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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
Independent Chicago creative agency Highdive has been named the agency of record for five Beam Suntory brands. It also marks the first spirits client for the ad company. The brands include three small batch whiskeys in the James B. Beam whiskey portfolio, Sauza Agave Cocktails and another ready to drink (RTD) cocktail brand the agency … Continue reading “Highdive selected as AOR for five Beam Suntory brands”
According to the NHL, the first round of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs proved historic for ESPN and Turner Sports, with ratings for TNT and TBS the highest since the advent of cable television. Games covered on ESPN, ESPN2, TNT and TBS averaged 768,000 viewers, an increase of 58 percent from last season on NBCSN, CNBC and … Continue reading “Highdive scores with NHL campaign”
Since Jeep has been with AOR Highdive, we have gone to the edge metaphorically and creatively. However this time, the agency, teaming with director Stewart Hendler and Cutters’ editor Tim LoDolce, literally takes viewers there. Using the tagline, “Made for what you’re made of,” the trio takes us through various 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee drivers’ … Continue reading “Native Content’s Stewart Hendler directs Highdive’s latest Jeep spot”
The General Insurance is on a journey to tackle and acknowledge the misperceptions that were driven largely by how consumers viewed its previous advertising by launching its new Turns Out 3.0 campaign across a multitude of platforms. This is the third installment of campaigns under its Brand Refresh umbrella. Turns Out 3.0 invites everyone to … Continue reading “Highdive and The General launch new campaign with Shaquille O’Neal”
Highdive Advertising and Airheads launched the new Airheads Have More Fun campaign across a multitude of platforms, including Hulu, Roku, and more. The campaign is directed by renowned creative director, Harry Einstein of Dummy Films, who is known for his memorable and unconventional commercials for clients like Crest and Kayak. Highdive and Airheads were last … Continue reading “Highdive and Airheads launch new campaign Airheads Have More Fun”
Highdive is back in the 2022 Super Bowl with Rocket Mortgage and Rocket Homes to provide the best commercial advertising entertainment. Two years ago it was Bill Murray in the classic Jeep “Groundhog Day” spot. Last year, it was Rocket Mortgage with Tracy Morgan. This year, it is with Pitch Perfect’s Anna Kendrick, Barbie and … Continue reading “Highdive returns to Super Bowl with Rocket Mortgage and Rocket Homes”
Chicago-based Highdive Advertising and the NHL debuted its partnership over the weekend with the launch of the NHL’s new ad campaign, Nothing Regular. The teams have worked together since early this year but this is the first time Highdive and the NHL are sharing the news about their partnership. The Nothing Regular campaign launched this … Continue reading “NHL and Highdive debut partnership with launch of Nothing Regular”
We are now less than 100 days away from Super Bowl LVI. Seventy-five to be exact. While the first quarter of the Big Game has yet to be played, ad agencies, across the country, are in the fourth quarter of pre-production, or even production, for their showcase work. From the Budweiser heydays of DDB to … Continue reading “Mark Gross takes the Highdive into creating spots for Super Bowl LVI”
The General Insurance launched its new ad campaign after announcing a brand refresh back in February of this year. They addressed brand perception barriers by tackling the issue head on, acknowledging that misperceptions were driven largely by how consumers viewed previous ads. This time around, The General is continuing to evolve the brand with the … Continue reading “The General Insurance launches new ad campaign from Highdive”
The 2021 AICP Next and Post Awards debuted virtually this week in New York during AICP week, recognizing creative excellence in new and emerging media. Chicago post-houses and agencies did take home wins during the ceremonies. Utopic The post-house had a big win last night at the AICP Post Awards. Craig Lewandowski was honored with a win … Continue reading “AICP: Utopic, DDB, Cutters, Highdive rep Chicago in Next and Post Awards”
