| Reel Chicago – At the intersection of Chicago Advertising, Entertainment, Media and Production
Reel Chicago is a daily digital magazine that covers the news in Chicago on all aspects of advertising, film, TV, media and production. The content is original, written by industry experts and contributing Op Eds
The Illinois Lottery launched its very first instant ticket, 7-11-21, in 1975, bringing players millions of dollars in prizes over the past 45 years. With the actual date of 7/11/21 occurring this year, there is no better time to celebrate this legendary ticket! To make the most of these numbers aligning, the Illinois Lottery is … Continue reading “Illinois Lottery celebrates first instant ticket 7-11-21”
If you’re looking for a last minute gift that’s sure to impress, consider spreading joy and possibility with Illinois Lottery holiday instant tickets. “For many Illinoisans, this holiday season won’t be a traditional one,” said Illinois Lottery Acting Director, Harold Mays. “We hope the Illinois Lottery can help bring some joy during these unprecedented times. … Continue reading “Illinois Lottery last-minute DIY gift ideas”
A new campaign for the Illinois Lottery from its agency O’Keefe Reinhard & Paul (OKRP) stars a charming – but somewhat flawed – hamster who playfully demonstrates the real joy in gifting the Lottery’s holiday instant tickets. When not in his cage, Claude the Hamster exercises his love of scratching, leaving his scratch marks on all surfaces … Continue reading “OKRP ‘Brings Back Joy’ in new Illinois Lottery campaign”
A new spot from the Illinois Lottery pays tribute to the winning spirit of the people of the State of Illinois, through the story of a family and how they face the trials of everyday life when the mother in the family cannot go home. The spot was created by the Lottery’s creative agency, O’Keefe Reinhard & … Continue reading “OKRP’s Illinois Lottery spot goes beyond monetary prizes”
A WINNING LOTTERY STORY for a change. The Illinois Lottery’s agency, Energy BBDO, actually assigned its new commercial to a 100% bona fide Chicago production company. Foundation Content, an Illinois corporation, staff created and produced the 3D all-graphics spot for the Hispanic market.
In other Foundation news: Heavy hitter Beth Goss was hired as senior strategist for Foundation’s L.A. office.
If you’re looking to win big – there’s a couple of life changing Illinois Lottery jackpots up for grabs over the next couple of days, with a combined prize total of $690 million. Both the Mega Millions and Powerball Lottery jackpots have rolled to over $300 million, which could make it a weekend to remember! … Continue reading “Up for grabs this weekend two Lottery jackpots worth $690M total”
If you’re looking to win big this weekend, then Illinois Lottery players should pick up Mega Millions and Powerball tickets as both jackpots are rolling, with a combined jackpot of over a half billion dollars to play for. As the jackpots grow, so does the excitement. The next Mega Millions drawing is this Friday night, … Continue reading “Over half a billion in Lottery Prizes up for grabs this weekend”
The Illinois Lottery is extending its highly successful ‘You Can’t Hide Winning’, integrated marketing campaign from agency O’Keefe Reinhard & Paul to add additional support for the introduction of new instant tickets for the summer of 2020. The advertising first started in July and helped to support Instant Ticket sales growth of 10% in the following … Continue reading “OKRP Lottery campaign shows “You Can’t Hide Winning””
The state’s new agency of record tempts visitors with the allure of ‘fascinating possibilities’ Chicago-based O’Keefe Reinhard & Paul captured the wonder and awe of traveling in a new campaign for the Illinois Office of Tourism. Enhancing the state’s long-time Are you Up for Amazing? concept with a focus on ‘Amazing,’ the multi-channel campaign opens … Continue reading “OKRP puts Illinois ‘Up For Amazing’ in new campaign”
New seven-week, multi-platform campaign showcases the emotion of turning Lottery tickets into holiday gifts (Chicago — Nov. 14, 2018) Illinois Lottery advertising agency O’Keefe Reinhard & Paul partnered with Camelot Illinois, the Lottery’s private management company, to create a holiday marketing campaign that focuses on the joy of thoughtful giving. The seven-week campaign brings to … Continue reading “OKRP helps Illinois Lotto go for the heart”
Leslie David Baker plays a grumpy genie who sternly informs lotto players, “You can’t wish for multiple wishes” Leslie David Baker — who made fans of The Office laugh with his trolling of Michael Scott for eight seasons as Stanley Hudson — now has a new target for his grumpy, eye-rolling expressions: The Illinois Lottery. … Continue reading “‘Office’ star trolls in OKRP’s latest for IL Lottery”
“ANYTHING’S POSSIBLE” is the Illinois Lottery slogan, except perhaps for the actual possibility of Northstar, hiring an Illinois production company for its Illinois Lottery commercials.
As a rule, ReelChicago doesn’t go in for editorializing. There are times, however, when something provocative comes up that can’t be ignored. Like now.
Illinois Tourism, through JWT Chicago, its agency since 2004, continues, unchecked and unabated, to hire LA production companies for its television advertising.
STORY’S executive producer Cliff Grant says their recent Illinois Lottery project was “one of those shoots where everyone had a good time.” The laughter flowed naturally, as the director and star of the Lottery commercials was comedian Andy Richter, Conan’s guy with the quick comeback.
THE LATEST AWARD for the Illinois Lottery was the top “Batchy Award” bestowed upon its multi-faceted “Anything’s Possible” campaign by NASPL (North American Assn. of State and Provincial Lotteries) in the Corporate/Beneficiary category. It competed with submissions from 40 other US and Canadian lotteries.
The Illinois Lottery and agency Downtown Partners/Chicago won what is the biggest and most prestigious award in the North America lottery business: the annual Fleurry Award for the Lottery commercial “Shopping.”
Presented by La Fleur Magazine, a worldwide lottery trade publication, “Shopping” was voted the best TV spot by lottery executives working in the industry, reports Lewis Lazare in Chicago BizJournals.
Life is good. Sometimes anyway.
We’re on record — repeatedly — as having found life to be especially good when viewing the TV commercial work that has been the hallmark of the Illinois Lottery since Michael Jones became superintendent and put Downtown Partners Chicago in charge of the Lottery’s advertising account.
Can it only have been a year since Downtown Partners/Chicago began working on the Illinois Lottery account?
My, how time flies.
And how dramatically so much has changed — for the better we hasten to add — since the agency took over the account from Energy BBDO/Chicago.
It’s the eyes. Yes, the eyes for sure. How do we know the Illinois Lottery and its ad agency of record Downtown Partners/Chicago got this new round of very smart brand commercials exactly right?
