Hasta La Creative!

JWT New York recently launched “Ready, Shave, Shine” for Schick, a “a music video inspired by the  brand’s partnership with Pitch Perfect 2.”

The ad, which acts as an extension of its “Rock Your Legs” campaign for the brand, is a bit troublesome for its women-on-women body shaming. Obviously, it’s JWT’s job to sell Schick’s products (specifically Schick Hydro Silk, Schick Intuition and Skintimate in this ad), but referring to a woman without any visible hair on her legs as having “leg hair like a porcupine” feels offensive and woefully outdated, especially in the wake of other brands’ efforts to combat stereotypical ideals of beauty. Later on the ad attempts to backtrack a bit, telling viewers “…don’t hate it, just shave it,” but it feels like a small concession ahead of anticipated backlash and clashes with images of women (again, without any actual visible leg hair) covering up their legs in shame. Ultimately, the spot just feels in poor taste (and not just because of the music). While the brand claims the ad “celebrates the different steps a woman takes each day to create a confident style as unique as the legs she stands on” in a press release, that’s certainly not the impression we got from it. In addition to the “Ready, Shave, Shine” spot, the campaign also includes limited edition products, a custom Spotify channel, social media efforts, and in-film product placement.

Credits:

Executive Creative Director: Sarah Barclay

Creative Directors: Matt Zavala, Suyin Sleeman

Copywriters: Erin Copithorne, Kate Carter

Head of Production: Lisa Setten

Executive Producer: Jason Way

Director of Music: Paul Greco

Music Producer: Matt Nelson

Account Team: Claire Capeci, Ariel Stern, Erik Wagner, Amy Achenbaum, Angela Gonzalez

Client Team: Charles R. King, Camilla Medeiros, Kathleen Shanahan, Mike Sherman, Christine

Engelhardt, Stefanie Weintraub, Anne Eddinger

Director: Adam Shankman

Production Company: Independent Media

Editing House: PS260 (Editor – JJ Lask)

Colorist: Tim Masick @ Company 3

Music House: Wojahn Music and Sound Design

Audio Engineer – Tom Jucarone @ Sound Lounge

Media Agency: MEC

JWT Atlanta worked with stunt driver Rhys Millen on a new spot for Pennzoil entitled “Airlift Drift.”

The 90-second spot sees Millen cruising around Cape Town, South Africa in the 707 horsepower Dodge Hellcat Challenger before being lifted on a platform by helicopters while drifting. That last bit, of course, is accomplished with the aid of special effects, but Jeremy Jones, executive creative director at JWT Atlanta, told Adweek, “Everything from the get-go was rooted in the idea of realism,” adding, “The load capacity of the helicopters, the chains, the shape of the platform and support beams. It’s all mathematically and theoretically possible.”

“Airlift Drift” promotes Pennzoil’s natural gas motor oil, which promises “Next Level Performance.” JWT Atlanta introduced the product last May with an ad called “Complete Protection” which they billed as a “first-of-its-kind TV commercial shot on gaseous vapor clouds.” For “Airlift Drift” JWT Atlanta worked with director Ozan Biron, who directed “Ultimate Racetrack” for BMW last year.

“We learned he was the magician behind ‘Ultimate Racetrack,’ and we had to have him,” Jones told Adweek. “He’s a complete car guy, and pushes the driving to crazy levels. It’s so raw and uncommercial.”

Credits:

Client: Pennzoil

Agency: J. Walter Thompson Atlanta
Perry Fair: Chief Creative Officer
Jeremy Jones: Executive Creative Director
Dustin Tamilio: Group Creative Director
John Huddleston: Copywriter
Erin Fillingam: Art Director
Daryll Merchant: Producer
Erin McGivney: Account Director
James Robbins: Senior Planner

Production Company: The Embassy, Vancouver
Director: Ozan Biron
Executive Producer: Trevor Cawood
Editor: Ozan Biron
Assistant Editor / Conformist: Brendan Woollard  (Cycle Media)
Director of Photography: Manoel Ferreira

Visual Effects: Imagine Engine
Visual FX Supervisor – Bernhard Kimbacher
Onset Supervisor  – Neil Impey

Precision Driver: Rhys Millen

Content Production Company: Lemonade Films
Executive Producer: Ted Herman
Production Supervisor: Philip Fyfe

South African Service Company: Uncle Morris Films
Line Producer – Steven St Arnaud
Production Manager – Herman Warnich
Prod Coordinator – Andrea Scott

Colorist: Dave Hussey, Company 3

Sound Design: Charles Deenen, Source Sound LA