U of M coach Jim Harbaugh scores in Fairlife milk videos

Jim Harbaugh (photo: Associated Press)

FOOTBALL COACH JIM HARBAUGH of the University of Michigan kicks off the football season as spokesman for Fairlife, a Chicago healthy milk dairy products company, with a digital campaign created and produced by Onion Labs, the creative division of Onion, Inc. for the Chicago healthy milk dairy products company.

Now playing on YouTube and Fairlife’s social media channels, the 6-part “Harbaugh Highlights” video campaign, features Harbaugh, “Captain Completion” and his wife Sarah, showing his enthusiasm for drinking milk to his three young children.

Harbaugh, a former Chicago Bears quarterback, is in his element reviewing play-by-play footage. The “game” footage, however, is of his wife, as she fuels their children with Fairlife ultra-filtered milk, with Harbaugh providing color commentary.

Written by Onion, Inc.’s Eric Munn and Hassan Ali, the videos were shot outside Ann Arbor; freelancer Danielle Firoozi produced; the Onion’s George Zwierzynski directed, and Jacqueline Richter edited; Kyle Bainter of Overdun Productions was DP. 

This is Onion Labs’ first assignment for Fairlife’s flagship brand, although it’s been the agency for Fairlife’snew YUP! brand of flavored milks for more than a year.

WHO’S NEW? Multi-award Cannes Lion-winning strategy director David Chriswick is DigitasLBi’s new SVP / Head of Creative Strategy for both its Chicago and San Francisco offices.

He is based in Chicago and reports to Jonathan Tatlow,the agency’s SVP / Connections & Brand Experience Planning. Chriswick joins from DDB Worldwide in Chicago, after three-and-a-half years as global strategy director, leading strategic planning on the agency’s international Mars account, which includes Wrigley, Skittles, Mars Chocolate and Mars Petcare.

Earlier, he spent two-plus years as a planning director for DDB Sydney. A native of Wales, he started his career with Ogilvy Heathworld in London as an account executive.

MPG’S FEATURE DOC, “Maya Angelou: And Still I Rise,” directed by Bob Hercules of MPG and Rita Coburn Whack, “Maya” will screen at LA’s Landmark theatre Sept. 21 with the filmmakers, special guests from the film and Angelou’s family. Then, on Oct. 14, the doc will open theatrically in New York, LA and San Francisco.

You can see the highly-praised doc at the Gene Siskel Film Center: Sept. 22 at a Movie Club event facilitated by the doc’s EP Raymond Lambert, and Sept. 27 with DP / MPG partner Keith Walker who will introduce the screening. Both at 6 p.m. at 164 N. State.

A FINAL SUMMER PARTY will be co-hosted by Women in Film Chicago and Chicago Creatives Cocktail Party as an opportunity to get to know each other, Sept. 27 at the Clark Street Ale House, 5:30-7:30 p.m. RSVP attendance here.

NEW CULTURAL AFFAIRS COMMISSIONER Mark Kelly’s aim to elevate music among DCASE’s neighborhood arts programs starts a panel of Chicago’s notable music experts advising on “Getting Your Music in Ads, TV and Film,” Sept. 30 at the Cultural Center.

Chris Robley, editor of CD Baby’s DIY Musician Blog, will moderate the panel of Chris Clark, Leo Burnett’s director of music; Bonny Dolan, managing director / EP Comma Music; Ira Antelis, co-founder / CEO, Artists & Bands and Melissa Chapman, CEO, Groove Garden. At 78 E. Washington, noon to 2 p.m. Free and open to all.

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