| 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
1+ Gale “Kansas Comet” Sayers, Legendary Chicago Bears running back who’s book the 1971 movie Brian’s Song was based on, died today. He was 77. His death was announced by David Baker, president of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Inducted back in 1977, he was the youngest player in pro football history to join … Continue reading “Chicago Bears’ legend Gale Sayers dies at 77”
2+ In the aftermath of another shooting of a Black man by a white police officer—this time in Kenosha, Wis., Sunday night—the Bears cancelled their practice that was scheduled to begin at 9:20 a.m. Thursday. This afternoon, Bears players released the following statement: “In the wake of what has taken place in our backyard of … Continue reading “Bears players vow to take action to effect change”
1+ Expect The Bears ratings to go through the roof this year. And not because former Eagles’ Super Bowl MVP Nick Foles is a QB. No, The Bears and the City of Chicago have agreed that it’s not yet the right time to welcome fans back to Soldier Field due to COVID-19. But they will … Continue reading “Bears to begin games without fans in stands”
3+ So da Sun-Times is lining up with da Chicago Bears to better serve Chicagoland. The Sun-Times is already a leader in sports coverage, bringing Chicago best-in-class sports reporting and an all-sports paper called Sports Saturday. As a “Proud Partner,” this new relationship further establishes the paper’s relationship with local sports and opens up new … Continue reading “‘Sun-Times’ partners with da Bears”
4+ The Chicago Bulls are giving fans a new way to follow their beloved basketball team into the locker room and beyond as they enter a rebuilding season as evidenced by the one and done departure of Dwayne Wade to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Last week, the team launched a new season-long series titled “Run With … Continue reading “Bulls, Bears and Gatorade!”
I’ve been meaning to write about this for the last couple of weeks since I saw it, but finally got around to it. Have you seen the new Sam Jackson spot for Capital One and Spotify?
If you haven’t, it’s just a fun little piece where Sam puts the moves to Al Green’s classic song, “Let’s Stay Together.” As Jackson croons, Capital One announces that with the Quicksilver Card clients can receive 1.5 percent cashback on every purchase and 50 percent back on Spotify Premium.
Thirty years ago last January, the 1985 Chicago Bears coach Mike Ditka was carried off the New Orleans Superdome turf after the Bears demolished the New England Patriots, 46-10, in Super Bowl XX on Jan. 26, 1986.
Now a feature-length doc brings that memorable victory back to life. “’85 Bears: The Greatest Team in Pro Football History” will premiere in for Chicago audiences Wednesday, Sept. 7 on WTTW/11 at 8 p.m.
THE CHICAGO BEARS are redefining the way they connect with bilingual and bicultural Hispanic fans by signing with Paco Collective to head the team’s cross-cultural marketing.
This marks the Bears’ first formal partnership with an Hispanic-specific strategic marketing agency.
The team at Trisect, one of three agency finalists for the bragging rights of being the Chicago Bears’ agency, won the account by displaying its creativity and salesmanship in an offbeat but obviously effective way.
Chuck Garfein, Comcast SportsNet Chicago anchor, is fulfilling a youthful ambition in writing, directing and editing a 4-part hourlong series on the memorable games in Chicago Bears history.
With “Bears Classics,” sponsored by Honda, the regional sports network dramatically increases its historical documentary offerings.
NBC5 management believes star Bears receiver Brandon Marshall is such a good catch that his telegenic work for the station will continue throughout next off-season.
Marshall’s smile and affable manner has lit up the 45-minute post-newscast “Sports Sunday” segment since the start of the NFL season. But with the blessing of top NBC5 executives, executive sports producer Geoff Glick projects Marshall to roam far and wide from football for video work in 2013.
The Chicago Bears are back in business. And once again, the question no doubt uppermost in the minds of the team’s legions of fans is whether the Bears will make it to the Super Bowl this season.
Hope, ya know, springs eternal.
Two By Four/Chicago, the ad agency of record for the Bears, is certainly doing its part — via a new ad campaign just breaking — to spark hope that this year’s team has the athletic talent and the ferocity to get the job done.
The bears have it. Whatever it is. The big furry animals have certainly fascinated more than a few advertising creatives over the past decade.
Two high-profile TV spots of relatively recent vintage — both quite popular and widely viewed — prominently featured bears. One, the award-winning John West salmon “Bear Fight” spot had a brawny fisherman and a big bear showily going mano a mano to see who would get the fresh salmon from the river.
directed by Amy Weber of the Radish Creative Group, Southfield, Mich., and head coach Lovie Smith make a Comcast Triple Play in two spots promoting the bundle of cable, telephone and internet for the cable company.
Steve Robbins produced the package of three 30s, marking his fifth job for Michigan clients Radish and agency Brogan and Partners.
On the crew were production manager was Amelia Schettler, AD Katie Ray, gaffer Brad Barrett, art director Larry Lundy and location manager Nick Rafferty.
“Look at the jumping jolt of java,” excitedly says “race announcer” Tom Test as three animated Dunkin’ Donuts breakfast characters race to score in the ultimate in branded entertainment.
The race is seen by a cheering captive crowd on the giant scoreboards at Soldier Field during a break in the Bears game action.
The fan is a winner, too, in this ultimate promotional tie-in. If his ticket stub is stamped with the winning character, he can claim the prize at a Dunkin’ Donuts location, as an amazing 30% of the fans do.
Prog rock guitar hero Adrian Belew of King Crimson reunites with his bandmates in the rock quartet The Bears, in Film Foetus’ new rockumentary “The Bears: Out of Hibernation.”
“The Bears” has its world premiere Oct. 5 in Cincinnati, where three of the Bears live, then has its Chicago debut in screenings at the Film Center Oct. 9 and 13.
“Adrian’s work is multifaceted, really across the board, and he sticks with The Bears because he likes their format and he likes playing with these guys,” said director D.P. Carlson of Film Foetus.
For the eighth year, Blue Sky Video’s Bruce Himmelblau donned his golf cap, picked up his camera and headed out to the Deerpath golf course where he’d have a short video waiting for players at the 19th hole.
The May 24 Celebrity Golf Outing celebrated the Chicago Bears’ 25th year at Halas Hall in Lake Forest.
Eighteen past and present Chicago Bears, coaches and administrators have participated in fund-raiser for Bears’ selected charities and the Lake Forest Chamber of Commerce.
Each Bears personnel become the fifth player in a group comprised of VIP Chamber guests.
2+ Whether you stay in Chicago to make your mark or leave to make your impact felt somewhere else, you are still Chicago. 100%. It’s a badge of honor anyone from the city, that is second to none, wears proudly. When you win, we cheer for you. And when we lose you, we cry and … Continue reading “2020 in Review: Remembering Who Left Us”
0 Haribo is building on the success of its “Kids’ Voices” TV campaign with the launch of a new installment in a library setting. Like its boardroom setting predecessor, the spot was designed and developed by UK’s Quiet Storm creative agency, and it will air throughout the U.S. starting February 1, 2021. In the new … Continue reading “Haribo unveils new “Kids’ Voices” spot, sweepstakes”
0 Following the Cubs move to cancel the 2021 Cubs Convention, the Chicago White Sox have now canceled SoxFest 2021 due to the uncertainty over the COVID-19 pandemic. The 28th edition was scheduled for Jan. 22-23 at McCormick Place. “Each season, the entire organization looks forward to bringing our team and fans together at our … Continue reading “White Sox cancel 2021 SoxFest due to COVID”