It’s the eyes. Absolutely the eyes.
We’re talking about those expressive eyes and the message of fear and longing they so brilliantly convey in the spot simply titled “Shopping.” They are the eyes of the fictional character identified at the top of the spot as those of Will Meyers of Springfield, Ill.
THE ILLINOIS LOTTERY’S HOLIDAY CAMPAIGN was filmed in four locations throughout the state, including two days in Red Bud (pop. 3,700) way down south near the Mississippi River and St. Louis. If Red Bud sounds familiar, it’s because the incredibly lucky winner of the Illinois Mega Millions jackpot last March lives there.
Yes, we know. By now, we know. More than a year into the reinvention and resuscitation of the Illinois Lottery, it’s become clear that “anything’s possible.” In fact, come to think of it, that core message couldn’t be a more apt expression for the holiday season.
Though it was coined just after the holidays last year, the tagline does have about it that sense that miracles can happen anywhere at anytime. Though plenty of us skeptics doubt such things, what’s wrong — at this time of year anyway — with giving the line that added bit of resonance.
Taste. Style. Both are lovely words. Though hardly ones we would — in the past — have commonly associated with the Illinois Lottery. After all, how many tacky, juvenile, schticky TV commercials does one have to sit through before concluding that — in the past — the Illinois Lottery was all about appealing to the lowest common denominator?
The very, very lowest.
The changes keep on coming at the Northstar Lottery Group, the private management entity Illinois governor Pat Quinn selected in the fall of 2010 to run the Illinois Lottery. Northstar is a consortium comprised of Gtech and Scientific Games, both of which are also Lottery vendors.
Batter up! Amid reports that private manager Northstar Lottery Group isn’t making the revenue numbers it brashly told Illinois officials it could hit, the Illinois Lottery this week is turning its attention to a new game to entice more people to buy Lottery tickets.
The new offering is designed to attract the vast legions of fans of that most all-American of sports — baseball.
It’s been a long time coming. But recently-appointed Illinois Lottery superintendent Michael Jones has made it happen. Finally, the Lottery’s marketing game plan is going in a different direction. A markedly different direction.
For years, Lottery TV advertising was filled with crass humor and constant references to the big payouts that were possible if only — if only — players kept buying those tickets.
Of course, the concept of playing the Lottery has not changed one wit — the possibility of big payouts is still there.
It’s ready to go. And it will definitely mark a new era in Illinois Lottery advertising. On Monday, the Lottery unveils its first ad campaign from Downtown Partners/Chicago and its digital partner Critical Mass.
And then there was one — the winner. As first predicted days ago, Downtown Partners/Chicago, in conjunction with digital partner Critical Mass/Chicago, has prevailed in the review to select a new ad agency of record for the Illinois Lottery.
In announcing the winner Wednesday afternoon, Lottery superintendent Michael Jones said “the Lottery looks forward for ways to work closely with Downtown Partners/Critical Mass to maximize revenue to the state in an ethical and socially responsible fashion.”
With just days to go before the Illinois Lottery and its private manager Northstar Lottery Group are expected to name a new ad agency of record for the Lottery, a startling new television commercial from the Lottery has surfaced.
The spot, so markedly different than anything we’ve seen from the Lottery in years, suggests that — going forward under new Lottery Superintendent Michael Jones — it most assuredly won’t be business as usual for anyone involved in running and marketing the Lottery.
And then there were two. Late Friday afternoon — very late — Illinois Lottery private manager Northstar Lottery Group posted the two finalists still in the running for the Lottery’s advertising account.
Those lucky two are: DDB/Chicago and Downtown Partners/Chicago.
The winner will replace Energy BBDO/Chicago, which was dumped soon after Michael Jones returned for a second stint as Lottery superintendent in mid-October of last year.
The five agencies left in the running for the Illinois Lottery advertising account have gotten the assignment from the Lottery private manager Northstar Lottery Group that all will present in their final pitches for the account in early January.
And it is a fairly complex assignment, which, based on sources we have talked to, has caused some grumbling within the ranks of the handful of shops competing for the account.
Why the grousing? Well, some don’t like the fact they are being asked to do a considerable amount of work in a compressed time frame.
We now know which five ad agencies (all in Chicago) have a shot at nabbing the Illinois Lottery account, with the winner expected to be announced in late January.
Those five shops — DDB, DraftFCB, Element 79, Downtown Partners and Young & Rubicam — were tapped to move on from a group of 13 shops that initially submitted proposals a week ago.
For the record, the eight shops that did not make the initial cut are: Euro RSCG/Chicago: Schafer Condon Carter/Chicago; Olson; Gertrude; Blue Chip; Burrell; RPM Advertising and Corn Fed Advertising.
So far so… well, so not according to plan. The race to find a new ad agency for the Illinois Lottery has just begun, and already so much has happened that wasn’t necessarily expected to happen.
But first the latest development. Tuesday morning, more than 12 hours after Illinois Lottery private manager (the first ever) Northstar Lottery Group was expected to name the four semifinalists for the Lottery ad account, the list finally was revealed.
And guess what?
It still isn’t over. Anyone who followed the quick, but torturous process to pick a private manager to run the Illinois Lottery knows it was not pretty.
There were lots of questions asked and suspicions raised along the way by participants in the process and by observers. Most notably, the Auditor General of Illinois released a report several months ago that outlined a number of concerns about how the Lottery private manager procurement process played out.
So the race is on to find the new ad agency of record for the Illinois Lottery. And from what we know now, it promises to be one of the most interesting races ever run for a piece of business here in the, uh, great state of Illinois.
Representatives from more than 50 agencies showed up last Thursday at the Gene Siskel Film Center in the Loop to hear newly-named Illinois Lottery Superintendent Michael Jones and Northstar Lottery Group vice-president of advertising and marketing Jessica Powell talk about the process of picking a new ad agency for the Lottery.
As we prophetically noted could happen in mid-October when Michael Jones was named the new superintendent of the Illinois Lottery, Energy BBDO/Chicago is being dumped as the ad agency of record for the state-run organization.
“We have invited every agency in Chicago to pitch for the account, and we want this to be a totally open process,” said Jones, who hopes to have a new agency in place by Jan. 1, 2012.
Yes, dear readers, miracles do happen. Even, much to our amazement, in Illinois state government. Certainly one of the biggest miracles in the recent history of this state happened late Wednesday.
That’s when Gov. Pat Quinn announced his remarkably smart decision to appoint Michael Jones the new superintendent of the Illinois Lottery.
