#016 “Am I making this better, or making it mine?” Learning from McCann Global Creative Director, Nick Allen
Feb 21, 2022
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A deep dive into the emotional storytelling of Chevrolet's ad, Holiday Ride, with insights from McCann Global Creative Director, Nick Allen. Explore the delicate balance between enhancing creative work and imposing personal voice, journey from Traffic Coordinator to Global Creative Director, crafting impactful presentations, selecting and collaborating with directors, and the importance of authenticity and emotional depth in advertising.
Effective collaboration and communication are essential in selecting directors for projects.
Technical aspects such as camera technique, color grading, pacing, and music selection play a crucial role in evaluating directors.
Authenticity and alignment with project goals are key factors in selecting directors for impactful visual storytelling.
Deep dives
Working Collaboratively with Directors
The agency production department plays a pivotal role in selecting directors for projects, presenting a curated list of choices based on experience and relevance. When evaluating potential directors, looking at their previous work, collaborating effectively, and understanding their approach is crucial. Collaboration and clear communication are emphasized to ensure a shared vision and goal.
Director Selection Process
The process of selecting directors involves reviewing their reels and resumes to gauge their expertise, style, and past collaborations. Checking references from industry connections, assessing their reel customized for the specific project's needs, and focusing on technical aspects such as camera technique, pacing, color choices, and music selection enable a comprehensive evaluation of the director's suitability.
Key Factors in Director Evaluation
When evaluating directors, expertise in delivering a spot's intended message effectively, enhancing punchlines through visual elements, demonstrating skill in color grading and pacing, and making impactful music choices are key considerations. Understanding how a director can transform an idea into compelling visual storytelling is essential in the director selection process.
Appreciating Directors' Vision and Execution
Directors are valued for their ability to bring a script to life creatively and effectively. Appreciating a director's interpretation of an idea, clarity in visual storytelling, and alignment with the project's tone and objectives guide the selection process. Directors who enhance the narrative through their cinematic techniques and unique style are essential in producing engaging and impactful content.
Impact of Authentic Advertising on Society
Authentic advertising that addresses societal issues, like promoting sustainability or fighting racism, can make a positive impact on the world. Examples from brands like Patagonia and Nike show how ads can be a platform for meaningful messages. However, the authenticity of the message is crucial, as disingenuous attempts at leveraging social causes can backfire.
Challenges in Advertising Project Execution
In the advertising industry, maintaining authenticity while executing projects is vital to success. Challenges arise when compromises are made during various stages of production, leading to a diluted final product. These compromises, whether in talent selection, shooting decisions, or script alterations, can accumulate and result in a less impactful end result. Collaborating closely with directors and clients can help navigate these challenges and preserve the integrity of the original idea.
Holiday Ride is Chevrolet’s new ad about a father, his daughter, and his late wife’s classic 1966 Impala. It’s sad, inspiring, and it tugs right at the heartstrings.
Based on a true story, GM ad-maker Commonwealth/McCann worked with Academy Award winners Tom Hooper, Claudio Miranda, and Rachel Portman “to tell the story of love, redemption, and restoration.”
The McCann Creative Director of Holiday Ride is Nick Allen, who was kind enough to join us to talk about his methodology, his process, and how Chevy and McCann created the most tear-jerking ad of the 2021 Holidays.
If you are a filmmaker who’s curious about what goes on inside the minds of the creative directors at large agencies, how the people who you want thinking of you when they’re planning their next big campaign think, then this episode is for you.
