Anonymous Content Delivers Christmas Cheer From Walmart
Anonymous Content Director Andrew Douglas stirs up a moving tribute to U.S. troops for the 2009 holiday season. Anthem Christmas Wish, done for Walmart via Martin Agency, Virginia, stars a group of soldiers returning from an exhausting patrol in the torrid desert heat. As the heroes drop their helmets and packs to the ground, a miracle occurs - snowflakes drift down and soon cover the encampment, injecting the troops with an unmitigated joy. The scene then shifts to a little boy, presumably thousands of miles away, leaving the cozy confines of Santa’s workshop. When his mother asks the boy what he wished for, he smiles and says, “Something for Dad.”
To recreate arid atmospheres, Douglas shot the spot over a two-day period on Mystery Mesa in Santa Clarita, Calif. A pair of Marine captains and a retired Navy SEAL supervised the shoot to ensure that everything from the look of the uniforms to the handling of weapons reflected military standards and norms. Even the snow was authentic - Anonymous brought in 45 tons of ice, which was shredded and shot skyward to create real powder. Anonymous also created the jovial Christmas scene populated by the boy and his mother.
Walmart created the spot to say thank you to U.S. troops for their brave service. The spot debuted during Game 6 of the World Series, an enormous television event that guaranteed a large audience. Over the next two months, the :30 will run in theaters, online, and during some of the most popular programs on TV, including The Today Show, Good Morning America, and Sunday Night Football. The :60 version will be broadcast on the American Forces Network and Walmart’s in-store network.
Client: Walmart
Spots Title: Anthem Christmas Wish
Air Date: November 2009
Agency: Martin Agency
CD: Nancy Hannon
Sr. Art Director: Kevin Thoem
ACD/Copywriter: Wade Alger
Broadcast EP: John McAdorey
Assistant Producer: Katie Chirgotis
Prod Company: Anonymous Content
Director: Andrew Douglas
DP: Flor Collins
EP/Head of Commercials: Dave Morrison
Head of Production: Sue Ellen Clair
Producer: Aris McGarry
Editorial: Beast Editorial
Editor: Michael Elliot
Assistant Editor: Joe Rounseville
Producer: Aris McGarry
Post: The Mill
Online Editor: Dan Williams
Colorist: Fergus McCall
Effects: The Mill
VFX Artist: Gavin Wellsman
Producer: Dan Roberts
Audio Post/Sound Design: Sound Lounge
Mixer/Sound Designer: Philip Loeb
Music: Human
Shoot Location: Santa Clarita, CA
About Anonymous Content:
Anonymous Content is an industry-leading production and management firm that leverages its unrivaled reach and access to talent to create and produce innovative content across all its divisions: Film, Integrated, Commercials, Music Video, Television, and Talent.
Anonymous Content was formed in 1999 by a collaboration of business and creative minds responsible for developing some of the industry’s most respected entertainment and branded content. In launching the firm, the founders combined their unique talents, distinct vision for the future of content creation, and unmatched industry access. Since then, Anonymous has been able to extend its reach across entertainment, exercising its capacity to package talent and mine literary material from deep and powerful resources.
Company principals have developed longstanding direct relationships with talent, talent agencies, advertising agencies, domestic and international distributors, and broadcasters, reinforcing their ability to assemble the right team for any project. They create compelling and entertaining content while facilitating the development, production, and distribution of programming through both traditional and emerging media channels. Anonymous is responsible for producing such features as 44 Inch Chest, 50 First Dates, Babel, Case 39, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Smiley Face and Rendition to name a few. Its commercial arm has been part of many of the industry.s most successful campaigns, as well being at the forefront of the evolution of brand integration campaigns such as BMW Films. The Anonymous team now consists of more than 100 full-time employees at its Culver City, New York, and London offices.
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