Energy BBDO/Chicago is about to unveil a major ad campaign for the Illinois Lottery’s new “Cash Spectacular” game. The new game will award 7.6 million prizes — four times more prizes than all the cat videos on the Internet and 22 times more prizes than O’Hare Airport has flights each year, or so we’re told. Props to the person who came up with these bits of trivia.
The new Lottery game, by the time it has run its course, also will yield 25 new Illinois millionaires, unless, that is, a lucky Lottery winner already happens to be one.
IT AIN’T OVER ‘til it’s over. Close followers of our extensive reporting last summer and fall on the protracted process to select the first ever private manager for the Illinois Lottery already know there were plenty of questions raised along the way.
AN UPDATED ILLINOIS LOTTERY holiday spot from Energy BBDO now airing builds last year’s successful musical campaign that encourages Illinoisans to “Joy Someone” by gifting them with holiday scratch-off tickets.
The 2010 campaign, again produced by local 59 Films and directed by Aaron Ruell of L.A. based Biscuit Filmworks, features humorous new lyrics to “Deck the Halls” arranged by Spank Music’s Mat Morse.
Energy BBDO will have a lock on Illinois Lottery advertising and marketing for the next 10 years, with Gov. Pat Quinn having named Northstar Lottery Group as the private manger of the state’s $2 billion lottery.
Energy BBDO is part of the Northstar a collaboration of GTECH, a gaming technology and operations provider and Scientific Games Corporation, which will be paid $15 million a year to run the lottery.
The three companies, which already hold contracts for machines, tickets and marketing, promised to bring in $4.8 million in profits over the next five years.
THE LATEST ILLINOIS LOTTERY COMMERCIAL, this one for the Mega Millions game, via Energy BBDO, was directed by bi-coastal MJZ’s Dante Ariola and edited by Peepshow Post of New York. Illinois’ contribution to the commercial were vendors Filmworkers Club’s visual effects, Spank Music providing the score and audio mixing by CRC’s Michael Mason.
Visual effects director Rob Churchill led the Filmworkers’ team of 3D artists who created CG models of the money that were composited into the backgrounds.
ILLINOIS TOURISM COMMERCIALS are being produced by Story for agency for agency JWT by Story, for the third consecutive year. Director/DP Marcus Stevens shot beautiful locations in Chicago and Downstate last week.
Illinois Lottery commercials, however, continue to be produced by California companies. This time it’s Biscuit, which represents commercial director/DP Aaron Ruell.
Burrell Communications bested three other minority agencies to win an initial two-year, $6.4 million Illinois Lottery contract to provide advertising and PR targeted to African Americans. The contract provides for two one-year renewals.
Carol H. Williams Advertising, E. Morris Communications and Flowers Communications were the three other finalists in the review for an urban agency that began in February.
New York-based Station Films hit the jackpot when it came up the winner in the three-way bid among exclusively coastal companies for the Illinois Lottery’s two-spot Second Chance comedy package that will shoot in Chicago for two days in mid-June.
Energy BBDO, the agency for the Lottery’s $104 million business, also bid L.A.-based Tool of North America and Hungry Man of New York.
Chicago was the Flyover Zone in this bidding round.
The Illinois Lottery appears to be up to its old tricks of hiring a non-Chicago, big name bi-coastal company for its upcoming comedic “Second Chance” promotional package.
Just last month, the Lottery named Energy BBDO for its $19 million business and right out of the box, the client and agency are scorning local production sources.
Admittedly, New York and L.A. production companies vastly outnumber Chicago, but that doesn’t mean the city’s smaller core of talented directors, who have successfully helmed many top national ad campaigns, should be ignored.
Energy BBDO took home the prized Illinois Lottery’s $105 million worth of general market advertising business, winning over competitive agencies JWT and Marc USA for an initial term of two years.
“Each agency brought innovative ideas to the table, but we found Energy BBDO to be best-suited for the Lottery’s needs,” said Sarah Cummins, the Lottery’s marketing director.
Energy BBDO, an Omnicom agency, succeeds R. J. Dale, which had the account since 2006, and was the first African American agency to handle the Lottery’s advertising since the state agency was founded in 1974.
The Illinois Lottery’s $500,000 holiday TV commercial will be produced by a “collaborative effort” between Illinois-based Gobos Film & Entertainment and the New York production company she represents.
Awarded by the Lottery’s agency, R. J. Dale, the collaboration also includes an L.A. director and Chicago post companies.
Sarah Cummins, the Lottery’s marketing director, said it was her understanding that a company with a Chicago office “will suffice” as a legal production entity.
A NICE 10TH ANNIVERSARY PRESENT for Darryl S. Duncan’s Gamebeat Studios was landing the scoring assignment for the Illinois Lottery’s Summer Campaign for the second year in a row.
Gamebeat will compose music for three TV and two radio spots each for the urban market, with version for general and Hispanic markets for lottery agency R.J. Dale and producer Darryl Manuel.
A former songwriter for Warner Bros. and A&M records in Hollywood, Duncan founded his company in April, 1998. He employs seven and works out of a 3,000-sq. ft.
Austin Powers’ sidekick Mini Me touts the “Set for Life” game, with the biggest cash prizes in any promotion in Illinois Lottery history.
The fast-paced “movie trailers” were directed by Radar’s Don Hoeg with the added panache of photography by a famous Hollywood DP.
Radar produced the Troyer “Set for Life” spot as the payoff to the preceding “Set Up” spot for Lottery agency, R. J. Dale.
Hollywood actor Verne Troyer followed comedian and Chicago native Bernie Mac who was features in two earlier “Pick and Play” commercials.
Director Tim Mason started off his new role as the newest addition to ONE at Optimus’ directorial roster by helming spots for Illinois Lottery / Downtown Partners and New Ocean / Golin.
Award-winning documentary director Ky Dickens joined STORY for exclusive national commercial representation. Recent credits include projects for McDonald’s, Tylenol, Huggies, Kohler and the Illinois Lottery. She is currently working on a project for Hallmark.
So now — in advance of its debut later this month — we have the second TV commercial in what can only be described as a new era in Illinois Lottery marketing.
That new era began with the appointment in January of Downtown Partners/Chicago as the new agency of record for the Lottery. DP/C replaced Energy BBDO/Chicago, which was dismissed soon after Michael Jones became the new Illinois Lottery superintendent last October.
SOME POSITIVE PRODUCTION NEWS. Judging by how busy casting directors are right now, late summer spot production for the city is lookin’ good.
For instance, casting director Mickie Pasal of Tenner, Paskal & Rudnicke, reports a torrent of casting calls for commercials, including those for Leo Burnett clients Secret, McDonald’s and Eggo; Budweiser, DDB and the Illinois Lottery/Energy BBDO.
