collins
Art Director: Paul Angus
Copywriter: Ted Heath
Agency Producer: Ella Littlewood @ Red Bee Media

Production Company: Digital Kitchen
Head of Creative: Mark Bashore
Executive Creative Director: Matt Mulder
Creative Director: Johan Liedgren
Executive Producer: Eric Oldrin
Senior Producer: Chezik Walker
Editor: Brian Cole
Directors of Photography: Trevor Fife & Morgan Henry
Designers: Sean Dekkers & Chris Abbas
Colour correction: Ryan Gagnier & Cody Cobb

Music: The Dallas Guild (Soviet Science)

“Why does allrecipes.com in the potato gun sequence appear at once, and not the text first and images second? And why does it appear to render from bottom of the screen to the top?”

Chrome sends the rendered page to the video card buffer all at once, which is why allrecipes.com appears at once, and not with the text first and images second. Chrome actually paints the page from top to bottom, but to eliminate a shadow from the driver board, we had to flip the monitor upside down and set the system preferences in Windows to rotate everything 180 degrees, resulting in the page appearing to render from bottom to top.

“Why does the top one third of the page appear first on the weather.com page load?”

Sometimes only half the buffer gets filled before the video card sends its buffer over to the LCD panel. This is because Chrome on Windows uses GDI to draw, which does not do v-sync.

“The screen wipes are so smooth – how was that achieved?”

The screen wipes up in a gradated wipe because LCD pixels take around 10ms to flip and gradually change color.

We’ll be releasing the results of these speed tests:
http://chrome.blogspot.com/2010/05/pe…

http://www.google.com/chrome

The technologically ambitious project leverages every computer feature from webcams to microphones to synthesize the various interactive components, extending Smart’s universe to allow people to explore Hotels.com’s top US-based destinations. The AR site allows the user to add a layer of content over what they see onscreen. They simply print out a “marker” on a piece of paper and then hold it up to their webcam, which causes a 3D model of their city of choice to appear.

The result is a fun, informative adventure that provides customers with a plethora of useful information as they book their trip. As the user navigates the site, Smart guides them through each city’s unique interactions: they can modify the Hollywood sign with their name by typing it into an on-screen box, whistle a tune on Bourbon Street with the microphone detection feature, or modify any other Claymation city on the list. The site also provides weather, local event information, and deals for each city.

“This idea grew out of a series of TV spots starring Smart. Y&R wanted to extend this into the online world, so they approached Jason,” noted Tool Digital EP Dustin Callif. “He’s rapidly gaining a reputation for creating entertaining live action campaigns, yet still loves to play in the interactive sandbox. This is the kind of innovative work that not just Jason, but everyone at Tool strives to create.”

Zada conceived the site and helped execute the campaign, pushing the capabilities of the various forms of technology that he integrated into the site and architecting the optimal way to do the playback. He treated the project as if it were an interactive animated film, playing a large role in the production of a music soundtrack and the sound design. The result is a superb balance of the concurrent playback of video, 3D and augmented reality that tells a fun, simple and surprising story. Tool also advised the voiceover lines using Helms as the voice of Smart.

While Zada’s Salt101.com site (Carmichael Lynch) recently earned FWA’s site of the day and his Nike’s Pro Combat banners (W+K Portland) were shortlisted for a 2010 Webby, hotels.com presented an entirely new opportunity. “I had been attracted to the idea of augmented reality, but had never seen something that could cross the lines of being useful but also entertaining,” stated Zada. “Using the character Smart, I was excited to take people on a journey through 10 cities across the US. Using AR, we were able to really transport the viewer to a new location and experience the city on their terms through sight, sound and personalization.”

