Droga5 likes building elaborate, full-scale sets for its Motorola spots rather than relying on computer effects and camera tricks. This approach seems especially apt in "The Maker," a minute-long clip touting a site that lets users customize their Moto X smartphones.
Moto Maker is a site that lets users trick out their handsets in various colors and designs. Options include metal accents, wood tones (like teak and bamboo), laser-etched signatures and, for a limited time, football leather. (Motorola asks that "you resist the urge to spike your phone," which is probably always good advice.)
The spot shows the same guy in two rooms separated by a wall: on one side, he's clicking away on a computer to detail his Moto X. On the other, he's running around a fanciful laboratory, where he employs robotic arms, chemicals and laser beams to tailor his phone. Director Vesa Manninen of Reset Content injects the proceedings with whimsical charm—and the impressive visuals are on par with previous entries in Motorola's "Choose Choice" campaign.
The overarching strategy of "The Maker" is itself a smart choice, since the term has taken on heightened significance with the emerging Maker Movement. Letting users make creative decisions to suit their interests and personalities, even on a limited basis, is a decidedly cool selling point that Apple can't claim.
The dude in the commercial was wise to scuttle his "Panda King" imprint in favor of the more practical "Ben's Phone." Going with the bamboo finish, however, is so 2013.
CREDITS
Client: Motorola
Global Brand Director: Barry Smyth
Brand Marketing Manager: Katie Cowan
Brand Marketing Manager: Magno Herran
Agency: Droga5 NY
Creative Chairman: David Droga
Chief Creative Officer: Ted Royer
Executive Creative Director: Neil Heymann
Senior Art Director: Andrew Wilcox
Senior Copywriter: Lincoln Boehm
Chief Creation Officer: Sally-Ann Dale
Head of Broadcast Production: Ben Davies
Senior Broadcast Producer: David Cardinali
Global Chief Strategy Officer: Jonny Bauer
Senior Brand Strategist: Zack Cohn
Group Brand Strategy Director: David Gonzales
Global Business Director: Bryan Yasko
Account Director: Brian D'Entremont
Account Manager: Stephanie Thiel
Production Company: Reset Content
Director: Vesa Manninen
DP: Chris Mably
Managing Director: Dave Morrison
Executive Producer: Jeff McDougall
Head of Production: Amanda Clune
Line Producer: Ayelet Weinerman
Editorial: Whitehouse Post
Editors: Shane Reid
Assistant Editor: Devon Bradbury
Executive Producer: Lauren Hertzberg
Producer: Nick Crane
Postproduction: Method NY
General Manager: Stuart Robinson
Postproduction Producer: Carlos Herrera
Visual Effects Supervisor: Alvin Cruz
Color: Company 3
Colorist: Tim Masik
Producer: Rochelle Brown
Music: MassiveMusic North America
Executive Producer: Keith Haluska
Creative Director: Elijah B Torn
Sound: Sound Lounge
Mixer: Tom Jucarone