Paskal is most pleased at having cast six Chicago actors for a Blue Cross-Blue Shield shoot in New York Aug.
After CD/art director Tony Williams took a hit when the agency with which he had partnered lost its major account, he reinvented his traditional Gavan agency as a creative boutique focusing on new media projects for small companies.
By adding “urban appeal” to the mix, his business has rebounded quite profitably for these difficult times.
Gavan was just underway as a traditional boutique when “we put all our eggs in one basket,” Williams says, by teaming with R. J. Dale Advertising and Public Relations in pursuit of the Illinois Lottery’s $105 million account.
One of the uses to which Hector Perez of Rocket Productions will put his new high-end HD camera will be minority-designated production services for Energy BBDO’s new Illinois Lottery account.
Perez and long-time associate and fellow shooter, Don Winter of Don Winter Productions, teamed up financially to purchase one of the first Panasonic Varicam 2700 P2 camera systems in the U.S.
The two companies will share the use of the $60,000 system purchased from Roscor “after we took a long time deciding which tapeless system we wanted to invest in,” says Winter.
CROSSROADS IS PRODUCING the latest batch of Illinois Lottery commercials ? a package of three ? for DDB/executive producer Joel Goldsmith. Crossroads’ Chuck Bennett directs, Bob Yeoman lenses and Mike LaBellarte’s Outsider will edit. Casting by O’Connor Casting. Crossroads executive producer is Joanne Bittmann.
American philanthropist and former WGN-TV (Channel 9) television journalist, who survived a kidnapping and murder attempt, Merri Dee passed away at age 85. Her death was confirmed Wednesday by a statement shared by WGN, “Chicago’s Very Own, Merri Dee, was a one-of-a-kind legend. From WGN staff announcer to hosting parade telecasts, telethons and even the … Continue reading “Merri Dee Chicago’s homegrown broadcasting legend has passed at 85”
In total, there is $777 million in jackpot prizes up for grabs with Mega Millions and Powerball this Friday and Saturday night. With Labor Day signaling the unofficial end of summer this week, the Illinois Lottery has top prizes on offer that could lead to an endless summer for some lucky players. The next Mega … Continue reading “Three-quarters of a billion dollars on Mega Millions and Powerball”
The 37th Chicago Latino Film Festival announces the winners and runners-up for the Audience Choice Awards. The Audience Choice Award for Best Feature went to The Heist of the Century, Argentinian director Ariel Winograd’s heist comedy about the most famous and audacious bank robbery in Argentina’s history starring Guillermo Francella (The Secret in Their Eyes) … Continue reading “37th Chicago Latino Film Audience Choice Award wins”
The Chicago Advertising Federation (CAF) announced the winners of the local 2021 American Advertising Awards (AAA). One of the industry’s largest creative competitions, AAA rewards the spirit of creative excellence in advertising, seeing tens of thousands of submissions from both professional organizations and students each year. CAF gold and silver winners were advanced to the District 6 … Continue reading “CAF’s 2021 American Advertising Award Winners”
O’Keefe Reinhard & Paul has hired highly regarded production leader Elena Robinson as its Head of Production with the goal of redefining, expanding, and growing its production capabilities. Robinson takes over leadership of both the agency’s production work for clients and its independent production capability from long-time agency exec Scott Mitchell. Mitchell will refocus on … Continue reading “OKRP names Elena Robinson Head of Production”
If you want the chance to win over a half billion bucks, then be sure to carve out a moment in your day to pick up a Powerball ticket as the jackpot continues to roll with an estimated $550 million jackpot on deck for tonight’s drawing! We know that Illinois is full of winners and … Continue reading “$550 Million Powerball Jackpot for tonight’s drawing”
It’s hard to remember back in February 2020, when the Kansas City Chiefs bested the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LIV and Parasite was winning Best Picture, no one was talking about COVID, the election and Black Lives Matter. We had no idea we were only a few weeks and months away from all … Continue reading “2020 in Review: Top Chicago advertising campaigns”
O’Keefe Reinhard & Paul is adding a level to its creative leadership with the promotion of Aubrey Walker to the new role of Executive Creative Director. He assumes leadership of the agency’s creative department from Laura Fegley who left the agency this summer. Walker has led the agency’s recent work for The Illinois Lottery, including … Continue reading “OKRP promotes Aubrey Walker to Exec Creative Director”
This year, goodies won’t just be found tucked under the tree. McDonald’s is tapping its elves to offer delicious daily in-app deals that feature the festive favorites of classic holiday characters—including the McFlurry that Frosty the Snowman just melts over and the syrupy Hotcakes for which Buddy the Elf goes gaga. Starting Dec. 14, each day, McDonald’s will feature a different … Continue reading “Holiday Cheer arrives with McDonald’s festive favorites”
The Chicago Urban League in partnership with the City of Chicago and Chicago agency O’Keefe Reinhard & Paul, joined together to announce the launch of Black Shop Friday, a new program encouraging Chicagoans to shop at Black-owned businesses on the day after Thanksgiving, November 27th – widely known as “Black Friday.” A new website BlackShopFriday.com … Continue reading “Chicago turns Black Friday into Black Shop Friday”
Governor JB Pritzker and OKRP launched a new $5 million awareness campaign today to encourage Illinois residents to wear a face covering every time they’re in public — because it only works if you wear it. Following the data-driven approach that has guided Illinois’ coronavirus response, the campaign uses local information to advertise on broadcast … Continue reading “Gov Pritzker and OKRP launch $5 M awareness campaign”
Editor’s Note: To remind people to check in on friends and family during social distancing and self-quarantining, Budweiser re-visited its iconic 20-year-old ‘Wassup’ campaign. Using the original cast with re-recorded audio, the spot successfully led viewers to believe that the original cast was hollering at each other during quarantine. Taking the concept two steps further, … Continue reading “Watch the original Wassup! audition video”
Since the organization first got its start, Girls in the Game has been helping girls find their voice, discover their strength and achieve the confidence needed to be the game-changers they were born to be. Dedicated to the whole girl, Girls in the Game programs encourage physical and emotional health to promote active minds, bodies and … Continue reading “‘POW!’ Girls in the Game take over Wintrust Building”
