Hasta La Creative!

Microsoft says a mouthful in this ad from Crispin Porter + Bogusky. And—surprise!—those words are spoken by Siri, Apple's voice assistant, from an iPad sitting next to a Windows 8 tablet. As the latter wordlessly flips through various features, Siri apologies for being unable to run those programs and perform the same functions. "I'm sorry, I don't update like that," she says. "I'm sorry, I can only do one thing at a time." I half expected a tax app to pop up on the tablet's screen and be greeted by an awkward silence from Siri. Maybe in the sequel. This is Microsoft's second spot in a week to deftly parody a rival's ad style (in this case, Apple's stylish minimalism), following its skewering of Google's Chrome browser. The tablet ad, which references the iPad mini's "Piano" spot from last October, is approaching 2 million views on YouTube in just a couple of days. There are some chatty personal assistants, like Indigo, available for Windows devices. But for my taste, the ultimate Microsoft PA voice would speak in measured, calm-yet-crazy cadences, providing sadly poignant commentary as the OS crashes into a sea of blue when its mind begins to go.

Now that the dust has settled around the overplayed Windows smartphone wedding commercial directed by Roman Coppola, there’s a void in Windows-bashing-Apple negative campaign ad territory. Well, with some help from CP+B, the brand is back to tackle a new comparative subject: tablets.

There are actually two new spots, first covered over at Mashable, both taking not-so-subtle digs at iPad products. The spot above even goes as far as to use Siri against Apple – in short, iPads can’t do as much as Windows 8 tablets. But you can play chopsticks on an iPad for whatever that’s worth. And if you watch the commercial, it’s apparently not worth much. You have to respect the brash stance Windows is taking here. They are clearly playing catch-up in the publicity game, and going after Apple in such a direct fashion could be the right way to make up the distance. And the best part is, since both companies are so rich, suing each other over copyright infringement and/or libel won’t even make a difference. Ding, ding. Time for the next round to begin. You can watch the more informational attack ad after the jump.

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Another day, another new title created at Crispin Porter + Bogusky, which finally confirms what we first reported a couple of weeks ago, that Brian Skahan has indeed returned to the fold His new title? Well, as you can see above, it’s something called XCD, which we’ve been told pertains to a creative director who “is in charge specifically of complex digital projects.”  Essentially, Skahan will serve as a digital jack-of-all-trades at the agency, rotating from client to client whenever a major digital project or digital platform is in the works.

As previously mentioned, Skahan’s first tour-of-duty at CP+B lasted approximately three-and-a-half years, during which time he served as VP/creative technology director and led development teams for clients including Microsoft, AmEx, Guitar Hero (RIP) and Domino’s. Besides his work with the Boulder-based bunch, Skahan spent two years as managing director/CTO at the agency formerly known as Publicis Modem, working with clients including P&G Oral Care and Citi for last year’s Olympics.

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Yeah, we got this news just before noon EST, but thanks to meetings and what not, we were kinda hampered. But, whatever the case, let us tell you if you haven’t heard already that CP+B and longtime client Domino’s continue their efforts to promote ultimate transparency for the brand to the masses with “Domino’s Live.” Salt Lake City is the pizza chain’s venue of choice for this pilot program, and with the aid of five installed cameras, we get quite the glimpse into the what happens when pizza chains stop being nice and start getting real. Ok, maybe it’s not that dramatic, nor as high-tension or unintentionally hilarious as something like Food Network’s Restaurant Stakeout and its host with horrible grammar, but you can check out the goings on here. Consider this effort one that brings your Domino’s web-based “Pizza Tracker” to life, if you will, though we’re not sure which viewing experience is more exciting at this point.