This site and others have been so highly regarded that multiple agencies have approached Tool for three more interactive sites. The Hotels.com site, www.virtualvacay.com, launched the last week in April.
Credits:
Client: hotels.com
Website: Smart’s Augmented Reality Adventure
Launch Date: April 2010
Agency: Y&R Chicago
CCO: Ken Erke
VP/CD: Sonya Grewal
Art Director: Richard Fischer
Copywriter: Evan Thompson
Director of Production: Brian Smego
Producer: Jayson Miller
Prod Company: Tool of North America
Director: Jason Zada
EP: Brian Latt
EP Digital: Dustin Callif
Digital Producer: Maggie O’Brien
Digital Production Manager: Alexandra Austin
Flash Developer: Zero Fractal
Designer: Mike Hansen
Tutorial Video Director/DP: Chris Kaliszewski
Tutorial Video Editor: John Morelli
Animation Studio: Zero Fractal
Sound Designer: Christophe Eagleton
“Smart” Narration: Ed Helms

Read more: http://www.trustcollective.com/portfolio/content/tool_hotels.php#ixzz0n4K0cDO4
Attribution: Written content created by TRUST: http://www.trustcollective.com
Under Creative Commons License: Attribution Share Alike

ATLANTA, Feb. 11, 2010– Sprite is giving teens a platform to express their creativity through music and film in the brand‘s first-ever global integrated marketing campaign, The Spark. Innovative TV commercials, an online interactive music mixer featuring content from GRAMMY® nominee Drake and a digital film mixer willinspire and enable teens to spark fresh thinking and display their originality.
Worldwide, additional artists will be showcased through The Spark campaign, including film, commercial and music video director Rik Cordero and four-time World Music Award winner, Jay Chou, in China.
“Our research shows that fresh ideas and experiences are important social currency for teens,” said Joe Tripodi,Chief Marketing and Commercial Officer, The Coca-Cola Company. “Whether its music, film or sport, through The Spark campaign Sprite is providing an original, interactive way for teens around the world to showcase and share their creativity with others.”
The Spark takes its name from Sprite‘s newly updated Spark logo, which captures the lemon-lime sparkling beverage‘s unique ability to refresh and invigorate. The campaign will launch in markets around the world in 2010 and across 4continents including Europe, North America, Africa and Asia. North America will lead the global launch with a campaign that embodies the essence of TheSpark.
“In the U.S. we‘re combining the global debut of the new Drake ad ‘Unleashed,’ the action of the Sprite Slam Dunk during NBA All Star 2010 and the originality of Sprite Step-Off to offer people multiple ways to experience The Spark of creativity that only Sprite can provide,” said Katie Bayne, Chief Marketing Officer,Coca-Cola North America.
TheSpark campaignis a fully integrated marketing effort that includes TV, out-of-home, digital and mobile applications.
Drake“Unleashed”
The first TV commercial for The Spark, titled “Unleashed,” features celebrated hiphop artist Drake struggling to find inspiration in the studio while recording his hit song “Forever.” Drake drinks a Sprite, helping unleash his lyrical prowess. The commercial – produced in 30- and 60-seconds versions– is airing in cinema and made its TV debut during the pregame telecast of Super Bowl XLIV. A behind-the-scenes video, available online, will give music fans a peek into the making of the commercial and showcase the innovative technology used to create the Drake look-a-like animatronics model for the ad‘s unusual special effects.
“The animatronics model is cool because it‘s an exploded version of me that shows all the components of who I am and the things that inspire my music. After I drink a Sprite, the model reassembles, leaving me completely focused to deliver the perfect take,”said Drake. “The Sprite ad ‘Unleashed’ gives a behind-the-scenes view of my process of recording a song in-studio.”
TheSpark will reach people through two stages – one focused on music and a second on film.
The Sprite Spark Music Project
The Sprite Spark Music Project, due to launch in the US in March, is an online mixing tool that will enable people to make their own tunes using stems from Drake‘s music and remixing them with music from emerging artists around the world. Fans can share their creations with friends, rate other fan remixes, and even save their favorites as mobile ring tones.

The Sprite Spark Film Project
The second stage of the campaign, the Sprite Spark Film Project is due to launch in April and provides people with the tools and content to edit their own 45-second animated films.The user calls the shots, deciding on the setting, the characters, the plot,and the ending. The result is a mini-movie in an animation style that‘s engaging, modern and cinematic.