UN Women USA Chicago Chapter presents their latest campaign BEHIND THE MASK, which shows the horrible reality millions of women face during lockdown. The rising toll on violence against women and girls during the recent COVID-19 pandemic is alarming. Globally, 243 million women and girls aged 15-49 have been subjected to sexual and/or physical violence … Continue reading “Behind the Mask campaign, staying at home isn’t safe”
Veteran agency copywriter and creative leader Aubrey Walker is joining O’Keefe Reinhard & Paul as a Group Creative Director. Walker has previously worked at such agencies as Leo Burnett, Carol H. Williams, Matlock, Burrell, The TRUE Agency, Globalhue, commonground, GMR, MKTG and FCBX before starting his own independent freelance consultancy. Walker’s initial focus includes leading … Continue reading “OKRP hires Aubrey Walker as Group Creative Director”
Chicago agency O’Keefe Reinhard & Paul has officially launched #312Soul, a four-week, four-part multimedia online showcase promoting Chicago’s Black Music History from 1955 through 1990. Featuring original video essays, interviews, playlists, artifacts and more, #312Soul will continue throughout February to celebrate Black History Month and also reinforce 2020 as the Year of Chicago Music. ALSO … Continue reading “OKRP launches #312Soul for Black History Month”
The International Latino Cultural Center of Chicago (ILCC), producer of the Chicago Latino Film Festival (CLFF), is proud to announce Turkish artist and graphic designer Yağmur Genç as the winner of the 36th Chicago Latino Film Festival Poster Contest. The ILCC received 928 submissions for this year’s contest from Brazil, Colombia, Egypt, Jamaica, Mexico, The … Continue reading “Chicago Latino Film Festival unveils 2020 poster”
Post-production hybrid adds motion GFX, editorial, and visual effects savvy to 50,000 sq.-ft. Chicago facility This past summer, Ryan Gilbert opened Prysm Studios in a joint effort with MK Films to offer a full-service production and post-production facility. MK Films boasts 50,000 square-feet of production space with lighting, cameras, high-speed motion control robot, and now … Continue reading “Prysm Studios and MK Films join forces”
Fast-growing independent agency O’Keefe Reinhard & Paul also adds new finance head Fast-growing independent creative agency O’Keefe Reinhard & Paul has elevated four senior employees to new expanded roles as it deepens the ranks of its leadership. Rahul Roy will take on the new role of Chief Operating Officer at OKRP where he will have … Continue reading “OKRP promotes four staff in Chicago”
A new spot reinforces campaign to differentiate the store’s national footprint Just as Amazon’s Prime Day launches, Ace Hardware is amping up its support for its recently announced e-commerce delivery service in a new advertising campaign from O’Keefe Reinhard & Paul appearing on national television, online video, dynamic digital and paid social. A new :15 … Continue reading “OKRP helps Ace tout in-store pickup & delivery”
Chicago-based production studio celebrates five years of creativity Design-driven production studio Almost Gold is excited to unveil a major expansion of both environment and talent. In addition to production, animation, and motion graphics capabilities, Almost Gold now offers editorial, color, finish, VO recording, and audio mix in its newly completed East Wing. The expansion comes … Continue reading “Almost Gold shines with major expansion”
The former We Are Unlimited duo that flipped McDonald’s arches upside down will handle Chili’s and other accounts Fast-growing agency O’Keefe Reinhard & Paul is adding to its creative ranks with the hire of two new Associate Creative Directors, Sarah Uchison and Emily Walton, who are joining the agency as partners from We Are Unlimited. … Continue reading “Creative team Sarah Uchison, Emily Walton join OKRP”
The two-week event launches on March 28 with Icían Bollaín’s “Yuli” followed by a “Noche Cubana” celebration The 35th Chicago Latino Film Festival (CLFF) will take place March 28-April 11 at the AMC River East 21, 322 E. Illinois St. and will feature over 100 feature-length and short films from Latin America, Spain, Portugal and … Continue reading “The 35th annual Chicago Latino Film Festival”
Humorous and informative spots celebrate everyday people who become “Heroes of the Kitchen” with help from the meal kit company (Chicago — 15 October 2018) O’Keefe Reinhard & Paul cooked up a new Home Chef advertising campaign that distinguishes the meal kit company as the solution for chefs of all cooking abilities. Profiling everyday people … Continue reading “OKRP launches new Home Chef campaign”
Three new spots feature real families, real couples, and real friends doing exactly what the card rewards: having fun and making memories I feel like Doc Brown just threw me into his DeLorean and took me back in time. My time. DDB Chicago, never afraid to go old school in their music choices, takes viewers … Continue reading “Capital One and DDB want you to go out and cash in”
Last fall, Optimus directing duo Mark Pallman and Amanda Speva spent nearly two weeks filming throughout the Land of Lincoln for the Illinois Office of Tourism campaign Are You Up For Amazing?
Inspired to shoot “all that makes the state so special” — a concept presented by JWT Chicago’s Mike Beamer and Carolyn James in what Amanda describes as “a beautiful vision” — the directors relied on a documentary technique to capture unscripted spontaneity.
A LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD will be presented to actress/comedian Jane Lynch, a Chicago area native, by the Chicago Comedy Film Festival (CCFF) and the Second City’s Harold Ramis Film School, Thursday, Nov, 10 before a sold-out audience at The Second City Training Center.
Lynch will receive the award from Jessica Hardy, CIFF founder / artistic director and Second City president Andrew Alexander. The 7 p.m. presentation will be followed at 8:30 p.m. by the Chicago Filmmakers Shorts Program of a dozen locally-made comedy films.
DDB WON BIG with Fiat Chrysler’s Jeep Business, which was shifted from FCB Chicago and became the lead agency on the account. In January DDB also became the lead agency on FCA’s Alfa Romeo account.
Commonground/MGS has ceased operating because of “circumstances beyond the agency’s control, namely the adversarial relationship between the holding company and its lender,” according to an official statement emailed to employees Saturday, Dec. 5.
FOX TV IS SO PLEASED at the cooperation, professionalism and ease of working here on the smash hit “Empire,” that it sent production of two pilots here. They started shooting last Monday at Cinespace Studios and city neighborhoods and will wrap Friday, March 27.
Both pilots have women protagonists for a change of pace.
OLIVER PLATT (“The Big C”) is the latest lead actor to join the ensemble cast of “Chicago Med,” the upcoming planted spinoff series of “Chicago Fire.” He will play the intelligent head of psychiatry, Dr. Daniel Charles, while S.
After almost a year in the works, Chicago’s Commonground has merged with three existing ad agencies, three subsidiary production companies and two PR firms to form Commonground/MGS the first wholly minority-owned holding company in the US.
