Hasta La Creative!

An engineer ventures out during a thunderstorm and literally catches lightning in a bottle to power the Acura ILX in this cinematic spot from Mullen.

Johnny Green of Reset Productions—much lauded for his Under Armour ad last year with ballerina Misty Copeland—directed the automaker’s 60-second clip, which also features an orchestral reworking of the Pixies’ 1988 track “Where Is My Mind” (which pops up quite a bit in ads). In fact, Joey Santiago of the Pixies recorded this version with Acura.

“Innovative performance is a core quality of the Acura brand, and the spot captures that essence in a visually compelling and emotional way,” says Acura general manager Mike Accavitti.

Indeed, the music and images are well matched, and Green’s storytelling is top notch. Even so, the effect is somewhat less than the sum of its parts. We’ve got lightning blots, a zippy car, a stirring soundtrack … yet the spot feels restrained—bottled up, if you will—when it could have been dazzling.

Ah well, this is just the first strike in a broader Acura campaign themed “Catch It If You Can.” Perhaps subsequent ads will pack more of a charge.

CREDITS
Brand: Acura
Client: Mike Accavitti, Senior Vice President, General Manager
Client: Ed Beadle, Senior Marketing Manager
Client: Leila Cesario, National Advertising Manager
Car Model:  2016 ILX
Spot Title: Bottle

Agency:  Mullen LA
Chief Creative Officer: Mark Wenneker
Executive Creative Director: Margaret Keene
Creative Director/Art: Paul Foulkes
Creative Director/Writer: Adam Calvert
Sr. Art Director: Sean Stell
Writer: Natasha Hugeback
SVP, Director of Integrated Production: Jon Drawbaugh
Senior Broadcast Producer: Meagen Moore
Content Producer: Elaine Russell
Business Affairs/Music Supervisor: Danica Bates
Managing Director: Cameron McNaughton
VP, Account Director: Nicole Neopolitan
Account Supervisor: Courtney Calvert
Account Executive: Kylie Mugg
Product Specialist: Curtis Milward

Production Company: Reset
Director: Johnny Green
Managing Director: Dave Morrison
Executive Producer: Jeff McDougall
Producer: Betsy Oliver
DP: Paul Cameron

Editorial: RPS
Editor: Damion Clayton
Assistant Editor: Benjamin Cline
Producer: Rebecca Baker

Color Correct: A52
Colorist: Paul Yacono

Animation/Graphics:
VFX Supervisor/Lead Flame Artist: Andy McKenna

VFX: A52
Head of Production: Kim Christensen
Executive Producer: Jennifer Sofio Hall

Audio Post: Lime Studio
Mixer: Joel Waters

Audio Post: 740 Sound Design
Original Music: The Pixies, Joey Santiago
Name of Track: Where is My Mind