Guinness Celebrates Producer Who Championed Jazz in Stylish Black and White Spot

Jazz Age Spot Will Run on Instagram to Encourage Sharing

Published On
Feb 02, 2016

Editor's Pick

Guinness takes us back to jazz age New York in a stylish black and white spot commemorating a producer and talent scout who championed black jazz musicians.

John Hammond stood up to prejudice in the 1930s by championing the potential of black and white artists working together. He discovered artists like Billie Holiday, Count Basie and Aretha Franklin, signing them to Columbia Records. As the spot, narrated by the actor Danny Glover, outlines, black and white musicians rarely played together in '30s New York and many music venues permitted white audiences only. The ad recreates scenes of Hammond putting jazz on air and people letting loose and dancing to jazz across the city.

The spot, shot in black and white by director Jake Nava of Cherry for agencies AMV BBDO and Irish International, features many nods to Hammond's discoveries. Its soundtrack is a remix of "Sing Sing Sing," originally made famous by the Benny Goodman Trio -- the first major mixed race band in America. Hammond was instrumental in bringing the band members together. Grammy-nominated British singer Lianne La Havas, who features in the ad, has cited Hammond artists such as Aretha Franklin, Billie Holiday and Bob Dylan as influences on her music.

The ad will run on TV and online but to encourage sharing, Guinness is running it on Instagram -- the first brand to launch a 60 second video on the platform in the U.K. and Ireland.

Credits

Date
Feb 02, 2016
Agency :
AMV BBDO / Irish International
Brand :
Guinness
Client :
Guinness
Director :
Jake Nava
Production Company :
Cherry
Director, Marketing :
Stephen OKelly
Creative Director :
Steve Jones
Creative Director :
Martin Loraine
Creative Director :
Dave Buchanan
Copywriter :
Mark Nutley
Copywriter :
Dave Buchanan
Copywriter :
Martin Loraine
Art Director :
Pat Hamill
Art Director :
Steve Jones
Agency Planner :
Steve Hopkins
Agency Planner :
Rory Gallery
Agency Planner :
Lilian Sor
Agency Account Team :
Michael Pring
Agency Account Team :
Ben Griffiths
Agency Account Team :
Amber Glenister
Agency Account Team :
Tessa Brisbane
Agency Account Team :
Chris Ferguson
Agency Account Team :
Marina Lanaghan
Agency Producer :
Olly Chapman
Agency Producer :
Trish Russell
Agency Producer :
Zoe Cunningham
Media Planner :
Jackie Lyons
Media Planner :
Jana Clear
Media Planner :
Farrell Lennon
Media Planner :
Olivia Murphy
Producer :
Benedict Cooper
Editing :
The Quarry
Editor :
Scot Crane
Post Production Company :
The Mill
Pulse :
Harriet Reynolds
Pulse :
Tommy Willis
Pulse :
Will Kennedy
Pulse :
Sophie Beaumont
Audio Post Production :
Factory

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