Editor Craig Lewandowski last week joined Utopic creative editing and finishing as a partner, after 13 years at Optimus. He is one of five editors — alongside founders Jan Maitland and Tim Kloehn and Katherine Pryor and Suzi Moore — and the new
Downtown Partners’ office is closed today out of respect to its founder, Jim Schmidt, the universally considered creative genius, who died Wednesday of cancer. He was 58.
It was a record year for spot production, reports Local 476 president Brad Matthys, saying the amount of revenues from commercials filmed in Chicago grew by an estimated 10% in 2013 over last year.
After Rocket Productions’ bid on a $500,000 job, owner Hector Perez realized that their small office would not accommodate all the people he’d have to hire if they won the business. “If we were going to grow the business, it was obvious that we needed to expand our physical space,” he says.
MULTICULTURAL AGENCY COMMONGROUND, named Ad Agency’s Small Agency of the Year in 2012, has just become bigger and a more important player. After a 3-month review, it won the African American work for Verizon Wireless, formerly with Global Hue.
It’s that time of year. The time when so many advertising professionals — creatives in particular — start salivating at the thought of all the awards they will collect for a year’s worth of work presumably done well. Exceptionally well done.
Two guys from multicultural agency Commonground, which has a diverse group of creatives, from Millennials to Baby Boomers got into a friendly debate about which of the two represented the best generation, the Gen Xer or the Gen Yer.
The discussion between the Gen Xer, VP/creative director Mike Williams and younger Gen Y copywriter Nate DeLeon picked up good natured steam culminating in one of them saying, let’s take it to the street, let’s race.
At their two year anniversary mark, fast-growing design-driven/ 3D re:think studios hired its ninth staff member. Adina Kwasigroch joined Monday as visual effects producer, after stints as producer at effects studio Vitamin and associate producer at tabletop specialists MK Films.
At Vitamin she worked on 3D modeling projects for Bayer products, Sonic food chain and Cricket mobile.
YOU NEVER KNOW who’s going to show up at the Chicago International Film Festival, which is part of the fun of attending. On Friday night, actor Vince Vaughn showed up to support his sister Valeri Vaughn’s documentary, “Art of Conflict: The Murals of Northern Ireland,” which he narrates, that examines how street art tells the story of Northern Ireland’s history. He also participated in a post-screening question-and-answer session.
A RECORD BREAKER? Eight Chicago and L.A.-New York production companies are making September one of the busiest months of the year for commercial shoots on Chicago locations and more companies are setting up for October work.
Call it fate. Or kismet if you like. But something just tells us it was meant to be. Maybe we weren’t the only observer — in Chicago anyway — who wasn’t totally surprised to hear Commonground/Chicago walked away from the Ad Age Small Agency conference last weekend with the Small Agency of the Year Gold Award in the 11 to 75 employee category.
So how’s he doing? As Peter McGuinness rapidly approaches his first year anniversary on the job as CEO and president of DDB/Chicago, he at least has managed to now to bring some semblance of stability to an agency that was — for much of the past decade — in danger of imploding.
The shop is not fully righted yet, to be sure. But things are better. There’s no denying Anheuser-Busch, long a lucrative, flagship account at DDB/Chicago, officially left the fold on McGuinness’s watch. But for all intents and purposes, it was already gone before his arrival.
KUDOS TO CUTTERS for winning three top 2012 AICE awards at the ceremony held Thursday in Marina Del Ray Ritz Carlton. Editor Chris Hafner scored Best of Chicago and Best Automotive for Fiat 500 “Karl Abarth,” and John Binder of Another Country aced Best Sound Design for Allstate. Optimus Design won for Best Design for Craftsman.
One hundred to 200 guests who turn up at an industry event is standard, 300 is darn good – but the 650 people who work as crew members attending last Saturday’s MoFest7, organized by producer Mo Wagdy, was spectacular.
Held at the imperiled 1,200-seat Portage Theatre, the men (it’s safe to say that since women workers, wives and/or dates were few in number) had a great time talking, drinking and devouring massive amounts of food.
The number of guests hit an all-time high of 900 over the two-day Saturday and Sunday fest.
For the first time in nearly a decade, Chicago not-for-profit public radio station WBEZ-FM (91.5) is getting ready to launch a major advertising campaign. The campaign will be designed to heighten awareness of — and expand the audience for — the station and its broad range of news, political and cultural coverage.
WBEZ has just tapped Energy BBDO/Chicago to work on the upcoming campaign. Andrew Kasprzycki and Katie Clow represented Energy BBDO on the pitch.
Tim Pontarelli has landed. After more than a year off that he spent reflecting on life and the world of advertising and freelancing, Pontarelli is signing on at Energy BBDO/Chicago as a group creative director.
He will work on the Lay’s business that was recently moved without a review to Energy BBDO from Juniper Park/Toronto.
It will be interesting to see what he can do with a packaged goods client such as Lay’s after he made an indelible mark on the Hallmark account during his many years at Leo Burnett.
In a stunner that is sure to have major ramifications for Downtown Partners/Chicago, sources say Walgreens is launching an ad agency review. That could mean big problems for Downtown Partners/Chicago, which has been the drugstore behemoth’s agency of record since the shop was founded by creative partners Jim Schmidt and Joe Stuart in 2004. But Downtown Partners is expected to participate in the review.
SOME 200 GUESTS, including many Chicagoans, are expected to attend Brenda Sexton’s annual Sundance party Sunday night that she is hosting at the magnificent private home of Crystal and Chuck Maggelett, owners of Flying J, a major gas company out West.
To say 2011 whizzed by is an understatement. The year about to end was — everything considered — a pretty good year for the Chicago advertising industry. At least compared to the three or four years that came before it.
Fewer accounts — of major significance anyway — left town, though a couple of big ones changed their local addresses. Hello, Bud Light and S.C. Johnson! Management changes prompted a few surprises too, none perhaps more so than Mark Modesto, who popped up at Marc USA/Chicago.
On the crest of Utopic’s second year anniversary in December, partners editors Jan Maitland and Tim Kloehn, and executive producer Michael Antonucci have succeeded in evolving their company into the full-service model they had envisioned from the beginning.
Calling itself “integrated” (“It’s our mantra,” says Antonucci), Utopic offers a range of visual media services: post, print, mobile, web, interactive, audio – and now production.
CRITICAL REVIEWS of the debut episode of the Chicago-set NBC series The Playboy Club were, to say the least, disappointing. It attracted a painfully low 1.6/4 rating in the 18-49 demographics, which translated to a 5 million viewers.
In Playboy Club’s defense, it was a tough night for series’ openers with heavy competition from other networks’ new series’ openers and popular established shows.
