awards – Page 2 – universal positive

Best-case scenario: Kathryn Hempel, Cutters Studios

May 10, 2024September 16, 2015 by Roger Darnell

Generally speaking, on the best days, my job breaks down to a careful balance of art and craft. I’m hoping that this art/craft angle will be an interesting way to talk about some others I admire, and what we’re achieving together. Due to the uncommon success of our joint efforts, I’m choosing Kathryn Hempel and all her colleagues at Cutters Studios as the perfect subjects to explore a new variation on the classic case study, which I’m calling a “Best-Case Scenario.”

With love to director Brad Tucker for putting us all in contact, a lot went into making Cutters Studios a solid fit for me when we joined forces last year. The very first “Cutters” commercial editorial facility had opened in Chicago 34 years earlier, but by January 2014, the parent Cutters Studios group was also operating studios in Detroit, Los Angeles, New York City and Tokyo… spanning all aspects of commercial production, post-production and creative development. Relatively soon after partnering up, I learned about the Always #likeagirl campaign that Kathryn was editing for Leo Burnett and Chelsea Pictures director Lauren Greenfield, and I had a chance to counsel everyone on all the ways we might use PR to promote the work and everyone behind it.

By then, I already had a very good sense of what sets Cutters apart:

Rihanna and The Uprising Creative bring important message to MTV’s Music Video Awards

May 10, 2024August 28, 2015 by Roger Darnell

When directors Darren Craig, Jonathan Craven and Jeff Nicholas from integrated creative + production company The Uprising Creative got together with Rihanna earlier this year to discuss a music video for the artist’s new “American Oxygen” single, everyone came away with some very inspired ideas. “We wanted to showcase both the positive and the negative,” the directors explained when the video was finally released widely in mid-April. “The struggles within the country and the ones those outside the country face in coming here; the dark side of the positive and the light side of the negative.”

Well before then, the powerful images of Rihanna performing in front of a giant American flag received international attention when they were used by the NCAA as a central part of the organization’s high-profile on-air campaign promoting March Madness all across the country. The video was officially released exclusively on Tidal in early April, where it ran for a full week before hitting Vevo and YouTube.

With well over 100 million views between Vevo and YouTube alone, the project has obviously drawn in a massive audience. This weekend, it’s up for a coveted MTV Video Music Award, in the Video With a Social Message category.

Marketing Innovation: Under Armour

March 21, 2024July 28, 2014 by Roger Darnell

On July 17, top executives from the world’s major sports marketing companies gathered in New York City to honor the best in sports advertising, design and communications at the first-ever Clio Sports Awards. That night, Steve Battista proudly accepted the Brand Innovation Award on behalf of Under Armour, where he serves as senior VP brand creative. Behind the scenes, I know that many of the companies and talents I have had the privilege to work with are also celebrating this monumental win. For example, global creative agency ATTIK provided key support for Under Armour’s launch of Armour39 (wearable tech that helps you track your workout intensity), as did creative production company Shilo… which also produced many of the epic brand films (including the one above) that have made Under Armour’s YouTube Channel must-see TV for serious athletes.

A story by Austin Siegemund-Broka for The Hollywood Reporter chronicles the brand’s growing success, and offers this insight

Read moreMarketing Innovation: Under Armour

Case study: Smart ways to communicate

May 9, 2024May 12, 2014 by Roger Darnell

To me, one of the best ways to understand how effective marketing works is to look at campaigns that have won the most or the biggest creative industry awards, and you won’t find a recent campaign that has been more successful at winning major awards than this one from McCann’s office in Melbourne, Australia. I discuss many awards submissions with my clients every year, and in my experience, oftentimes what makes a project award-worthy is the documentation you can provide – especially when you can clearly present valid results the work has helped deliver. This theory is backed-up by the documentation for Dumb Ways to Die from McCann Melbourne, which was named “Most Awarded Agency” by Advertising Age in 2013 thanks to this project earning numerous “best of show” honors from the major international programs, including a record five Cannes Lions Grand Prix (in the Film, Integrated, Direct, PR and Radio categories).

Here are some highlights of the verbiage the agency used for this project, which was produced for Melbourne Metro Trains.