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Son of The Godfather and Apocalypse Now director, Francis-Ford Coppola, Roman Coppola was on a bit of a winning streak after co-writing Wes Anderson films The Darjeeling Limited and Moonrise Kingdom. However, after directing the near-universally panned Charlie Sheen vehicle, A Glimpse Inside the Mind of Charles Swan III, Roman lost a healthy portion of the goodwill he had racked up. As The A.V. Club put it, the film “it isn’t a movie so much as a feature-length perfume commercial for a Charlie Sheen signature cologne with gorgeous packaging and absolutely nothing inside.” So, yeah. It was pretty bad.

Seeking solace from tomato-throwing critics, Roman did what all directors attempting to recover from a stinker do: Join forces with CP+B for a Microsoft TV spot. Here, we see Roman channeling his own life experiences to sell Windows Phones. Sure, says Roman metaphorically through this spot, there are haters are either side of the aisle. But you can’t have the naysayers keep you down, you know? Yes, some people like Apple phones and some people like Samsung phones, just like some people like good movies and some people like other good movies. But, just because your movie isn’t “good” or your phone isn’t “good” either, doesn’t mean to have to be part of the fighting. As Jay-Z once said, “Get that dirt off your shoulder.” Most assuredly, Roman was playing this track on set throughout the production of this ad.

Embrace Roman Coppola, and embrace Nokia Windows phones. Credits after the jump.

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It’s been a busy week on the staffing front at CP+B. Just days after announcing a slew of creative hires in its L.A. office, the Boulder-based agency brings us the news that it’s welcomed back Heather Lefevre, who you might remember from this clip, to serve as group planning director in its Miami office. Lefevre initially worked at Crispin from fall 2007-2008 as a senior cognitive anthropologist (can never get enough of that title) and was part of the multiple award-winning teams that worked on Whopper Freakout and Whopper Sacrifice.

During her career, she’s also held planning positions at the likes of what was then StrawberryFrog Amsterdam as well as DDB Amsterdam, The Martin Agency and Mullen. Lefevre’s not the only one reuniting with CP+B, though, as the agency has also welcomed back Greg O’Neal to serve as account director on Bing. O’Neal’s first tour of duty at CP+B lasted two years and during his career, the account vet worked at the likes of Razorfish and BBH.

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Mr. T guest-stars as a living pun in this Crispin Porter + Boguksy ad for Old Navy Best Tees, which are more stylish and durable than their previous ones. That's not a huge accomplishment, but whatever, it's their ad. (T also appeared in a two-minute Old Navy infomercial last year with Anna Faris.) I enjoyed the quiet irony of putting Mr. T on a plane, when B.A. Baracus was scared to death of them, but it's a little hard for the audience to accept that he can just kick the bathroom door down in a post-9/11 world. No T-shirt in the world can get you out of that kind of trouble.

