February 18, 2003

REEBOK’S TERRY TATE SACKS SOCCER STREAKER

NEW YORK - Imitation is said to be the ultimate form of flattery. Then Wieden + Kennedy and Nike should be pleased with the latest spot for Reebok via The Arnell Group, which produced a copycat of the soccer streaker spot for Reebok featuring the company's new spokesman, Terry Tate, the office linebacker.

The commercial opens much like the Nike spot, with a naked guy running through a soccer game while police try in vain to catch him. But as the streaker halts to salute the crowd, suddenly he is blindsided by Terry Tate, the office linebacker, who proceeds to admonish the crippled streaker for interrupting the game.

The spot, directed by Rawson Thurber if Hypnotic LA, was conceived, shot, posted and then aired all within a week. Visual effects artist David Elkins of Spontaneous Combustion (www.spon.com) provided the effects including adding a second tier to the soccer stadium, fans in the seats and billboard advertisements lining the stadium. In addition, Elkins had to track and blur the streaker's private parts throughout the ad. Elkins used Discreet Inferno for all the work on the spot. Spontaneous Combustion's Amir Qureshi also worked on the project. The ad was edited by Jason Painter of Swietlik; David Hutten of Comma was the sound designer; and Joe O'Connell of Blast Digital mixed the spot.