Sony Pixel Power calrec Sony

Utopic Bags the Humor For Spartan Stores And Fairly Painle Advertising

01/03/2014

Utopic recently produced a pair of comedy-driven spots for Spartan Stores, one of the largest grocery distributors in the country. Created by Fairly Painless Advertising, the two: 30's, Hugs' and Digital Coupons,' tapped into Utopic's model of production, editorial, finishing and audio services to launch its Yes Rewards Programs' with a seamless, one-stop approach that delivered the campaign's message with humor and wit.

Utopic's comedy director, Al Wyatt, captured hilarious footage during a two-night shoot in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Both spots feature two Spartan employees brainstorming about the best way to show their appreciation for their customers while improving their shopping experience. Although the initial ideas and banter plays like a comedy sketch, the employees ultimately deliver the spots' messages and introduce the Yes Rewards Program' with clarity, as well as humor.

The fact that Fairly Painless took advantage of Utopic's full-service capabilities for this job was key to the success of the project, says Wyatt. Kat Pryor (Utopic editor) and I got together before we shot a single frame to ensure we had good coverage. We were fortunate to start with such smart, funny scripts, and work with tremendous comedy actors that delivered very genuine and funny performances. Working closely with Tim Hackney, the agencys creative director and copywriter, we created the right tone for the spots quickly, which enabled us to make stop-on casting choices.

Wyatt tapped some of the brightest, funniest new talent with an assist from Paskal Rudnicke (Chicago) and Fahey-Dreher (Grand Rapids). After the shoot wrapped Hackney joined the crew back at Utopic in Chicago, where editor Kat Pryor delivered the right moments - and perfectly awkward beats - with precision.

There are directors and editors who help you make commercials, and then there are directors and editors who help you make commercials better, says Hackney. Thanks to Al, Kat, Heather and all the folks at Utopic, we got the latter.

Pryor edited the spots on Premiere, and her cuts were not only unanimously loved by all, but also approved by the client without a change. Working so closely with Al and Tim made editing these spots a pleasure from beginning to end. I had no shortage of options thanks to great writing, casting and coverage, says Pryor. You know it's a good session when you can't stop laughing.

Utopic's recently signed director of finishing, Christopher Elliott, used Autodesk Smoke to color and finish both spots.

Christopher did a great job finishing the spots and Brian Leitner added the perfect complement of sound effects to the mix, adds Pryor.

Production and post are inextricably linked, and Utopic's ability to take the job from concept through production, editorial, animation and audio allowed the company to optimize efficiency, maximize the budget and deliver a final product that exceeded the client's expectations.

Rumor has it that more Spartan Store spots with even more outlandish suggestions are already in the works for early this year.

About Utopic:

Utopic is an award-winning one-stop broadcast/digital company dedicated to providing agencies and brands with multi-platform integrated editorial, production, VFX, audio and interactive services. Its collaborative consortium of artists and producers offer a seamless approach to everything from traditional broadcast commercials and promos to complex interactive rich media, web content, mobile apps and virals. Utopic's mix of work includes broadcast spots and digital media content for clients such as Samsung, Kellogg's, McDonald's, Toyota, GM, NBC, Kraft and Jim Beam to name a few.

Credits:

Project: Broadcast Commercials

Titles: Hugs' + Digital Coupons' (:30's)

Client: Spartan Stores, Grand Rapids, MI

Advertising Agency: Fairly Painless Advertising (Holland, Michigan)

President: Chris Cook

Creative Director/Copywriter: Tim Hackney

Account Director: Craig Davis

Production Company: Utopic (Chicago)

EP: Heather Mitchell

Director: Al Wyatt

Producer: Michael Pearson

DP: Chad Terpstra

Post-Production Company: Utopic (Chicago)

Senior Editor: Kat Pryor

Asst. Editor: Christen Nehmer

Online: Christopher Elliot

Audio/Sound Company: Utopic (Chicago)

Mixer: Brian Leitner

Casting:

Chicago Casting: Casting Director Jennifer Rudnicke, PR Casting

Grand Rapids Casting: Casting Director: Maureen Dreher, Fahey-Dreher Casting

###
LINK: http://news.creativecow.net/story/874236...
See more stories from creativecow

Most recent headlines

05/01/2027

Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be demoed at CES 2026

Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...

09/10/2026

Dolby Expands Dolby OptiView Platform with New Capabilities at IBC 2026

September 10 2026, 06:00 (PDT) Dolby Expands Dolby OptiView Platform with New Capabilities at IBC 2026 New Sports Intelligence helps providers better unders...

07/10/2026

Dalet Flex LTS Delivers Smarter Media Operations from Ingest to Distribution

Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the latest Long-Term Supported (LTS) release of Dalet Flex. Build...