We noticed it from a distance. Energy BBDO/Chicago CEO Tonise Paul had a little extra spring in her step as she approached her table Wednesday at the very clubby Shaw’s Crab House, where the maitre d is well aware of Paul’s preferred booth.
There is, of course, good reason for the ever-upbeat Paul to be even more peppy than usual these days. Her agency has been on something of a roll (as the saying goes) in recent months.
It’s over for DraftFCB. As many had suspected from the moment we announced last Christmas Eve that S.C. Johnson was launching an agency review, the Racine, Wis.-based home products company is ending its relationship with DraftFCB, a remarkable marketing marriage that spanned nearly 60 years.
Early Friday morning, S.C. Johnson said it will split its advertising account, believed to be worth upwards of $1 billion in billings, between BBDO and Ogilvy & Mather, long considered the frontrunner to get the account.
The 2011 Cannes Lions International Festival of — ah — Creativity ended a couple of weeks ago. But the world’s most prestigious and most closely-watched annual ad competition still haunts us in ways good and bad.
What most weighs on our mind about it — in a good way — is how one of Chicago’s small but mighty boutique ad shops managed to outshine every other shop in the city in a key category at the fest.
FIRST ASSIGNMENT for Towers Productions’ new casting director, Becky Cattie is to find the perfect cast for Towers’ “Housewives of Chicago” reality TV show, currently in development.
Cattie, who moved here from L.A. last summer, has six years experience casting unscripted TV shows, including “Extreme Makeover,” “America’s Got Talent,” “My Fair Wedding,” “10 Years Younger” and “The Simple Life.”
Response to the “Housewives” casting call has been “fantastic,” says Cattie.
“PUBLIC ENEMIES,” with a reported $100 million-budget that provided a bank vault of welcome revenue for Illinois and Wisconsin (although unappreciated by Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle ), is grossed $26.2 million over the five day July 4th weekend.
The Michael Mann movie opened in 3,337 theatres nationally on July 1. The production spent $47 million in Chicago, which gave the state an indirect economic impact of $117 million. It spent $7.5 million in Wisconsin.
THE HOTTEST TICKETS IN TOWN were those issued by Universal Studios for the Chicago preview of “Public Enemies” that screened in two theatres in the River East 21 complex Thursday night and the after party at the nearby Arts Center.
Of the 600 invited guests, only a handful were from the local film industry. Apart from governmnt officials and business leaders, many of the guests were consultants who had helped with the film’s scrupulous authenticity.
ACCORDING TO RELIABLE SOURCES, one of the A-List L.A. directors, who came here for the Leo Burnett/Olympic Committee shoot last week, got into a bit of trouble at the wrap party at a local club and ended up in the ER.
It seems the director got into an altercation with the club management over the tab. Things got heated and an altercation with the bouncer ensued.
The bouncer removed the director from the premises. Because of a neck injury that the dust-up might’ve caused, the director was rushed to Northwestern Hospital.
After 10 years as a commercial and videogame music house, GameBeat Studios landed its first car commercial, an animated spot for Toyota Yaris and agency Burrell Communications. It will air in mid-January.
“We went for something that was very youthful, a bit techno, a bit electronica, funk and even a little house music style,” said Darryl Duncan, GameBeat owner/composer.
STORY’S BIGGEST JOB EVER, says executive producer Mark Androw, is a two-country shoot for one of the Big Four automakers, whose name or car model he could not disclose.
However, Androwsaid, “This job is the biggest we’ve ever produced in terms of number of days and dollar amount.”
Directed by Story’s L.A.-based Scott McCullough, half of the 23-day shoot took place in L.A. and the remaining scenes will be filmed in Buenos Aires next week. Androw leaves Friday for Argentina.
RIVET PRESIDENT YVONNE FURTH announced she will retire from the agency Aug. 31 after 26 years with Draft/Chicago, Rivet’s parent company.
Lor Gold, also from Draft who formed Rivet with Furth last January, remains as Rivet’s CCO and new position of global managing director.
The 2005 Ad Woman of the Year, and possessor of an arms-length worth of awards, Furth previously was Draft/Chicago president/CEO. She joined Draft in ?81 as assistant account exec and ascended through the ranks to become president/COO in ’02.
GLANT COHEN, Leo Burnett’s SVP/associate director of TV production, retired from the agency after “23 spectacular years” at the agency. He joined Burnett in 1981 to work on McDonald’s and was named an executive producer five years later. “My joke for years has been to retire before anyone asks ?is Glant still there?'” he joked.
Led by head of production Jonathan Davis, Burnett has a massive production department; a total of 80 persons include 30 odd producers.
Bill Hogan Jr., long-time leader of Teamsters Local 714, whose members are movie industry vehicle drivers, has been cited as a focus in the investigation of Chicago Teamster corruption. Although he was ousted from the union two years ago, investigators charge Hogan is still behind Joint Council 25, the umbrella group for Chicago-area locals.
The Chicago Creative Worker Assistance Program will provide 450 – 500 relief grants to low and moderate income artists and creative workers who are residents of Chicago and have lost income due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This will include freelance artists, arts administrators, teaching artists, artisans, curators, independent cultural producers and creative industry technicians such … Continue reading “Chicago Creative Worker Assistance Program deadline November 10”
The City of Chicago, with support from the Walder Foundation and the Arts for Illinois Relief Fund and in partnership with Accion, has established the Performing Arts Venue Relief Program to provide support to this critical part of the arts and culture sector. The Performing Arts Venue Relief Program will distribute $10,000 grants to up … Continue reading “Performing Arts Venue Relief Grants Program Round 2”
Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot today joined City and business leaders to announce an emergency COVID-19 relief package for the hospitality industry, including a $10 million grant program for Chicago’s restaurants and bars that continue to face significant challenges due to the COVID-19 crisis. Opening for applications this month, the Chicago Hospitality Grant Program will reallocate CARES … Continue reading “Lightfoot announces $10m hospitality grant program”
The Recording Academy’s Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota and Ohio chapters are committed to sharing resources for music creators and professionals affected by the covid-19. In the current coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic, music creators and many of the professionals who support them have been greatly affected. The chapters are committed to creating, amplifying, and sharing resources that will … Continue reading “Midwest resources for music creators from Grammys”
More stories from the keyboard of founder Ruth L. Ratny as she reports on an IL Tourism spot from BBDO and Arturo Cubacub and more Chicago – May, 2003 – Illinois Tourism’s first commercial of 2003 from BBDO directed by Dennis Manarchy shows off seven tourist “must see” destinations, from the Magnificent Mile to … Continue reading “Throwback Thursday: First 2003 Tourism spot airs”
Winners of the international contest will receive $1,000 and a chance to have their work screened at Cannes Dr. Phranque Wright is sitting across a table at a dark dive bar looking to hookup — with actors, producers, and writers trickling into the Lincoln Tap Room on a Sunday night. Like most of the … Continue reading “Chicago filmmakers prepare for 48 Hour Film Project”
Not only does the Merry Month of May bring beautiful weather, but it also brings forth many cinematic afternoons and evenings that entertain and inform. So start filling in your calendar for the first weeks of the month with these events.
