Who is that man?
April 24, 2014 6:51 PM Subscribe
Perhaps you've seen a shorter version of Heineken's commercial "The Odyssey" on television. If you haven't seen the full-length piece, or if you haven't watched closely, you may not realize that the lead role is played by 20 different men, each "legendary" in his own way. Heineken has created an interactive version of the short advertising film, allowing you to click on each non-actor to see his casting interview. (Or you can just let it play and watch each man in his turn.) [total time ~48m]
TL;DW version of the casting interviews [2m10s]
TL;DW version of the casting interviews [2m10s]
I assumed it was all CG and clever editing. It never even occurred to me that there were actually different people doing all those stunts.
posted by Faint of Butt at 7:22 PM on April 24, 2014
posted by Faint of Butt at 7:22 PM on April 24, 2014
Hrm, I thought it was obvious they were different people.
posted by ryoshu at 7:24 PM on April 24, 2014
posted by ryoshu at 7:24 PM on April 24, 2014
I unironically appreciate it it when an ad agency decides, "Screw it. We're gonna make us some surrealist art and get a megaconglomerate to foot the bill."
The candy commercials - "Great Feasters in History" that had a viking, a roman emperor, a pilgrim, a polynesian and Henry VIII cruising convenience stores in a '96 Ford Taurus, the man who makes anything he touches into Skittles... the deodorant commercials with the Unreasonably Attractive Man warping reality around him... the "Real Men of Genius" radio spots ("Here's to you, Mr. Taco Salad Eater...")
They sure as shit don't make me want to buy the product (Heineken? Snickers? Old Spice? Bud Light? Ick.) but I really enjoy the spectacle and humor.
The concept for this one is genius, the execution superb, and the details - the costuming! Oh, those cruise passengers were some smartly attired folks... and they did it all in broad daylight. Controlling light so it appears natural during a cloudless mid-day, without sharp shadows and blown out highlights, is about the toughest technical challenge in videography, but they nailed it, effects and all.
posted by Slap*Happy at 7:27 PM on April 24, 2014 [6 favorites]
The candy commercials - "Great Feasters in History" that had a viking, a roman emperor, a pilgrim, a polynesian and Henry VIII cruising convenience stores in a '96 Ford Taurus, the man who makes anything he touches into Skittles... the deodorant commercials with the Unreasonably Attractive Man warping reality around him... the "Real Men of Genius" radio spots ("Here's to you, Mr. Taco Salad Eater...")
They sure as shit don't make me want to buy the product (Heineken? Snickers? Old Spice? Bud Light? Ick.) but I really enjoy the spectacle and humor.
The concept for this one is genius, the execution superb, and the details - the costuming! Oh, those cruise passengers were some smartly attired folks... and they did it all in broad daylight. Controlling light so it appears natural during a cloudless mid-day, without sharp shadows and blown out highlights, is about the toughest technical challenge in videography, but they nailed it, effects and all.
posted by Slap*Happy at 7:27 PM on April 24, 2014 [6 favorites]
I want Legendary Lady Thrower on my tombstone.
posted by spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints at 7:28 PM on April 24, 2014
posted by spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints at 7:28 PM on April 24, 2014
Let me know when they cast a women-welcome version of this.
posted by divabat at 7:53 PM on April 24, 2014 [3 favorites]
posted by divabat at 7:53 PM on April 24, 2014 [3 favorites]
Casting the Dos Equis guy as the ship's captain was pure genius.
posted by Flashman at 8:02 PM on April 24, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by Flashman at 8:02 PM on April 24, 2014 [2 favorites]
Is this what you get if you order a Pepsi Blue in Holland?
posted by notme at 8:12 PM on April 24, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by notme at 8:12 PM on April 24, 2014 [1 favorite]
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posted by Sys Rq at 8:20 PM on April 24, 2014
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posted by Sys Rq at 8:20 PM on April 24, 2014
Use the logged-in MetaFilter inline player and avoid the YouTube login requirement.
posted by hippybear at 8:23 PM on April 24, 2014
posted by hippybear at 8:23 PM on April 24, 2014
I unironically appreciate it it when an ad agency decides, "Screw it. We're gonna make us some surrealist art and get a megaconglomerate to foot the bill."
Ad agencies are always trying to do this. The trick is getting them to buy.
posted by sweetkid at 8:29 PM on April 24, 2014 [3 favorites]
Ad agencies are always trying to do this. The trick is getting them to buy.
posted by sweetkid at 8:29 PM on April 24, 2014 [3 favorites]
Hrm, I thought it was obvious they were different people.
It is, if you're paying attention to the ad. The first couple of times I saw the ad, it was in a sports bar, so I wasn't really watching at all. Then after the third time, I spotted it again and was thinking to myself that the bearded guy looked different from the last time I saw the ad, but thought maybe I was just seeing things. Then, when it was shown again, I actually watched the ad and finally confirmed it was a different guy each scene. So, at the very least, the ad did it's job of making me watch it a little more intently than the million other beer ads that play.
posted by FJT at 9:31 PM on April 24, 2014 [1 favorite]
It is, if you're paying attention to the ad. The first couple of times I saw the ad, it was in a sports bar, so I wasn't really watching at all. Then after the third time, I spotted it again and was thinking to myself that the bearded guy looked different from the last time I saw the ad, but thought maybe I was just seeing things. Then, when it was shown again, I actually watched the ad and finally confirmed it was a different guy each scene. So, at the very least, the ad did it's job of making me watch it a little more intently than the million other beer ads that play.
posted by FJT at 9:31 PM on April 24, 2014 [1 favorite]
Apart from getting away with making a piece of art, the whole notion of having a skill (let's say …delivering a devastating chat up line in Finnish) which is ridiculously specialist but in which one is super-proficient, is an important insight into the psyche of male beer drinkers everywhere.
posted by rongorongo at 12:17 AM on April 25, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by rongorongo at 12:17 AM on April 25, 2014 [1 favorite]
hippybear:
posted by charred husk at 5:09 AM on April 25, 2014 [2 favorites]
Use the logged-in MetaFilter inline player and avoid the YouTube login requirement.I'm twelve and that's how I get to see all the YouTube boobies.
posted by charred husk at 5:09 AM on April 25, 2014 [2 favorites]
My typically unobservant ass spotted the switches right away, but it wasn't enough to make the ad interesting by itself.
posted by Flexagon at 7:34 AM on April 25, 2014
posted by Flexagon at 7:34 AM on April 25, 2014
Is this what you get if you order a Pepsi Blue in Holland?
No, this is what you get if you order Pepsi Blue in Holland.
posted by MartinWisse at 1:07 PM on May 1, 2014
No, this is what you get if you order Pepsi Blue in Holland.
posted by MartinWisse at 1:07 PM on May 1, 2014
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posted by KGMoney at 7:13 PM on April 24, 2014