Highdive, an independently-owned, full-service creative agency based in Chicago announced that Isabel Long will join the agency as Head of Growth effective immediately. In her new role, Long will work closely with Highdive’s leadership team to run the agency’s new business operation and champion the firm’s exponential growth since its creation in early 2016. … Continue reading “Highdive adds Isabel Long as Head of Growth Strategy”
The Ram Truck brand is reinforcing how its award-winning trucks are “Built to Serve” through a new storytelling campaign titled “I’m A Ram,” featuring five-time Grammy-winning singer and songwriter Chris Stapleton. The Highdive campaign includes a series of commercials and long-form content that spans across broadcast, digital and the Ram brand social media channels. Two spots … Continue reading “Highdive and Ram Truck launch campaign ‘I’m a Ram’”
Highdive, Ad Age’s 2020 Small Agency of the Year and back-to-back winner of USA Today’s 2020 and 2021 AdMeter, premiered a new creative spot, directed by Lance Acord out of Park Pictures, for Jeep during last night’s Golden Globes. Titled “Earth Odyssey”, the spot marks the launch of the Jeep Wrangler 4xe as Jeep paves the … Continue reading “Highdive’s new Jeep spot is worth making noise about”
Congratulations to Highdive for once again landing atop of USA Today’s Admeter. The agency’s two 60-second Super Bowl LV spots for Quicken’s Rocket Mortgage were ranked number one and two. In 2020, Highdive scored the number one spot with Jeep. The spot featured a recreation of the hit romcom, Groundhog Day, and brought back Bill … Continue reading “Chicago agency Highdive soars again in Super Bowl”
November 17, 2020 wasn’t just another day. It was the day… the rules of speed were rewritten by the 470hp Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392. The brief was simple: capture the raw power of a vehicle capable of going wherever it wants to go, and doing whatever it wants to do. The video paired white-knuckle driving … Continue reading “Highdive reveals Get. Dirty. Faster. 470hp Jeep Rubicon”
Daring to break the traditional agency mold, Highdive is producing exciting work that pushes the envelope in new ways. Most recently, the Ad Age Small Agency of the Year partnered with Jeep to create a Super Bowl spot celebrating the 90’s classic Groundhog Day, starring Bill Murray. The commercial resonated with audiences as it was … Continue reading “Diving into Highdive and their Emmy nomination”
Holy Jeep! Congratulations to our friends at Highdive Advertising. The independently-owned, full-service creative agency based in Chicago, announces today that it has been named Small Agency of the Year, Gold by Ad Age. This year’s honorees were named at the Small Agency Conference, which was hosted virtually on August 3-5. The Ad Age Small Agency Awards, now in their 11th … Continue reading “Highdive named Small Agency of the Year, Gold”
I did not know Hawkeye could sing. Avengers, Mission Impossible and Bourne star, Jeremy Renner, is now not only featured on screen in a new Jeep brand television campaign that but in the audio as well as all three spots use the actor’s music tracks. Thanks to Chicago boutique agency HighDive, I now know different. … Continue reading “Jeremy Renner stars in Jeep campaign by HighDive”
A pair of bold and righteous 30-second spots are paving the way for the brand’s integrated multi-market campaign Jeep has something to say about being a legend. “Legends aren’t born. They’re made.” It feels like that line wants to end with b*tches, but alas it doesn’t. The new 360-degree campaign, which reaffirms the automaker’s legendary … Continue reading “Legends are made, not born in Highdive Jeep campaign”
Jeep drivers and passengers are met with impromptu adventures revolving around the same live OneRepublic show Gaaaaah! Sorry, that was my inner fan girl screaming at the notion that there is a national campaign with Grammy-nominated OneRepublic. Two-year boutique agency Highdive, led by former DDB creative execs Mark Gross and Chad Broude, … Continue reading “Highdive weaves stories of concert goers for Jeep”
Boutique start-up Highdive, launched last year by former DDB creatives Mark Gross and Chad Broude, announced its first new project-based assignments.
The shop is set to promote Barilla’s new Ready Pasta and Marriott Signature’s new EMC2 hotel in DTC as well as unspecified “initiatives” for home loan brand Guaranteed Rate.