Last Friday, studio owner/executive creative director Erin Sarofsky of eponymous Sarofsky held a party to celebrate the theatrical release of Disney/Marvel’s “Captain America: The Winter Soldier,” for which her company, the underdog from Chicago, won the job of creating the titles. She and her 70 guests then went to see the movie in 3D at the ICON Theatre.
MULTI AWARD WINNING DIRECTOR SCOTT SMITH won the Illinois Film Office’s 4th annual Shortcuts short film contest with his 12-minute short, “A Certain Breed,” an humorous improv look at a pair of overzealous volunteers at an animal shelter. \
Former Second City mainstage actors Emily Wilson and Brad Morris are the stars, who also appear in Smith’s earlier “Special Needs” short. Rhea Bozzacci edited.
STEPPENWOLF’S FEATURE, “The Last Rites of Joe May, was selected among a record 5,624 films for screening at the 10th annual Tribeca Film Festival in New York. It will compete with 11 other features for The Founders Award.
Joe Maggio wrote and directed what’s called “the classic urban drama,” and the ensemble cast includes Dennis Farina, Jamie Allman, Ian Barford, Meridith Droeger, Chelcie Ross and Gary Cole. It was shot entirely in Chicago last winter and finished in New York.
WHAT AN UNEXPECTEDLY NICE GESTURE. In surely what’s got to be a first in the 35-year annals of Hollywood-in-Chicago entertainment production, departing director Ron Howard, stars Vince Vaughn and Kevin James, and the cast and crew of “The Dilemma,” placed a full page ad in the Sun-Times Friday.
The ad thanked Chicago “for a great shoot and a great time in your town!”
The ad offered “Our special thanks to ?
“NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET” began shooting last week at Elk Grove high school in that suburb, moving onto Hersey high in Arlington Heights. “Elm Street” producers cleverly gained the ability to move around to different high schools after signing a contract with Illinois School District 214.
District 214 covers Arlington Heights, Buffalo Grove, Des Plaines, Elk Grove, Mount Prospect, Prospect Heights, Rolling Meadows and Wheeling.
WHO WILL THE LOTTERY PICK to be its multicultural ad agency? The three worthy contenders are Carol H.
Over my 30 years of chronicling the local industry ? beginning Jan. 29, 1979 – our reporting in the Original Screen and continuing in ReelChicago, I have covered the good, the bad, the bizarre and the ugly sides of Chicago production business.
For the most part, the news we reported reflected the rich, invigorating times of generally prosperous business. That also left an opening for those who saw opportunities and often aggressively pursued them.
Here are some of the more memorable stories of the time.
Cash, script consultations, submissions to L.A. agents and managers are some of the great prizes being offered by the Chicago Screenwriting Network’s first screenwriting contest.
“This contest is a chance to get Midwest screenplays into Hollywood’s hands,” says SCN board member Linda Frothingham, something every aspiring screenwriter knows is on a par with winning the Lottery.
The CSN contest is an effort to fill the vacuum left when the Illinois and Chicago film offices ended their 15-year sponsorship of a statewide contest.
GOV. BLAGOJEVICH BOASTS the estimated $21.5 million revenues generated from “The Express” and $3 million each from “Eagle Eye” and “The Lucky Ones,” was ?
FLASHPOINT ACADEMY named former agency producer Linda Wolfe director of student placement, a new position, announced Flashpoint president/CEO Howard Tullman.
Her mission, she says, “is to build and maintain relationships with companies in the booming film and digital realms and create job opportunities for our students.”
Wolfe is a former FCB executive producer who left the agency to freelance for 10 years primarily on high-end national commercials.. She also had a 3-year stint as broadcast production head at J.
BEAT PHIL LEE AT BULLRIDING is the challenge the Avenue editor is hurling to creatives who need an excuse to mash up with other creatives after hours Thursday, June 21.
“We meet up at the Flatwater Grill, 321 N. Clark, from six to nine, then head on over the Hogs & Honeys, 1551 N. Sheffield at 9 p.m. for the contest,” says Lee.
Lee will ride “ferocious” mechanical bull for all it’s worth and anyone who can beat Lee and stay aboard the bull the longest wins a prize.
And a nice one it is, too ? an iPod mini ? plus sundry other souvenirs.
“PRISON BREAK” has broken out in full-scale shooting of 12 episodes of the Fox TV series at Joliet prison and Chicago locations. The series stars Dominic Purcell and Stacy Keach. On the set: Production manager Frank Conway is also filling in for producer Gary Brown who was temporarily called away. Shows are budgeted at between $3 to $6 million per hour. First episode will air Aug. 29.
THE OTHER JOLIET MOVIE, “You are Going to Prison,” won’t be around to confuse you.
MOVIEMAKING AT THE MUSEUM. A tremendous amount of work went into “Action: An Adventure in Moviemaking,” the exhibit at the The Museum of Science & Industry. Presented by BankOne, the exhibit goes through the gamut of filmmaking, and includes such fun stuff as more than 100 artifacts including costumes from “X2: X-Men United” and the MagLev car from “Minority Report.” There’s a “Meet the Filmmakers” section Friday through Sunday from 10 a.m.
JWT wins the $12 million Illinois Tourism account, resigned last year by BBDO.
Tom Bernadin is Leo Burnett’s new president, from Interpublic’s Lowe’s/New York — the first non-Burnetter to have that post in the agency’s 70 year history.
DDB resigned the Lottery account, citing a difference of opinion over marketing and creative.
Marguerite Juliusson has added director Dennis Manarchy and Big Deahl Productions to her representation roster.
Oh-oh!
Illinois Tourism’s first commercial of 2003 from BBDO directed by Dennis Manarchy shows off seven tourist “must see” destinations, from the Magnificent Mile to the Garden of the Gods at the southern tip of the state.
The estimated $150,000 spot also contains a myriad of complex special effects. “But it doesn’t look like it,” said I-Cubed’s Arturo Cubacub, who creatively edited and added the magic of seven fluid scene transitions.
