United Airlines’ new advertising campaign for the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic team is a fantastic combination of marketing, production, and support.
Superheroes, created by mcgarrybowen’s New York office, celebrates the efforts of six employees and six athletes who will help the U.S. travel to and compete in the 2018 Winter Games, beginning on February 9 in PyeongChang, South Korea.
With the blockbuster guidance of Casino Royale director Martin Campbell, an epic score by Iron Man composer Brian Tyler, and visual magic from the award-winning effects-masters at Framestore, the campaign shows that traveling down a mountain luge can be just as much of a thrill as preparing an inflight dessert tray.
“Which super power does everyone desire?” asks mcgarrybowen ECD / Managing Director, Haydn Morris. “Well, that’s the one United Airlines has and uses to carry Team USA to perform super heroic feats.”
The athletes and employees who star in Superheroes appear in thrilling scenes that reflect the contribution he or she will make to this year’s Olympic and Paralympic efforts. When the individual segments reach their conclusions, each one of them has transformed into a bona-fide superhero.
The integrated campaign’s media placements include OOH, Broadcast, Digital, Social, and In-Flight.
“The tie between superheroes and Olympic athletes is clear,” says United Marketing VP Mark Krolick. “They are ‘regular’ people who use their exceptional talents to accomplish the incredible.”
mcgarrybowen premiered Superheroes last night at the Helen Mills Event Space and Theater in New York City. Besides the advertising creative team, dozens of United employees showed up with the company’s individual superheroes, who received rousing applause when they appeared onscreen. According to one attendee, the event was filled with “much love and joy.”
At the end of the show, everyone got a gift bag that included doll versions of the superheroes.
THE SUPERHEROES
TEAM USA ATHLETES
AIR RAIDER (Freeskier Gus Kenworthy)
His power of flight is only matched by his perpetual chase of the origins of winter and how to harness its energy.
ARCTIC ANGEL (Snowboarder Jamie Anderson)
She protects the mountains’ most precious resource, fresh powder.
ICE LIGHTNING (Speedskater J.R. Celski)
Quicker than a bolt in a storm, he is a blur for even those with the keenest eye.
THE ROCKET (Luger Erin Hamlin)
Her power of speed and invisibility leaves the competition at the starting line.
KING QUAD (Figure Skater Nathan Chen)
With the power of the quadruple jump, he can take any material and spin it into gold.
THE FURY (Sled Hockey Team Member Nikko Landeros)
The defender of all who need preservation, he brings his power of intensity to the ice in search of gold.
UNITED EMPLOYEES
SKY RUNNER (Pilot Nancy Barteczko)
She soars gracefully at cruising altitude, only touching down to deliver passengers to their destinations across the globe.
DEPARTICUS (Customer Service Representative Lemont Penn)
He is the guardian of all those making passage, day or night.
WINGED WONDER (Flight Attendant Karla Gonzales De La Torre)
She represents the ultimate triumvirate of powers: safety, hydration and fuel.
AGENT CARGO (Ramp and Baggage Worker Craig Cosentino)
He acts with the strength of a thousand people.
STORM TAMER (Operations Expert Michael Murgaditchian)
He is capable of parting even the most menacing clouds to grant safe passage for all on board.
DIRECTIONATOR (Wingwalker Michael Turner)
He uses his power of navigation and glowing orbs of exploration to guide planes to their gates.
CREDITS
Agency : mcgarrybowen NY
US Chief Creative Officer : Ned Crowley
Managing Director, Executive Creative Director : Haydn Morris
Group Creative Director : David DiRienz
GCD, writer: Chris Pacetta
Senior Art Director: Dane Alexander
Jr Art Director: David Castillo
Director of Broadcast Production : Dante Piacenza
Executive Producer: Stacy Kay
Senior Art Producer: Kim Stoerker
Senior Producer: Katie West
Managing Director, Global Music Production: Jerry Krenach
Executive Music Producer : Jean Scofield
Managing Director, Account: Christopher Blades
Group Managing Director: Ethel Uy
Executive Director, Strategy: Diane Epstein
Production Company: Saville Productions
Director: Martin Campbell
Executive Producer : Rupert Maconick
Head of Production: Michelle Travinski
Producer: David Moore
Editorial House : Cut + Run NY
Editor : Jon Grover
Senior Producer : Ellese Jobin
Original Music
Composer and Conductor : Brian Tyler
Rhapsody in Blue Composer: George Gershwin
Orchestrator : Max Lombardo and Dana Niu
Score Coordinator: Breton Vivian and James Regan
Engineer and Mixer: Greg Hayes
Music Editor : Joe Lisanti and Kyle Clausen
Music Preparation: Eric Stonerook
Music Contractor and Coordinator : Peter Rotter & Encompass Music Partners
Sound Designer: Stephen Dewey
Executive Producer : Patty Chow Dewery, Machinehead
Music Record: Eastwood Scoring Stage – Warner Bros. Studios
Studio Manager, Warner Bros. Studios: Jamie Olvera
Music Production Company: Mophonics
Executive Creative Director: Stephan Altman
Head of Production: Shelley Altman
Creative Producer: Kristoffer Roggemann
Executive Producer: Amanda Fink
Additional Production: Shea Duncan
Music Mix Engineer: Michael Marinelli, Sonic Union
Visual Effects: Framestore
Producer : Sophie Harrison
VFX Supervisor: Adrian Hurley
VFX : Dez Macleod-Veilleux
Head of Flame: Raul Ortego
Motion Graphics: Sarofsky
Executive Creative Director: Erin Sarofsky
Creative Director: Jens Mebes
Executive Producer: Steven Anderson
Senior Producer: Bryan Haney
Illustrator: Jeremy Roberts
Print Illustrator: Cliff Nielsen