The Jeep brand and Universal Pictures are teaming up once again, this time to launch Universal and Amblin Entertainment’s new Jurassic World Dominion, the epic conclusion to the Jurassic era, which has thrilled fans around the globe for almost three decades and has earned more than $5 billion worldwide. The Jeep brand campaign was created in partnership … Continue reading “Jeep and Universal Pictures launch Jurassic World Dominion campaign”
MERGE, a premium storytelling technology company and its client Land O’Frost, Inc., one of the nation’s best-selling brands of pre-sliced deli meats, announced the debut of its latest collaboration with television and social media advertisements as part of the integrated national advertising campaign Sandwich Board. The ongoing Sandwich Board campaign is dedicated to the client’s flagship … Continue reading “MERGE debuts new creative spots for Land O’Frost campaign”
Human beings are social animals. Personal contact and social interaction with others is simply essential. In opposition, Covid created lock downs, quarantines and generally created a need to rethink how we communicate with each other. Because communicate, we must. Although we all had hopes for 2021, it has pushed, provoked, squished and forced its way upon us … Continue reading “The Best of Reel Chicago interviews in 2021”
So, here we are at the end of another year. In 2021, we experienced more freedom from the pandemic during the spring and summer as cases lowered, but here we are, back in a kind of partial quarantine as the omicron variant spreads. While many businesses asked their teams to return to the office, advertising … Continue reading “The Best of Chicago Advertising in 2021”
Yesterday, Reel Chicago broke the story that award-winning Chief Creative Officer, Lewis Williams, had resigned from Burrell Communications. He will join Weber Shandwick as EVP, head of Brand Impact early next year. Terrence Burrell will take the helm as Interim Chief Creative Officer. In this role, Terrence will lead the agency’s creative teams in developing strategic … Continue reading “UPDATE: Burrell CCO Lewis Williams to join Weber Shandwick”
Two by Four, an independent, full-service advertising agency headquartered in Chicago, has been named advertising agency of record for Club Champion, the number one premium golf club fitter in the country. Two by Four will partner with Club Champion to increase brand visibility and boost sales across the US. The agency’s scope includes brand strategy, creative … Continue reading “Two by Four scores ad agency of record for Club Champion”
As many of us return to our social lives and plan to celebrate the holidays together, Cox wanted to support those who continue to remain separated from loved ones. Immigrants leave behind everything to start a new life in a new country: family, friends, language, culture and traditions. Fourteen percent of the U.S. population are … Continue reading “Cox gives immigrants away from family the chance to hug again”
Another Country Founder and Cutters Studios Partner John Binder and his colleagues worldwide announce the immediate promotion of Another Country’s Executive Producer Tim Konn to the position of Managing Director. “Working with Tim is always an outstanding experience,” Binder said. “He keeps the whole process real and fun, and that attitude absolutely shines through with … Continue reading “Another Country names Tim Konn as Managing Director”
In case you didn’t know, there’s a Pepperoni Pizza War heating up and Marco’s Pizza, the fifth largest delivery pizza company in the country, is leveraging 920 – national Pepperoni Pizza Day to ignite a 920 movement that celebrates pepperoni pizza every day. The movement is a subtle nod to the popular 420 cannabis magic … Continue reading “Marco’s Pizza declares National Pepperoni Pizza Day”
The Jeep brand is launching its new marketing campaign “Wildly Civilized” for the all-new 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L. The “Wildly Civilized” campaign will run across television, social media channels and digital platforms. “This ‘Wildly Civilized’ campaign for the all-new 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L encapsulates the perfect center of gravity of the upscale SUV,” said Olivier Francois, Global … Continue reading “Jeep Grand Cherokee L Wildly Civilized campaign”
Noisefloor had an incredible 2020 despite the pandemic. Their fast-growing clientele and workload has caused a need to make a move and expand their facility. Still in the heart of River North, Noisefloor has found their new home at 320 W Ohio St. This building had the key resources Noisefloor needed to continue working on … Continue reading “Noisefloor talks about growth and their new facility”
Both Adweek and Ad Age are reporting that DDB North American CCO Britt Nolan is rejoining Leo Burnett Chicago as president and CCO, almost exactly two years to the day he left. According to the reports, Nolan will oversee the creative output and manage the Chicago office while supporting the global Leo Burnett network. He … Continue reading “Britt Nolan leaves DDB, returns to Burnett”
As creators of premium storytelling content for brands and for the entertainment industry, Owner and Executive Creative Director Erin Sarofsky and her fellow makers at one-stop cross-media production company Sarofsky are extremely proud to announce the company’s rebrand, as brought to life in its redesigned and reimagined website: sarofsky.com. The rebrand was led by Erin, along … Continue reading “Sarofsky dives deep to celebrate its craft”
This Black History Month, AT&T Dream in Black presents the return of Black Future Makers, a future-forward celebration of inspirational people in the culture. The campaign was announced via a commercial celebrating frontline workers and everyday heroes from Chicago in a spot voiced by NBA superstar, philanthropist and entrepreneur LeBron James. James is also one of this … Continue reading “LeBron James, AT&T celebrate Black Chicago”
