basketball-istic!

Damn! The atmosphere was hot and tense during our tv commercial shoot. For some reason, the cameraman couldn't keep a sharp focus on the basketball player who was doing dunk shots. After the nth take, the director got pissed, shouted expletives in the vernacular (?!*#??) then threw his microphone at the tv monitor!

What is it about basketball that makes men go ballistic? Fouls result in bad behavior. Wrong calls end in fist fights. And now, even shooting an action-packed basketball scene drives advertising directors crazy!

Must be the free flow of testosterone, the male hormone responsible for physical energy. The very substance that drives a man to 'lose it'.

Ironically, it's the same one that pushes him to win. :-)

(Left to right) Basketball players / advertising models Ram Sagad and Marx Topacio show us some hardcourt attitude.

The Basketball Be@rbrick (top, left) is from the Nike Bearforce One Series, a promotional set of 10 that was released in 2003. Through the years, Nike has been regularly producing Be@rbricks to boost sales. Fortunately, their designs are quite imaginative and clever, unlike some promoters who simply slap on their logo on the bear. Nice job, Nike! :-)

reinventing love

At JWT Manila, the advertising agency where I used to work back in '97, Art Directors took a test before they were hired. One of the test problems (sort of) went like this:

'The heart has been the symbol of love for as long as we can remember – aren't you bored with it? Go ahead, design a new icon to take its place.'

Interesting exercise, wasn't it?

Just yesterday, we shot a television advertisement where we featured newlyweds. Similarly, the challenge for us was how to portray these clichèd characters in a new way.

Check it out below: we went for a wedding couple with a hipper style. Long hair, canvas shoes and a Vespa for him. A hiked up skirt and a tomboyish straddle on the bike for her. No guests throwing rice. No wedding cake. No white doves.

In my opinion, the principles of advertising are like the laws of love –

One, you simply can't bore the consumer – you have to continually reinvent the product to keep it exciting.

Two, a strategy is mandatory – you must plan to make it work.

And three, creative execution is key – from the setting, to the music, to the script/conversation, to the costumes – everything must be perfect!

(Hmmm, come to think of it, there is life after advertising for me... marriage counseling! :-D)

The 2006 Valentine Be@rbrick (top, right) is one of the few that come with a 50% size bear. The heart symbol on its chest has been modified to include an @ symbol. Why? Here's my take on it.

Models: Century Tuna Superbods Runners-up JC Tiuseco & Mica Tuaño assisted by Make-up Artist Effie Go