Player profile: `Whassup' with Kwiatt? He produces Lion for DDB

The past few months have been pretty good for Kent Kwiatt. He left his free-lance gig, landed a job at DDB Worldwide, Chicago, on the Budweiser team in May, immediately took a month to backpack around Asia and Africa -- and upon return was sent to Cannes, where his free-lance work on DDB's "Whassup?!" campaign helped the agency win the Grand Prix. The 35-year-old bespectacled Mr. Kwiatt, who resembles common depictions of Jesus and talks of spirituality, sailing and finding the right woman, appears to be the least likely person to marshal the elements of the ads marked by base gags and loud humor. Then again, the research he and his four-man team conducted in bars hasn't hurt their attempt to monitor -- and shape -- the American gestalt. "I can't imagine going to a bar and not hearing `Whassup?!,' " said the DDB producer. The unassuming Mr. Kwiatt is the first to say he didn't spot the talent, didn't come up with the idea for the commercials, or even hone in on the 2-year-old short film that sparked the campaign that's supported more than eight executions and is still going strong. He did help tweak the 2 1/2minute "True" film done by Charles Stone III into 30- and 60-second spots. "Did he write a particular script? No, but he proved we could continue this thing as an ad campaign," said Don Pogeny, DDB group creative director. PART OF THE TEAM Although they manage schedules and budgets, keep abreast of technical developments, and hire editors, Mr. Kwiatt said good producers aren't just adept administrators. "The thing that makes us gifted is really the ability to be part of the team and assume a responsibility for the creative process." Mr. Kwiatt hardly thought he'd someday be hoisting Gold Lions when he graduated from Northern Illinois University with a B.S. degree with on emphasis on film in 1987. At first, he wanted to direct films, but instead, ended up editing wedding videos in suburban Chicago. "After 12 hours sitting in a dark room [cutting video of] someone's happiest day, I found myself falling in love with each of the brides and then having to give the video to them," he said. ON TO Y&R His next stop was as an audiovisual assistant at Young & Rubicam, Chicago. He then migrated across town to Ogilvy & Mather as an AV manager, where in 1994 he won the agency's employee of the year award. Around Christmas 1998, he started free-lance producing for DDB and created his first Budweiser spot -- which showed a woman waving a smelly import under the nose of a passed-out man to revive him. Within six weeks, the work was on TV and soon was on the short list for a Gold Lion in Cannes -- which it ultimately didn't win. "As an AV assistant, it would've been hard to imagine this level of success," he said. "It's an absolute pleasure to work in a group and for a client that not only appreciates but demands brilliant work." But it's not been all glamor, glitz and beer for Mr. Kwiatt. "I've shot my share of dishwashers for retail clients," he said. "There's nothing more challenging than making a white box look sexy."

Player profile: `Whassup' with Kwiatt? He produces Lion for DDB

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