A canny television commercial (TVC) directed by Anton Visser of Velocity offers a
unique take on cultural stereotypes, with a comic take on the expression: “White
boys can’t dance’.
The ad is part of the current Yellow Pages campaign, created by agency 360Eight,
which specifically requested that Visser direct the TVCs.
Says Visser: “The aim of the commercial is to direct people to the Yellow Pages
Online Business Directory to find “local, reliable results’ instead of using a search
engine which won’t necessarily target options in your area or country for that
matter.’
The ad focuses on a fictitious Danish dancer called Nicolai Norgaard, who becomes
the youngest principal dancer, at age nine, of the Danish Ballet. Eight years later he
simultaneously dances both the male and female leads of The Nutcracker. At age 26,
Nicolai gives up ballet to master every dance style in the world.
As per the narration: “As a teacher of movement Nicolai dominates online search
results and continues to define the future of dance from his home in Denmark’. At
the end of the commercial comes the punchline – “But you’re not in Denmark and
neither are your two left feet’ – showing a visual of a chap who’s dancing looks
seriously out of beat and un-cool and who clearly needs dance lessons from a local
teacher.
Visser continues: “The agency sent us scripts containing the voiceover for the
commercial and a few notes but they allowed me the opportunity to create the
various scenes. This was refreshing as I was able to really craft the story and add
some comedic touches to the plot.’
Performers in the commercial were sourced from dance and ballet schools as well as
from street casting.
Visser shot on an Arri Alexa over three days at various locations in and around Cape
Town.
The commercial was edited at Upstairs Post Production with the online done at
Searle Street Post Production. We Love Jam did the final mix.
Velocity was briefed on the campaign towards the end of June and had the first
commercial on air by the end of July 2013.
