Clik here to view.
Riding the bus isn't boring—not when you can hallucinate a bunch of miniature cars engaged in a high-speed chase on the floor below you.
At least, that's what DirecTV says it will feel like to use its cross-device service, which lets subscribers take recorded shows to go on tablets and smartphones. A new spot, titled "Chase," was created by Grey New York, and directed by Doug Liman, also the director of The Bourne Identity and Mr. & Mrs. Smith. That choice pays off. The generic story line of a redhead in a cherry muscle car dodging cops feels like it's from a TV show or action thriller that you should know, even though it's not.
All of the little cues, down to the flutter of stolen $100 bills, are dead on point. The soundtrack, AC/DC's "Shoot to Thrill," may be obvious, but it's perfect. The tiny-cars idea has been done before, too, but sparingly—and the execution here is just as strong.
The degree to which the spot blends the real and virtual worlds is a bit of a stretch—but only a bit. In fact, it's a nice illustration of the ubiquitous pseudo-escapism of a mobile-connected culture. The illusion isn't that far divorced from the view you'd really get walking through a crowded aisle with your head buried in your iPhone, watching a spy flick.
Still, even if you buy what DirecTV selling, you might not want to be that person.
CREDITS
Client: DirecTV
Spot: "Chase"
Agency: Grey, New York
President/CCO: Tor Myhren
Executive Creative Director: Dan Kelleher
Creative Director: Denise O’Bleness
Associate Creative Director: Heather English
Agency Executive Producer: Andrew Chinich
Agency Producer: Matthew Flaherty
Agency Associate Producer: Lindsay Myers
Production Company (location): Independent Media, Inc. (LA)
Producer: Susanne Preissler/Denise Rocchietti
Director: Doug Liman
Director of Photography: Mauro Fiore
Editor (person & company): Saar Klein, Lost Planet NY
Sound Design: Stephen Dewey, Machinehead
VFX: The Mill, NY