Case Study: Shilo

May 9, 2024April 15, 2014 by Roger Darnell

Last updated on Apr. 15, 2014: Shilo’s Filmmakers Shine Ever Brighter as Partners for Brands and Agencies Seeking Provocative, Original Commercials and Films

“Inspired and United Client and Agency Contacts Keep Global Media, Professional and Industry Targets In Steady Contact with Shilo’s Projects, Vibe and Culture”
See also: SHILO MEDIA COVERAGE

Shilo is an Emmy Award-winning creative production company representing a group of filmmakers led by director Jose Gomez. Internationally known for creating provocative, design-infused original film and HD video content, Shilo’s artists in New York and La Jolla, California, produce spellbinding short films, music videos and commercials for leading advertising agencies and brands. Shilo also published its own book in 2007 (“We Make It Good”) and curates the popular website WeMakeItGood.com.

Steve James: Thanks for the documentaries

May 9, 2024January 16, 2014 by Roger Darnell

Once again this year, the pre-Sundance buzz is headline news worldwide, with The Daily Telegraph asking if, at age 30, the renowned festival still has its edge. There and in widespread coverage, the latest news from filmmaker Steve James leads the way. Steve’s new Kartemquin Films feature documentary “Life Itself” executive produced by Martin Scorsese will have its world premiere at this year’s festival, and he will also be honored during a 20th anniversary Sundance screening set for “Hoop Dreams,” his very first film, which is also one of history’s highest-grossing and most-acclaimed documentaries. Steve continues breaking new ground as a director and I am definitely a huge fan. I also have much love, respect and admiration for Loretta “LJ” Jeneski of Nonfiction Unlimited, the LA-based commercial production company that has represented Steve and many of the planet’s best documentary filmmakers for commercial and creative assignments since 1995.

Future forward with production studio Leviathan

March 22, 2024July 9, 2013 by Roger Darnell

As the principals of design-focused production studio Leviathan begin their fourth year in business together, their impacts are growing in virtually every dimension. While the montage featured here and at www.lvthn.com presents most of their latest large-scale visual experiences crossing all media, many new achievements are currently in the works as well.

At each new turn, projects like these for The North Face and Callaway via Factory Design Labs, for Kelley Blue Book via Doner, for Western Digital via R&R Partners, for Dodge via Union AdWorks, for HP via Designkitchen, and for musical artists Amon Tobin, Skrillex and others are leading in new directions.

Read moreFuture forward with production studio Leviathan

Adapting to the unknown with R/GA

March 22, 2024June 24, 2013 by Roger Darnell

R/GA is a full-service digital agency that transforms the way people interact with brands. The slideshow embedded above was part of a March 2013 talk from R/GA Chicago’s Abraham Velázquez Tello and Joseph Delhommer revealing how designers and technologists are redefining the creative process through close – and frequent – collaboration. Recently at the One … Read moreAdapting to the unknown with R/GA

Transcending dimensions with The D4D

May 9, 2024April 10, 2013 by Roger Darnell

Hoping you will enjoy this behind-the-scenes look at how The Department of the 4th Dimension designed the experience, content and technology for the Lucid Dreams exhibit in Sephora & Firmenich’s Sensorium, the world’s first pop-up fragrance museum.

“In the Lucid Dreams interactive installation, visitors can affect floating holographic dream images inspired by Firmenich’s master perfumers. Using a high tech flower sculpture, the images transform based on the power of the individual’s sniff – triggered by the unique sound transmitted by the physical act of smelling. The multidisciplinary team at The D4D designed the complete Lucid Dreams experience including each room’s architecture, short films, floor-to-ceiling motion graphics, glowing sniff-registering flowers and the software that drives the interaction. Every step of the creative process was taken hand-in-hand with the perfumers at Firmenich to ensure a truly integrated and multisensory experience the brings their fragrances to life.”

Read moreTranscending dimensions with The D4D

Sharing secrets: Architizer

May 8, 2024December 5, 2012 by Roger Darnell

The principals of Architizer.com believe the internet can transform the way architects do business.

Since launching in 2009 with the mission of connecting architects to a vibrant network of peers, fans, and potential clients, the open community has become the largest and fastest-growing database of architecture online.