Keeping their effort under wraps, Jeep announced it will debut one commercial during this Sunday’s (February 7, 2021) Big Game telecast. The spot will air in the second half of the game. Last year, the brand along with creative agency partner and Ad Age Small Agency of the Year Highdive, created the unforgettable, Emmy-nominated Groundhog … Continue reading “Jeep to air one spot during Super Bowl”
High-end editorial boutique Cutters announces the promotion of David Rubin to Editor. The announcement was made by Cutters Studios President/Managing Director Craig Duncan and Managing Editor Grant Gustafson. Rubin landed an internship with Cutters immediately upon graduating from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, leading to a position as Assistant Editor, mainly working for Gustafson. … Continue reading “Cutters promotes David Rubin to editor”
The adventurous life awaits! “The Sienna Life” campaign, kicking off today, welcomes a refined and versatile minivan featuring bold design, available all-wheel drive, and enhanced fuel efficiency: the all-hybrid and all-new 2021 Toyota Sienna. The fully integrated campaign was developed against Toyota’s long-standing Total Toyota (T2) marketing model, fully considering the transcultural mainstream audiences across … Continue reading “Burrell spot for Toyota Sienna celebrates spontaneity”
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”
What a year, huh? 2020, which felt like a decade, will undoubtedly go down in history as one of the worst years ever. And who will argue? Certainly not the staff at Reel Chicago. This year, COVID forced productions to shut down. Then start back up. Then shut back down. Then start back up. It … Continue reading “2020 in Review: Reel Chicago’s Biggest Stories”
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”
Best of the Midwest voted on by attendees as iconic ads are highlighted in benefit event for Chicago, Detroit and Minneapolis food banks. The hors d’oeuvres were whatever you had on hand, the tinkling of cocktail glasses was done from afar and the applause was a bit muted, but that didn’t stop the Midwest advertising, … Continue reading “Best of the Midwest goes to ‘Like a Girl’ from Leo Burnett”
One of the most exciting stops on the AICP tour happens every year in Chicago. It’s one of the few opportunities for those in production, advertising and film to gather together, share a cocktail or four and just hang. This year, with a pandemic raging and cases on the rise again, the AICP Midwest Show … Continue reading “AICP Midwest Show is this Thursday, November 19”
Chicago-based independent creative and technology agency, Schafer Condon Carter (SCC) won its second Small Agency of the Year Award in three years taking the Ad Age Silver. The metaphoric icing atop the agency’s 30th birthday cake, Schafer Condon Carter (SCC) has pushed boundaries by taking its mission statement, “We work for humans,” to heart through … Continue reading “SCC takes Small Agency of the Year, Silver”
National Geographic announced the acquisition of CITY SO REAL, an official Indie Episodic selection at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival, set to premiere on the network this fall. From twice Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Steve James (America to Me, Hoop Dreams) and his longtime producing partner Zak Piper (Life Itself, The Interrupters) the fascinating and complex … Continue reading “National Geographic acquires Kartemquinn’s City so Real”
FCB Chicago leads Chicago agencies with 31 The One Show 2020, finalists, including 28 on behalf of Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence. Working with FCBXLord+Thomas, both Chicago, the agency has 16 for the organization’s “Most Dangerous Street”, and 12 with Lord+Thomas and The Mill, both Chicago, for “The Gun Violence Handbook.” Ogilvy Chicago with 27 including work for … Continue reading “Chicago agencies nab 89 finalists in One Show”
As part of the One World: Together At Home globally televised and digital special on Saturday night to support frontline health care workers and the World Health Organization, FCA premiered an all-new television commercials for the Jeep® brands. The 30-second video, “Seven Continents” for Jeep, aired during the two-hour TV special as part of the globally televised … Continue reading “Jeep debuts new spot during ‘One World’ global special”
Chicago-based Highdive Advertising reinvigorated an existential pop sensation through Groundhog Day, a commercial that became a classic before it even premiered during yesterday’s Super Bowl. In a fast-forward recreation of the identically-named 1993 film, the 60-second spot stars Bill Murray as Phil Connors, a weatherman caught in a kink of the space-time continuum. In scene … Continue reading “Behind the scenes of the Jeep ‘Groundhog Day’ spot”
Artists to be honored at 2019 show in Chicago’s Navy Pier on May 16th AICP today released the Shortlist for the 2019 AICP Post Awards, which will be presented on May 16 at Navy Pier in Chicago — tickets are now available. The competition, formerly the AICE Awards, honors excellence in a range of post … Continue reading “AICP Post Awards announces 2019 shortlist”
The Radio Mercury Awards, hosted by the New York-based Radio Advertising Bureau and now seeking entries, has named Chicago adman Mark Gross, partner / CD in Highdive Advertising as its 2017 Chief Judge.
NEW BOUTIQUE AGENCY HIGHDIVE is being launched by DDB Chicago award-winning creatives Mark Gross and Chad Broude, who leave the agency Wednesday. At Highdive they will focus for now on project-based assignments for online services.
