Director Matt Smukler of Los Angeles-based HELLO! stirs up grade school nostalgia in the new :60, “The Ropes,” for Kraft Foods out of DRAFTFCB, NY. In “The Ropes,” a wary young student is taught some of school’s more valuable lessons that don’t get covered by teachers: like how to dip your Oreos in a cafeteria milk carton.
“The Ropes” opens on an eager young student timidly walking down the hallway of his new school. Cut to an older, more seasoned student, who notices the cautious classmate and swiftly comes to his aide. He zips the boy’s open backpack, saving him from a potentially embarrassing blunder and making him a little more comfortable in his new surroundings. Cut to the new student sitting on an empty stairwell tying his converse sneakers as class is just about to get out. We then see a hand usher the boy off the stairwell by his backpack handle and we see that the veteran student has saved him from the impending stampede of students rushing off to their next class. The older student pats the small boy, who is looking at the rushing students in bewilderment.
Cut to the cafeteria, where the young student is eating his lunch alone at a long table. As he sets out to savor his dessert, his excitement quickly turns to stress when he realizes that he is unable to dip his Oreo cookie in the small opening of his milk carton. The resident expert sweeps in once again and pulls the tabs of the carton open to allow ample dipping room for his Oreo. The boys exchange silent thanks as the new student is left alone once again to enjoy his dessert. As he is finishing his first cookie, the boy spots another struggling student across the cafeteria and rushes over to open his milk, thus completing the cycle of valuable school lessons. The spot finishes on a shot of the cafeteria with the Oreo logo and the super, “Milk’s favorite cookie.”
ABOUT HELLO!
Launched in June 2008, HELLO!, an innovative boutique production company sprung from HKM/Rockfight, combines international directorial talent with highly regarded industry vets running the Commercial, Music Video, Integrated and 3D divisions. Its compelling roster of directors has already produced fresh, award-winning work for top brands such as Chase, Foot Locker, Campbell’s, Bojangles, Oral B and CVS. HELLO! is diverse enough to take on any producing challenge, saying “hello” to each new creative challenge and growing its brand with integrity. Check out their website designed by modernactivity in London: www.helloandcompany.com
Greet the HELLO! commercial roster: Didier Barcelo, Amy Berg, Evan Bernard, Daniel Börjesson, Rey Carlson, Mark Gilbert, jacobsbriere, Michael Patrick Jann, Vincent Jerome, Michael Karbelnikoff, Jakob Marky, Alexandre Moors, Matt Smukler, Syndrome.
Joy@HELLO!: Mehdi Norowzian
Music video/LIVE roster: David Barnard, Evan Bernard, Dick Carruthers, Andrew Huang, Garth Jennings, Christian Lamb, Asa Mader, Alexandre Moors, Aaron Platt, Syndrome, Martin Weisz.
Academy@HELLO!: Kim Gehrig, Jonathan Glazer, Tom Haines, Corin Hardy, Brothers Quay, Lynne Ramsay, Si & Ad, Walter Stern, Martin de Thurah.
Credits:
Client: Kraft Foods
Title: “The Ropes” :60, “The Ropes” :30
Airdate: Currently Airing
Production Company: HELLO!, LA
Director: Matt Smukler
Managing Director: Line Postmyr
Exec. Producer: Carl Swan
Head of Production: Alexandra Chamberlain
Producer: Karen O’Brien
D.P.: Tami Reiker
Production Designer: Shepherd Frankel
Agency: DRAFTFCB, NYC
Agency Producer: Michelle Carman
Creative Director: Noah Davis
Art Director: Todd Eisner
Copywriter: Greg Wikoff
Editorial Company: BEAST Editorial, Santa Monica, CA
Editor: Jim
Post Producer: Julia
Post-Production: Rushes Post House
Colorists: Charlie Tucker
Post Producer: Lisa Boolootian
Sound Design: Daniel Kent Sound ###