Is there any product more American than denim? Denim is made from cotton, a domestic crop across the South. And denim is worn by blue-collar workers, tech workers and rock stars from coast-to-coast. If Americans have a uniform, it’s made from denim. But which cut and which brand is the right one for you? Levi’s, […]
The post When You’re Authentically Cowboy, Hipsters Eat You Up appeared first on Adpulp.
The Big Lebowski is a cult film from the Coen brothers that’s arguably more popular today than ever. Pendleton Wollen Mills, one of the Pacific Northwest’s original outdoor brands, is the lucky beneficiary of the film’s evergreen nature. Why? The Westerly, dude, that’s why! Jeff Bridges wore his own clothes for this role, and though […]
The post Don’t Be A Moron, Donny. The Dude’s Sweater Can Be Yours! appeared first on Adpulp.
The Lacoste crocodile is one of the most iconic brand marks in the world. In an innovative new promotion, the croc is making way for ten threatened animals in a collection of extremely limited-edition polo shirts. To help bring attention to the global environmental crisis, the French fashion company has partnered with International Union for […]
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Cathie Black is a media superstar and a force to be reckoned with. She was the first female publisher of New York Magazine, president and publisher of USA Today, president of Hearst Magazines (home of Harper’s Bazaar, Cosmopolitan, Esquire, and Town & Country), and the New York City Schools Chancellor. Black is also one of […]
The post Fashion Startup Connects With Its #MMostRemarkableWomen Series appeared first on Adpulp.
Retail is the point of decision in consumer marketing. When a person stands before a product in the store, it’s decision time. The same holds true for people placing products in an online Shopping Cart. Will the shopper abandon or will she purchase? These are fundamental questions for the country’s greatest retailers to address on […]
The post Brilliant of Reckless? Nordstrom Local Is A Store With No Clothes. appeared first on Adpulp.
Frank Ocean. Singer, songwriter, magazine editor, underwear model.
And now, perhaps, novelist.
While fans lose their minds over whether the mysterious R&B singer’s long-anticipated second album might, possibly, just maybe be released in July, he is providing a peek into his relationship with music, boxer briefs—and more subtly, long-form fiction writing—in a new Calvin Klein campaign.
Ran during the kickoff show.
The original version of the ad aired in the 1990s and is one of the most iconic and memorable beauty spots of the era and is still remembered today. The remake is part of campaign re-launching two of Herbal Essences’ most popular lines from the same era (the Smooth and Shine Collections) with Sonzero tapped to give it a hip, modern twist. “I haven’t been this excited about a project in a long time,” Sonzero says. “The mojo on the shoot was fantastic. It was great collaborating with Atelier Creative Director Kristin Moore-Gantz and Producer David Schiavone—good people, great vibes, real pros.”
The gorgeous Nicole Scherzinger, who was named Herbal Essences Global Brand Ambassador last year, was the ideal choice to reinvent one of advertising’s most iconic taglines. “Nicole is so hot!” Sonzero offers. “She was perfectly cast for this role. She is stunning and has a mischief factor that is totally charming. I had no idea that she trained for the opera.”
“It was a unique project—reviving a retro classic—and Jim rocked it,” adds Moore-Gantz, atelier SVP Global Creative Director. “Jim’s respect for Nicole and his renowned beauty shooting finesse illuminated Nicole’s humorous side and her striking beauty.”
Sonzero shot the spot at Air Hollywood, a Pacoima, California shooting stage that specializes in airplane sets. The director’s crew modified an existing mock-up of a passenger compartment with an upscale, modern and fun look. “We spruced up the interior with colored Plexiglas panels and resurfaced the galley with stainless steel,” Sonzero recalls. “We also used colored lighting to give the interior a clubby feel.”
“Jim and Nicole were a fun pair to watch working on set,” notes Moore-Gantz. “They are both pros and both have a great sense of humor. It made shooting gorgeous Herbal hair in an airplane bathroom, so beautiful!”
Sonzero employed Thomas Kloss as director of photography and used Alexa and Phantom cameras to capture shots.
Directs 6-spot national “Beauty Scene” campaign conceived by Free Media.
LOS ANGELES—Top fashion and beauty director Jim Sonzero of Sonzero Films has directed a gorgeous, new campaign for Macy’s and Free Media promoting the retail giant’s national Beauty Scene event running now through October 1st. The six-spot package features some of the world’s most beautiful models in an elegantly stylized treatment promoting such prestigious brands as Clinque, Prevage-Elizabeth Arden, Clarins, Dior, Lancome and Origins. Sonzero used groundbreaking lighting techniques and engaging, upbeat performances to excite women about a variety of new beauty and skin care products.
Each of the spots presents world-class models and beauty products against a white, limbo background, a concept designed to highlight the girls’ colorful features and flawless skin. The scenarios are further enlivened by a buoyant music track and vibrant graphic treatments. Sonzero worked closely with Free Media creative director Vivien Vitolo and executive producer Joan Babchak in designing the visuals. Additionally, he and director of photography Jim Fealy developed a unique lighting strategy to make the models’ faces pop. “We used a mini parabolic umbrella and negative fill to create a solid, three-dimensional look,” Sonzero explains. “It worked—the footage looks clean and modern.”
“I wanted to raise the bar on shooting flawless skin,” Sonzero adds. “I’ve worked with Amy Oresman, our brilliant make-up artist, on Neutrogena many times. Combining her talent and Jim Fealy’s lighting was a dream. They both delivered. The girls were insanely gorgeous—that helped.”
The performances are natural and energetic, avoiding the staid clichés of beauty advertising. “I wanted to move past the ‘entranced model,’” Sonzero notes. “The camera was dynamic, always moving. The tone on set was fun! fun! fun! The girls’ spontaneous performances breathed life into the shots with an upbeat optimism.”
Sonzero shot the commercials on 35mm film with an Arri 435 camera. The director prefers to shoot beauty on film as it continues to produce results superior to digital capture, while lowering post-production costs.
Sonzero took particular care in casting, selecting a group of models who were multiethnic, approachable and, of course, beautiful. Commenting on the task of directing some of the world’s most beautiful women, Sonzero jokes, “My life sucks!”
See also Macy’s Beauty Scene Clarins and Macy’s beauty scene Clinique
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