CREDITS
Client: Old Navy
Agency: Crispin Porter + Bogusky
Partner/Worldwide Chief Creative Officer: Rob Reilly
Executive Creative Director: Jason Gaboriau
Creative Director: Robin Fitzgerald
Creative Director: Cameron Harris
Associate Creative Directors: Alexandra Sann, Mike Kohlbecker
Sr. Copywriter: Dafna Garber
Copywriter: Chelsea O'Brien
Art Director: Mary Dauterman
Director of Video Production: Chad Hopenwasser
Executive Integrated Producer (Music): Bill Meadows
Executive Integrated Producer: Deb Drumm
Junior Integrated Producer: Jackie Maloney
Executive Business Affairs Manager: Amy Jacobsen
Business Affairs Manager: Michelle McKinney
Production Company & City: Smuggler, Hollywood, CA
Director: Randy Krallman
Assistant Directors: Jey Wada, Erin Stern
Executive Producers/Partners: Patrick Milling Smith, Brian Carmody
Executive Producer/COO: Lisa Rich
Executive Producers: Allison Kunzman, Laura Thoel
Head of Production: Andrew Colón
Producer: Paula Cohen
Director of Photography: Bryan Newman
Editorial Company & City: Cut + Run, Santa Monica, CA
Head of Production/Senior Producer: Christie Price
Executive Producer: Carr Schilling
Editor: Frank Effron
Assistant Editors: Heather Bartholomae, Brooke Rupe
Visual Effects Company & City: Method Studios, Santa Monica, CA
Executive Producer: Robert Owens
Producer: Colin Clarry
Set Supervisor: Rob Hodgson
VFX Supervisors: Jason Schugardt, Michael Sean Foley
Lead Composer: Kelly Bumbarger
Graphics & Animation Company & City: Buck, Los Angeles, CA
Executive Creative Director: Ryan Honey
Executive Producer: Maurie Enochson
Sr. Producer: Nick Terzich
Associate Producer: Ashley Hsieh
Art Director: Jenny Ko
Designer: Sean Dekkers
Animator: TJ Socho
Music Company & City: Search Party, Portland, OR
Executive Producer: Sara Matarazzo
Producer: Chris Funk
Composer: Terence Bernardo
Sound Design & City: Machine Head, Santa Monica, CA
Sound Designer: Stephen Dewey
Producer: Patty Chow Dewey
Telecine & City: Company 3, Santa Monica, CA
President/Colorist: Stefan Sonnenfeld
Executive Producer: Rhubie Jovanov
Partner/Managing Director: Steve Erich
EGroup Account Director: Danielle Whalen
Account Director: Kate Higgins
Content Management Supervisor: Laura Likos
Content Supervisors: Jessica Francis, Kendra Schaaf
Content Manager: Alex Kirk, Michelle Forbush
Group Director, Planning: Lindsey Allison
Cognitive Anthropologists: Jennifer Hruska, Tiffany Ahern

We’ve received confirmation from those in the know that Paul Sincoff, who’s spent nearly two years copywriting at Mekanism on campaigns such as this one for Method, has headed to Boulder and officially started this week as an associate creative director at Crispin Porter + Bogusky. If you recall, Sincoff was the man behind the “Ad Agency in My Mind” site during a brief stint at SVP/ACD on JetBlue among other accounts while at Mullen back in 2011. During his career, Sincoff spent a handful of years at TBWA\Chiat\Day and one as an interactive copywriter at TBWA\Tequila on a variety of past and present accounts from Playstation to Visa.

Along with Sincoff’s hire, CP+B has also promoted Ryan Nikolaidis, the man who helped lead work on the Jell-O “Jiggle It” app, to the rather unique title of associate director of physical computing.

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Since last week, we’ve been hearing about a certain “test” that Crispin Porter + Bogusky’s executive director of creative development, Evan Fry, laid upon certain creatives in recent weeks at the Boulder hub. Fry, if you recall, rejoined his old shop last fall after co-founding crowdsourcing-loving Victors & Spoils.

According to those in the know, Fry’s test did not in turn eliminate staff–though we’re hearing otherwise. The questionnaire we received, which contained a handful of inquiries, via tipsters was apparently inaccurate, save for those regarding how one would redesign an ad for a certain client among other things. Sources familiar with the matter would not elaborate on which client it was as it’s being protected for time being. We were told initially that approximately 10 creatives were let go as a result of the test, but CP+B sent us this statement:

“We are constantly assessing that the right people are working on the right things and this series of questions was one way to do that. No one was terminated or will be terminated due to their answers and that was never the intention of these exercises.”

We have some names, but will spare the innocent and not reveal those who were allegedly let go.

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50,328 dominoes, to be exact. How’d they do it? With seven Domino Experts (cool, yet random), 1 protege (not as cool, more random), and “top secret domino stackers.” Can we just stop for a second and talk about the Domino Experts? They all look like older versions of kids from the Diary of a Wimpy Kid trilogy, and I’ve never even seen those movies.

Putting together this appreciative gesture took 120 hours of labor. However–I hate to do this–there’s a grammatical error. The “We Like You Too” should actually read, “We Like You, Too.” They never said the Domino Experts were Punctuation Masters.

No word yet on what Domino’s will do for their 163,000 Twitter followers, but let’s hope the protege becomes the eighth Domino Master whenever that time comes. CP+B credits after the jump.

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