North America
The Spark has already gained momentum in the U.S. through the brand‘s marketing partnership with the NBA and programs such as the Sprite Step Off. Since1994, Sprite has been connecting with youth through its relationship with the NBA and its presence at NBA All-Star, which is being held this year in Dallas,February 11-14. The Sprite Slam Dunk, part of NBA All-Star Saturday Night,features the league‘s top players competing in an exhibition of incredible dunks. This year‘s competition is being promoted through a series of new Sprite The Spark ads called “Spoken Word,”which use rhymes by lyrical poets to highlight the players’ creativity and authenticity on the court.
In addition, NBA All-Star will showcase the finale to the first-ever Sprite Slam Dunk Showdown, an amateur dunk contest held on February 12 in Dallas. An All-Star panel of judges will help determine the finalists in the event, including NBA All-Star and 2009 NBA Most Valuable Player presented by Kia Motors, LeBron James, NBA Legend player Darryl Dawkins and Drake— who will perform live during the Sprite Slam Dunk Showdown.Sprite Spark
The Sprite Step Off is the largest college fraternity and sorority stepping competition in history,with a total prize pool of $1.5 million in college scholarships and a new MTV2docu-series that follows the six step teams as they compete in the national step competition. New out-of-home featuring LeBron James debuted earlier this month, and later this year the Sprite Film Mixer, with Rik Cordero, and Music Mixer will be launched to further support The Spark campaign.
“The many elements of the new Sprite The Spark campaign are designed to empower teens to play, experience and interact with our brand and feel their creativity come to life,” said Bayne.
Credits:
Title: Unleashed
Client: Sprite

Agency: Bartle Bogle Hegarty, New York
Chief Creative Officer: Kevin Roddy
Creative Director: Amee Shah & Matt Ian
Art Director: Erik Holmdahl
Copywriter: Beth Ryan
Head Of Broadcast: Lisa Setten
Producer: Jennifer Moore

Production Company: aWHITELABELproduct, Los Angeles
Director: Benjamin Steiger Levine
Executive Producer: Ellen Jacobson-Clarke, Annique DeCaestecker
Line Producer: Lynn Zekanis
Director of Photography: Chris Soos

Editorial Company: Cut + Run, New York
Executive Producer: Angie Aguilera
Producer: Beth Fitzpatrick
Editor: Steve Gandolfi

Visual Effects: MassMarket, New York
Executive Producer: Rich Rama
Producer: Aleen Kim
Lead Flame Artist: Nick Tanner
Flame Artists: Julian Ford, Mark French, Sarah Eim, David Parker, Joanne Ungar, John Ciampa
Jr Flame Artists: Jeen Lee, Dan Boujoulian
Designers: Greg Herman, Derek Stratton
CG Supervisor: Pakorn Bupphavesa
CG Lead Artist: Ed Manning
CG Artists: David Barosin, Jimmy Gass, Keith Kim, Eban Byrne, Ciaran Maloney
CG Modeler: Tom Cushwa
CG Trackers: Joerg Liebold, Denis Trutanic
CG/Nuke Artist: Adam Flynn
Pre-Viz Artist: Joshua Sherrett

Telecine Facility: Company 3, New York
Telecine Artist: Tom Poole

Audio Facility: Sound Lounge, Nyc
Audio Engineer: Tom Jucarone

Music Company: Squeak E Clean Productions
Executive Producer: Zach Sinick
Track Arranged By: Brent Nichols & Rusty Logsdon
Sound Designer: Steve Mccarty
Music: Title: “Forever”, Drake

Endtag Animation Company: Brand New School, Los Angeles
Executive Producer: Ned Brown
Producer: Garrett Braren
Art Director: Ludovic Shorno
Animatronics: Spectral Motion
Effects Supervisor: Mike Elizalde
Creative Consultant: Mary Elizalde
Production Coordinator: Brian Walsh
Puppeteer/Lead Animatronic Technician: Mark Setrakian

Sprite PR materials – Video and photo link at http://sprite.digitalnewsagency.com