Hasta La Creative!

ArtClass is pleased to announce an exciting addition to their team of next generation storytellers. Joining the roster of the LA and NY-based production studio is award-winning director Cody Stokes. Hailing from the Midwest, Stokes makes poignant commercials, narrative films, and documentaries that touch the heart.

As Executive Producer Geno Imbriale says, “Authenticity is the pillar of Cody’s work. He knows how to trigger emotion and connect with the viewer, a skill that runs throughout his expansive portfolio. At ArtClass, we’re looking forward to taking Cody’s artistry and production pedigree into new and unexpected avenues.”

The prolific Stokes has over a hundred commercial projects under his belt. He’s crafted ads for brands including Toyota, Nike SB, American Express, Microsoft, Yahoo, BMW, ESPN, and Dreambone. Inspired by his mother’s love of craft, and his father’s love of story (and classic 60’s films like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid), Stokes was primed to impart a depth, richness, and relatability to all of his work.

In his short films, it takes Stokes only a couple of minutes to translate complex or deep emotions, be it mourning a loss, bearing loneliness, rooting for escape, or delighting in whimsy. His sense for pacing and performance results in narratives that are genuine, captivating, sometimes uplifting, and always emotive. The recipient of the Princess Grace Award for filmmaking, Stokes’ use of light and sound brilliantly punctuates scenes and transitions, especially in shorts like Paper Hallways, A Year Long Morning, and The Loneliest Place On Earth.

Stokes’ first full-length narrative, a crime drama called The Ghost Who Walks, is rounding the film festival circuit in summer 2019. It has already won six awards at the St. Louis Filmmakers Showcase, including Best Narrative Feature, and won the Jury Award at the 2018 US IN PROGRESS section of the Champs-Elysees Film Festival.

For Stokes, having a supportive team can make all the difference, which is why he found himself linked up with ArtClass, having previously worked with EP Geno Imbriale. “ArtClass is the kind of company that helps directors – and creators of all kinds – be the best versions of themselves. They provide a platform to explore new ideas and really hone one’s craft,” says Stokes. “I feel very privileged to be part of such a diverse group of creatives.”

A grumpy old man hates de Rio Carioca Beer ads and find them a bunch of losers.

“These Rio Carioca Beer ads, love to mock everybody. That’s why they don’t sell anything, or have money to appear on TV. LOSERS!”

“Rio Carioca Beer ads never shoed a woman in a bikini!”

The grumpy old man insists: “I’m not being funny about these Rio Carioca Beer ads. My son likes them. He’s a loser too.”

Campaign: #losers

Brand: Rio Carioca Beer

Agency: 11:21

Criative Director: Gustavo Bastos

Copywriter: Gustavo Bastos

Account Manager: Diego Crisostomo

Media Manager: Rodrigo Sani

Production Company: Movie Machine

Director: Bruno Miguel

Approved by: Luiz Eduardo Vieira

Would you treat a cake better than you would your friends? Turns out, most people do. Research shows that when Belgian motorists have food on the passenger seat 87% of them drive with extra care. Because they really don’t want to ruin that cake.

This insight led mortierbrigade to come up with the idea of the Safety Cake. A beautiful and fragile piece of pastry that has an immediate impact on the motorists’ driving behaviour. Joost Berends, Creative Director at mortierbrigade, explains:

“The idea started from the principle that we drive more careful when we transport food on the passenger seat, like for instance a pizza, some Chinese takeaway or a cake. An inquiry further confirmed this observation. With the Safety Cake we seek to bring across a very clear message about our driving behavior not being very logical, in a way that people can recognize. Because why wouldn’t you be just as careful with your passengers as with the cake standing next to you?”

With the hashtag #TreatYourFriendsLikeACake mortierbrigade invites motorists to treat their friends like a cake. I mean, with care.

Laura Gonzalez Schena, coordinator at RYD:

“With the Safety Cake we want to address road safety in an original and positive way. We don’t want to moralize or point fingers, yet seek to open the discussion with a positive message.”

The Safety Cake is part of a global awareness campaign and also has a wide social component, in order to reach as many young people as possible. With the hashtag #TreatYourFriendsLikeACake RYD and Renault invite young motorists to treat their friends as they would a cake. Motorists can find the campaign movie on www.safetycake.be, along with the recipe to drive safely.

Ad agency: mortierbrigade – Brussels