Hennessy spotlights a forgotten African-American cycling pioneer
Marshall "Major" Taylor gets a well-deserved remembrance in latest 'Wild Rabbit' spot
Editor's Pick
In 1899, Marshall "Major" Taylor became the first African-American to win a world championship in cycling. Largely forgotten for decades, the sports pioneer is now memorialized in a new spot for Hennessey cognac, the latest in the spirit brand's long-running "Wild Rabbit" campaign.
A 90-second short film directed by Derek Cianfrance--best known for the Ryan Gosling vehicle "Blue Valentine"--finds Taylor on the track of a velodrome, legs pumping furiously as he zips past competitors with preternatural speed. As he nears the end of the race, his true opponent--Taylor himself--finally comes into focus, exemplifying the campaign's "Never stop. Never settle" tagline.
Shorter 30- and 15-second cuts of the film are narrated by musician Nas, who was the subject of a previous spot in the campaign, as were the father and son explorer duo Auguste and Jacques Piccard. The integrated effort from Droga5 also includes a cycling-inspired fashion collection by Kerby Jean-Raymond of Pyer Moss, a sculpture by Kadir Nelson and an ESPN documentary featuring BMX star Nigel Sylvester and cyclist Ayesha McGowan.
Credits
- Date
- Apr 16, 2018
- Client :
- Hennessy
- Client :
- Hennessy
- Agency :
- Droga5-New York
- Chairperson :
- David Droga
- Creative Partner :
- Duncan Marshall
- Executive Creative Director :
- Alexander Nowak
- Senior Copywriter :
- Phil Hadad
- Senior Art Director :
- Marybeth Ledesma
- Group Design Director :
- Rich Greco
- Junior Designer :
- Alison Lee
- Creative Technologist :
- Chloe Karayiannis
- Global Chief Strategy Officer :
- Jonny Bauer
- Group Director, Strategy :
- Ramon Jimenez
- Director, Strategy :
- Ben Brown
- Strategist :
- Midori McSwain
- Head of Communications Strategy :
- Colleen Leddy
- Communications Strategy Director :
- Delphine McKinley
- Communications Strategist :
- Mariel Milner
- Chief Creative Officer :
- Sally-Ann Dale
- Co-Director, Film Production :
- Jesse Brihn
- Co-Director, Film Production :
- Bryan Litman
- Associate Director, Film Production :
- Ruben Mercadal
- Film Associate Producer :
- Sasha Pace
- Music Supervisor :
- Mike Ladman
- Music Supervisor :
- Jonathan Hecht
- Co-Director, Interactive Production :
- Justin Durazzo
- Producer, Interactive :
- Alyssa Cashman
- Director, Art Production :
- Cliff Lewis
- Associate Art Director :
- Bianca Escobar
- Producer, Art :
- Frannie Schultz
- Director, Print Services :
- Rob Lugo
- Print Producer :
- Rose Mahan
- Group Account Director :
- Lindsay Cole
- Account Director :
- Katie Lancaster
- Account Manager :
- Jake Stopper
- Associate Account Manager :
- Kevin Lee
- Business Affairs Director :
- Jocelyn Howard
- Senior Business Affairs Managers :
- Marcelle Gruman
- Senior Business Affairs Managers :
- Ann Marie Turbitt
- Associate Counsel :
- Erica Palaia
- Project Manager :
- Hillary Jordan
- Project Manager :
- Kristin Robinson
- Production Company :
- Radical Media
- Director :
- Derek Cianfrance
- Senior Vice President, Hennessy, Moët Hennessy USA :
- Giles Woodyer
- Hennessy Global Chief Marketing Officer :
- Thomas Moradpour
- Brand Director :
- Marion Daunizeau
- Global Vice President, Marketing :
- Amanda Hawk
- Brand Manager :
- Ryan Chappell
- Hennessy Trade Marketing Director :
- Rachel Li
- Director, Photography :
- Roman Vasyanov
- Executive Producer :
- Jim Bouvet
- Producer :
- Tommy Turtle
- Production Designer :
- Ged Clarke
- Costume Designer :
- Zelda Sellars
- 1st Assistant Director :
- Dennis Sonin
- 2nd Assistant Director :
- Mariko Atamanenko
- Executive Producer :
- Darko Skulsky
- Head of Production :
- Sasha Bevka
- Key Visual Photographer :
- Jack Davison
- Editorial :
- The Quarry
- Editorial :
- Wax NY
- Editor :
- Paul Watts
- Assistant Editor :
- Drew Balke
- Additional Assistant Editor :
- Audrey Weiner
- Additional Assistant Editor :
- Jim Robinson
- Executive Producer :
- Toni Lipari
- Executive Producer :
- Tor Adams
- Producer :
- Annabelle Cuthbert
- Producer :
- Charlie Morris
- Post Production :
- The Mill
- Executive Producer :
- Melanie Wickham
- Senior Producer :
- Freya Hewett
- Production Coordinator :
- Mia Lalanne
- Shoot Supervisor :
- Gavin Wellsman
- Shoot Supervisor :
- David Fleet
- Creative Director :
- David Fleet
- Creative Director :
- Gavin Wellsman
- 2D Lead Artist :
- Christoph Schroer
- 3D Lead Artist :
- Jasper Kidd
- Telecine :
- Company 3
- Colorist :
- Tom Poole
- Colorist Assistant :
- Jenny Montgomery
- Producer :
- Alexandra Lubrano
- Supporting Production Company :
- Second Child
- Photographer :
- Paul McGeiver
- Senior Retoucher :
- John Ciambriello
- Senior Retoucher :
- Mike Vorrasi
- Senior Retoucher :
- John Clendenen
- Retouching :
- Michael Mockler
- Music :
- Woodwork Music
- Composer :
- Philip Kay
- Producer :
- Andy Oskwarek
- Producer :
- Sam Phillips
- Artist :
- Haxan Cloak
- Song Title :
- Hounfour Temple
- Sound Design :
- Q Department
- Sound/Mix :
- Sonic Union
- Sound Mixer :
- David Pappa
- Marshall Major Taylor Estate Research :
- Nickerson Research
- Production Company :
- BTS Film
- Director :
- Alex Stratienko
- Director :
- Brian Lannin
Need a credit fix? Contact the Creativity Editors
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