And the winner is… well, still undecided.
Walmart unveiled its three mini films from four big-name Hollywood directors Sunday as part of a four-spot, 3:30 story. Each was based on a six-item receipt, the premise introduced with a 30-second spot and woven across ABC's broadcast of the Academy Awards. It was the retailer's first-ever Oscars buy, as it became the exclusive retail sponsor in a multiyear deal.
"Bananas Town" from Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, which evoked a Hollywood musical from days of yore seemed to win, with an edge so far in YouTube views. But you never really know, do you? "Lost and Found," more of a plot-heavy post-apocalyptic spot from Marc Forster starring "Star Wars"-style space waifs was running second. And then "The Gift" from Antoine Fuqua, which hearkens to "E.T.," with a scooter and bananas from the shopping list subbing for bikes and Reese's Pieces from the original, was pulling in third.
All three films, developed with Saatchi & Saatchi, also ran on a Walmart microsite that went up just before the broadcast.
"A Walmart receipt is the result of a simple shopping trip, but at the same time, it is a small testament of the everyday lives of our shoppers," said Javier Campopiano, chief creative officer of Saatchi & Saatchi New York, in a statement. "This project is truly unique and beautiful in that these directors were restricted by having to include six items in their stories, yet Walmart gave them the freedom to tell the type of story they wanted to."