11/09/2026

IBC 2026: Calrec Launches Type RT Console and Apex M6 Modular I/O Platform

Calrec will introduce two new products at IBC2026 (Stand 8.C47, RAI Amsterdam, September 11-14): the Type RT broadcast production console and the Apex M6 Modula...

11/09/2026

IBC 2026: Grass Valley Launches AVORA All-in-One Live Production Platform

Grass Valley has announced AVORA, a standalone all-in-one live production solution launching at IBC2026 (Booth 9.A01 and IBC Future Tech Zone, Stand 14.C49, Sep...

11/09/2026

IBC 2026: CAMB.AI Launches Streaming SDK and Dashboard for Multilingual Live Broadcasting

CAMB.AI is introducing its Streaming SDK and Streaming Dashboard at IBC2026, wit...

11/09/2026

IBC 2026: EVS Launches XT-S Software-Defined Multi-Application Server

EVS has announced XT-S, a software-defined server platform that runs multiple live production applications on a common hardware foundation. The platform debuts ...

11/09/2026

IBC 2026: EKT Showcases Linux-Based ATSC 3.0 Converter Box

EKT is demonstrating a new Linux-based ATSC 3.0 set-top box at IBC2026. The second-generation product moves away from Android to reduce memory costs, with Linux...

11/09/2026

IBC 2026: Sennheiser Group to Showcase Wireless, Monitoring, and Broadcast Workflow

The Sennheiser Group will exhibit at IBC2026 (Hall 8, Booth D50, September 11-14...

11/09/2026

Ludacris Joins Chris Stapleton and Cindy Blackman Santana for Monday Night Footballs In the Air Tonight Open

ESPN's Monday Night Football will open its 2026-27 season with a new renditi...

11/09/2026

Dalet Integrates NVIDIA Synthetic Content Detection into Dalet Flex

Dalet has announced an integration of NVIDIA's Synthetic Video Detector AI model into Dalet Flex, enabling media organizations to identify potentially AI-ge...

11/09/2026

IBC 2026: MC-IF Demonstrates VVC Capabilities

The Media Coding Industry Forum (MC-IF) will demonstrate Versatile Video Coding (VVC) capabilities at IBC2026 (Hall 2, Stand 2.B13), as the codec moves toward c...

11/09/2026

IBC 2026: Sony to Demonstrate Live, News, Cinema, and Immersive Production

Sony will exhibit at IBC2026 (Hall 13, September 11-14), demonstrating products across live production, news, cinema, and immersive and spatial content workflow...

11/09/2026

Wave Central Named Recipient of 2026 Technology and Engineering Emmy for FPV Drone Systems

Wave Central, a Domo Broadcast Company, has been named a recipient of a 2026 Tec...

11/09/2026

IBC 2026: SNS Validates EVO Compatibility With Avid Media Composer 2026.8, Adds Browser-Based Upload to Outpost

Studio Network Solutions (SNS) is bringing a pair of workflow updates to IBC2026...

11/09/2026

IBC 2026: iodyne to Demo Pro Mini Smart Drive Across Four Partner Booths

iodyne will co-exhibit with Hedge at IBC2026 (Booth 7.A36, September 11-14) and appear across three additional partner booths, marking the first public demonstr...

11/09/2026

SVG GameDay, Ep. 30: Freelance Graphics Operator Corinne Yamada - Philly-Based Graphics Creation

In-venue and creative video staffers at the professional and collegiate level ha...

11/09/2026

CBS Sports Goes HDR Across Its Entire NFL Package, Heads to Rio in Week 3

The network will phase in HDR crew by crew while expanding Next Gen Stats integration, SkyDry availability, and onsite studio shows...

11/09/2026

IBC 2026: CAMB.AI Unveils the World's First Multilingual Broadcasting Agent Powered by NVIDIA

CAMB.AI is introducing its new Streaming SDK and Streaming Dashboard at IBC2026,...

11/09/2026

Netflix Goes Down Under With NBC Sports, NEP for NFL From Melbourne

Massive host operation at Melbourne Cricket Ground featured 54 cameras, 25,000 ST 2110 flows, REMI studio production in Stamford, and global distribution to mor...

11/09/2026

FOX Sports Homogenizes Coverage With Upscaled Game Tech, Seamless Integration With Studio Shows in L.A.

Production Anywhere Remote Kit (PARK) & AR-fueled Stage B are two key pieces to ...

11/09/2026

Get to Know This Fall and Winter's Filmmakers Through These 36 Sundance Institute-Supported Films

By Ramona Flume and Lucy Spicer There's a particular kind of magic that hap...

