For many viewers the commercials that aired during the Big Game XLVIII are what provided the real entertainment. Famous Frames is extremely proud to have been an integral part of a number of the best spots to hit air.
RadioShack "The Phone Call" / Client: GSD&M / Artist: Nick Randall
In this spot, stars from the 80s smash through the front door of the store and loot all of the outdated furniture, equipment and technology. Whether it’s Hulk Hogan hoisting shelving units, Mary Lou Retton stockpiling old-school radios or Alf and Chucky escaping in the DeLorean, this commercial has enough nostalgia to make anyone want to shop at RadioShack again. According to artist Nick Randall, it was as much fun to make as it was to watch! He says, "it was a fun job with great creative- that took me back to my early teenage years."
Wonderful Pistachios "Colbert" / Client: Fire Station / Artist: Michael Lee
You can always count on Stephen Colbert! In this spot he provided an exciting ending to the night, as his Wonderful Pistachios spot was one of the few ads kept under wraps leading up to the big game. Artist Michael Lee commented, "these drawings are pretty simple, but we were basically exploring several gags that would pay off the spot. There were probably half a dozen ideas to work out with Colbert and his team, but I think once the ideas were put down into drawings the choice was fairly obvious. The drawings also made it pretty clear to the visual effects group on how to execute the idea. It's always amazing how a few drawings can make navigating an idea much clearer."
Intuit Quickbooks "GoldieBlox" / Client: RPA / Artist: Kathy Berry
GoldieBlox is a new a toy company with the goal of getting girls interested in engineering. This spot was the winner of Intuit’s “Small Business, Big Game” campaign, which had our artist Kathy Berry very excited about being involved- “Once in a while there are jobs that I work on that stand out above the others, this was one of them because they are calling it, ‘the commercial that made history!’ Goldie Blox was one of thousands of small businesses that competed to win a free Big Game ad. It was not only a joy to see that they won the contest but the commercial they shot was one of the ideas I helped board out for them.”
Hyundai Genesis "Dad's Sixth Sense" / Client: Innocean / Artist: David Mellon
“Remember when no one could save the day like Dad? That was then. This is next,” the video is captioned. The commercial features a dad and his sixth sense, saving his son throughout his life from harmful situations. However, he couldn’t help his son when he got distracted on the road – that’s where Hyundai comes to the rescue! The final product on this spot was a bit different from the initial boards by artist David Mellon, but he was proud of his work nonetheless. “I've been doing this for years but it's still a real kick to see a storyboard turn into a TV commercial - particularly if it's in the middle of the Big Game. This is a lovely spot that works well with repeated viewing. No surprise - Robert Prins was the Art Director; A guy with a couple of kids, who knows what he's talking about when it comes to being a dad. As you can see from every one of these boards, the finished ad always changes a bit in execution. We had the dad driving, but it's a much better payoff having the kid behind the wheel.” We love it when our artists and clients really see eye to eye, it makes for great end results and gives us an awesome product to show off!
A Million Ways to Die in the West / Client: Big Picture Entertainment / Artist: Renee Reeser
There's still about six months until Seth MacFarlane's new film A Million Ways to Die in the West hits theaters, but this Big Game teaser gave us a first look at the film. While working at Big Picture Entertainment, Renee Reeser had a lot of fun making these boards. She says about her experience “I’m a huge fan of Seth’s work, and love that my frames were a key force in getting him to sign off and get on board with the tone of the project. I’d worked with Charlie Emde before, so I felt that he trusted me and let me do my own thing.” A Million Ways to Die in the West will hit theaters on May 30.
Chevy "Life" / Client: Leo Burnett / Gorgeous / Artist: Yori Mochizuki
The second of Chevy's Big Game commercials this year is a touching one, featuring an emotional tribute for cancer survivors everywhere. The sentimental spot, for Silverado trucks, included a reminder that this past Tuesday was World Cancer Day and highlighted Chevrolet’s support of the American Cancer Society’s “Purple Road” initiative. Famous Frames artist Yori Mochizuki said about his contributions to the spot, “I worked hard to visually express the shift in mood from melancholy to hopeful with simple line drawings and gray tones. Subtlety was crucial for everything in this spot from storytelling to facial expression.”
We hope you’ve enjoyed the commercials and the art that is integral in creating them. Until next year!