JOIN THE STAMPEDE

The Ford Motor Company and J Walter Thompson/Team Detroit wanted an “evergreen” commercial they could use in designated markets to promote their F Series line of trucks during Ford Truck Month.

Collaborating with some amazing teams on both the client and agency sides, we came up with the concept “Join The Stampede” as the rallying cry for the commercial. A stampede is a sudden rush or rapid movement of a mass of something, usually horses or cattle, in response to a particular stimulus. In our case, the stimulus was Ford Truck Month and, instead of a mass of cattle, I wanted it to be a horsepower-fueled stampede of F Series trucks tearing across the highways, dirt roads and manly job sites of the American plains. My approach to shooting the campaign was to mirror the speed and aggression of a full-scale stampede. I didn’t want the camera to be just an observer. I wanted it right in the middle of the action.

I led client, agency, and internal creative teams through the story boarding, planning, production and post-production phases. It was an ambitious, logistically challenging shoot that required five shooting days, a dozen locations, 30 F Series Trucks and stunt drivers, and one Ultimate Arm.

In the end, we ended up delivering more than just a commercial, turning over three hours of killer footage into a campaign that included five TV spots.

Creative Direction, VFX Direction, Director

Agency: J Walter Thompson/Team Detroit