I Miss the GMC Lot Guy

As a Laker fan, one thing that made the NBA Finals bearable to watch was a fantastic campaign for the GMC Denali. I generally don't favor automotive advertising in general and SUV/Truck ads in particular, but this campaign was infectious, due to some really smart decisions by the agency (Leo Burnett). Instead of focusing on the usual litany of product features or beautiful talent out for a fashionable good time in the city or the testosterone-driven running shots most in the category can't seem to get enough of (yawn!), the LB folks created an unforgettable character who, through his wacky banter with an unrecognizable but implied NBA star, connected the vehicle with "cool" in a very entertaining and relevant way. I was able to speak with the CD behind the work, Peter McHugh, and learned a few details I will share: Jesse Peretz of RSA was the Director. Keegan-Michael Key of MAD TV was the talent, and they booked him the day before shooting began. They shot with multiple cameras at the same time to make sure they captured all of Key's deliveries, as about half the copy was scripted and half was ad-lib. The footage was made into one short film, then cut down into 4 :30's. Other agency creative credits go to Jay Morrison and Ryan Inda. The Lot Guy is gone from the airwaves now that the NBA Finals are over.http://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gif Oh well. If I need a fix, I can always go to YouTube. Check it out: