Apple topped this year’s field of primetime commercial Emmy nominees, garnering a pair of nods for: MacBook’s “Behind the Mac--Make Something Wonderful” and iPhone’s “Don’t Mess With Mother,” both out of TBWA\Media Arts Lab.
The former centers on found photos of varied notables using the Mac as a creative tool--from Oprah Winfrey to Lin Manuel Miranda, Paul McCartney, Serena Williams, Damien Chazelle, Timbaland, Shawn Mendes and even Kermit the Frog, among others.
Meanwhile “Don’t Mess With Mother” features mother Earth at its most awe inspiring, from its creatures big and small, to the elements themselves--all shot on an iPhone.
While Apple has an Emmy lineage, winning in the past for such work as “Think Different,” so too do a few other nominees in this year’s mix: Nike and Wieden+Kennedy, with such past successes as “The Morning After,” and BBDO NY with multiple wins, ranging from the very first spot Emmy for HBO’s “Chimps” in 1997 to last year’s winner, P&G’s “The Talk.”
This time around, W+K and Nike teamed on “Dream Crazy,” much lauded this awards season and now adding an Emmy nom to its haul. With narration by Colin Kaepernick, the two-minute spot features star and not so prominent athletes striving to excel. It also touches on the controversy of NFL players kneeling during the national anthem to protest racial inequality and instances of police brutality. Kaepernick was the first player to protest in this manner during NFL games, leading to his, some contend, being banished from playing professional football. Kaepernick first appears on camera midway through the commercial. As his face is revealed, a reflection of an American flag is visible on a building facade behind him. At the start of the ad, Kaepernick says, “If people say your dreams are crazy, if they laugh at what you think you can do, good. Stay that way because what nonbelievers fail to understand is that calling a dream crazy is not an insult. It’s a compliment.” He later declares, “Believe in something, even if it means sacrificing everything.”
“Dream Crazy” was directed by Lance Acord, Emmanual “Chivo” Lubezki and Christian Weber of Park Pictures. The spot contributed heavily to Park recently winning the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.
As for BBDO NY’s latest Emmy nomination, it came on the strength of Sandy Hook Promise’s “Point of View” directed by Rupert Sanders of MJZ. The PSA served as a sixth year anniversary remembrance of the Sandy Hook School shooting. The chilling video highlights how often a shooter goes unnoticed until it’s too late. “Point of View” follows students throughout their average high school day as they prepare for their class election. But the film takes a dark turn when it’s revealed to the viewer that they’ve been seeing the story through the eyes of a shooter all along. And only when the shooter raises his gun into frame do the students finally notice him too. The film serves as a shocking reminder of how easy it is to ignore the warning signs of someone on their way to committing a violent act.
Rounding out this year’s field of Emmy-nominated spots is Netflix’s “A Great Day In Hollywood,” directed by Lacey Duke via PRETTYBIRD for agency Kamp Grizzly. Narrated by Stranger Things’ Caleb McLaughlin, the piece, which debuted during last year’s BET Awards, declares that we are in an era where African-American creatives and actors have come to the fore, marking a movement which is making an indelible impact on society and our culture. Featured in the spot are Ava DuVernay, Spike Lee, Lena Waithe, Alfre Woodard, Danielle Brooks and Britney Young, among others.
The primetime commercial Emmy Award winner will be announced and honored during the Creative Arts Emmy Awards ceremony. The Creative Arts proceedings will be a two-day event held over the weekend of September 14-15 in Los Angeles.