m:united Breaks Out the Carols in ‘Winter Wonderland’ for Microsoft’s Surface Pro 3

m:united has launched a new holiday spot for Microsoft’s Surface Pro 3, entitled “Winter Wonderland.”

As you might have guessed from the title, the 30-second spot makes use of the carol of the same name. And as you might have guessed from recent Surface Pro 3 ads, the spot is based on a minimalist comparison with Apple’s MacBook Air, visually limited to the computers in question and two pairs of arms. “My Mac is great, it’s so delightful,” begins the ad, with a reworking of the holiday carol sung in a somewhat grating voice. “So’s my Surface, it’s just as powerful,” answers a chorus, as the ad then goes on to list the features that make the Surface Pro 3 superior: the touch screen, digital pen, kickstand and detachable keyboard. By the end of the spot, the Mac booster is ready to make the switch to the Surface Pro. Somehow we don’t think most Mac fans will be quite so easy to convert.  (more…)

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McCann Names New ECD

Today brings news that agency vet Mat Bisher has been promoted from GCD to ECD at McCann. His primary responsibilities in the new role will concern the global Microsoft account and New York-based Jose Cuervo.

The release tells us that Bisher, who joined the agency as Senior Art Director in 2005, helped McCann win both accounts (the latter thanks to the “Have a Story” campaign starring one Jack Bauer). We also know him as one of the minds behind the now-infamous clip telling us what, exactly, a “digital ninja” does.

Bisher’s work to date has earned plaudits from the usual suspects including Cannes, the Clios, the Webbys, the One Show and more; at McCann his past clients include Verizon Wireless, MasterCard, Chevy, Nature Valley and Dentyne.

Global Creative Chairman Rob Reilly writes, “…Mat is one of the brightest stars we have, so it made sense to move him into a position to succeed on a big stage.”

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McCann NY, LAIKA Craft Dioramas for Jose Cuervo

McCann New York has a new campaign for Jose Cuervo that takes viewers on a journey through the brand’s history via handcrafted dioramas housed inside, you guessed it, Cuervo bottles. The results are pretty intriguing, and make the dioramas of your grade school past look pretty crappy by comparison. Called “History in a Bottle,” the campaign also includes an augmented reality app, which can be downloaded at CuervoHistoryApp.com. The app allows users to  “hover over a bottle of Tradicional (Silver or Reposado) and bring the campaign to life.” It’s no surprise that the dioramas look so good. McCann commissioned LAIKA/house, the animation studio behind the stellar films Coraline and ParaNorman to handcraft each of the five distinctive dioramas, as well as the other imagery of the campaign. Stick around for credits after the jump. continued…

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Jose Cuervo, McCann NY Want You to ‘Get Stung’

Jose Cuervo is introducing its new Cuervo Cinge — “Cuervo with a cinnamon sting”  – with a new animated spot by McCann NY and Elastic.

Directed by Andy Hall, “Get Stung” is pure eye-candy. The spot is well-animated, with a very appropriate red-tinted effect throughout (because cinnamon, get it?). There’s not a whole lot to the 30-second spot: scorpion walks into a bar, drinks tequila, sets bar on fire. But then there doesn’t have to be. Why the bartender serves tequila to a scorpion is never really explained, but suspension of disbelief, right?

As an introduction to a new product, the spot works well. If you like the idea of cinnamon-flavored tequila, this ad will make you excited to try it. If not, you can still appreciate the artistry that went into animating it. I’m rarely going to have something negative to say about a simple, well animated spot about liquor. I wasn’t crazy about the “Get Stung” tagline at first, but they make it work with the whole “sting of cinnamon” description and it serves its function as a way to help people remember the product.

It’s a departure from McCann’s “Have a Story” opus starring Kiefer Sutherland, and a welcome one. Perhaps the “be more interesting, be different…” approach typified by certain Dos Equis ads is finally on its way out. Hopefully this simple, elegantly animated approach from McCann spreads beyond their other work for Cuervo and starts a new trend in boozey advertising. Credits after the jump. continued…

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Let’s Go Adventuring with Kiefer Sutherland, Jose Cuervo, Shall We?

Kiefer Sutherland’s voice is somehow simultaneously soothing and forceful. His gravelly intonation, coupled with his beautifully weathered face, is completely convincing regardless of the words involved. In this Jose Cuervo spot created by McCann Erickson New York, Sutherland’s ultimate message is, “Have a Story.” He pushes a shot across the bar to us and then we follow him for an impromptu concert, a spontaneous tattoo, a brief lover’s brawl, and some bonsai clipping.

It’s not the first time Sutherland’s channeled his 24 character, Jack Bauer, though Cuervo’s spot is a subtle representation. For Acer of course, he got jazzed about a new Dynamite Cupcakes business, obviously involving explosions and suspense.

This is the classic alcohol campaign (be more interesting, be epic, defy expectation, blah blah), but Sutherland pulls it off gracefully. And since ‘story’ has been a buzzword of late, McCann did well to incorporate in this effort for the tequila fave. Let’s take that shot.
Credits after the jump

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