11/09/2026

Film Festival Watch: 8 Sundance Institute-Supported Films to See at the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival

By Jessica Herndon The fall film season is kicking off, and Sundance Institute-...

11/09/2026

Positive Grid announce the Spark Pedal

Spark series gains compact modelling stompbox Positive Grid's Spark amps have become a popular part of the company's line-up, offering a convenient ...

11/09/2026

Rapid Flow release omniGRID

New flagship sequencing plug-in revealed Rapid Flow have just launched a new 16-track sequencer plug-in which they say has been designed for total rhythmic...

11/09/2026

Rohde & Schwarz unveils the air-cooled R&STM1 medium-power UHF transmitter at IBC 2026

Rohde & Schwarz unveils the air-cooled R&S TM1 medium-power UHF transmitter at I...

11/09/2026

TV Usage Kicks Usual Summer Slowdown, Fueled by World Cup and Streaming in Nielsen's July Gauge Reports

FIFA World Cup 2026 and Peacock's Love Island USA' Power NBCU-Versant ...

11/09/2026

Atomos Debuts New HDR Monitors at IBC2026

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

11/09/2026

Calrec to Unveil Type RT Compact Console at IBC2026

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

11/09/2026

Lightware Launches LARA 2 with New Architecture for More...

Lightware has announced the launch of LARA (Lightware Advanced Room Automation) 2.0, a major upgrade to its built-in room automation platform, introducing impro...

11/09/2026

MusiMap launches latest technology unlocking new commerci...

10 September 2026 - MusiMap, the B2B music intelligence company that is transforming how companies can harness the emotional power of music to reach consumers a...

11/09/2026

Matrox Video Integrates Matrox ORIGIN with NVIDIA Holosca...

Matrox Video today announced an integration between Matrox ORIGIN and NVIDIA Holoscan for Media, enabling Matrox ORIGIN media services to be provisioned, config...

11/09/2026

Net Insight brings cloud-native live media orchestration...

Net Insight today announced that its cloud-native live media orchestration is now available through Oracle Cloud Marketplace, providing broadcasters, production...

11/09/2026

Calrec to Unveil Type RT Compact Console at IBC 2026

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

11/09/2026

Biggest functionality boost yet makes Buttons the perfect...

Version 1.8 will bring advanced routing control, new workflow tools, boosted control panel flexibility and ease of integration into IP networks...

11/09/2026

Ikegami Announces Four New UNICAM XE Series Cameras

Ikegami announces four additions its UNICAM XE range of 4K-UHD cameras with the introduction of the UHK-X700VN, UHK-X750VN, UHK-X600VN and UHK-X650VN. Developed...

11/09/2026

DHD Launches New MX3 Consoles - Modular to the Core

DHD.audio has chosen IBC2026 as the launch venue for a major new addition to its broadcast sound production platform: the MX3 console range. MX3 retains the mod...

11/09/2026

Sony To Showcase Latest Production Technology At IBC2026

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

11/09/2026

EKT To Feature New Linux-Based ATSC 3.0 STB At IBC2026

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

11/09/2026

Jimmy Kimmel Shifts Political Interview to YouTube Over FCC Worries

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

11/09/2026

Remembering 9/11: 25 Years of TV Tech Coverage

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

11/09/2026

Tiger Group To Auction Equipment from a National Broadcasting Studio

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

11/09/2026

Grass Valley Launches AVORA at IBC2026

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

11/09/2026

Survey: Low Latency for Live Streaming Is Industrys Top Challenge

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

11/09/2026

Atomos Debuts New HDR Monitors at 2026 IBC Show

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

11/09/2026

Grass Valley Launches AVORA at IBC2026 Bringing All in On...

New standalone solution gives production teams everything they need to create, produce and deliver live content from one flexible system. Grass Valley today an...

11/09/2026

Wave Central a Domo Broadcast Company Named Recipient of...

Recognition honors the development of FPV drone camera systems for live sports broadcast coverage Wave Central, a Domo Broadcast Company that develops advanced...

11/09/2026

Teradek Launches Bolt 7 A Unified Wireless System for Zer...

Teradek, the industry leader in zero-delay wireless video solutions, announced the launch of Bolt 7, which now includes a unified wireless video and data system...

11/09/2026

ACT Pixel Academy Announces Autumn Courses

The ACT Entertainment tvONE and Green Hippo Pixel Academy has released its autumn course schedule, with hands-on training dates in September, October and Novemb...

11/09/2026

Scientists discover a new way that a disease-linked protein comes apart

LA JOLLA, CA-Transthyretin amyloid disease (ATTR) is a progressive, life-threatening condition caused when the protein transthyretin (TTR) breaks apart and aggr...