Casa Cuervo the makers of Gran Centenario Tequila, presents an evocative television commercial, “The Calling”, bringing to life the herald angel found on Gran Centenario bottle labels. A calm, normal, evening in a restaurant/bar is interrupted by the stirring call of a trumpet. The piercing sound resonates throughout the room, building its effects from vibration to agitation, to explosion and destruction. Two diners alone are untouched by the sound, while around them tables, lamps, chairs and eggs, and finally people, are drawn into the destructive impact of the calling sound.
As they walk towards each other it becomes clear these are no ordinary human beings. They are dark winged angels who have been called to fly to the calling trumpet. At the epicentre of the calling is a stone angel, come to life.
This is an ad that would never be played in Australia or Indonesia, with memories still fresh from the bombings of bars and restaurants in Bali in October 2002.
Credits
The Calling was developed at DDB, Mexico City, by creative director/copywriter Raymundo Lopez, creative director Yosu Aranguena, and executive agency producer Marcelo Genel.
Filming was shot by director Matthias Zentner via Aca Films, Mexico City, with director of photography Torsten Lippstock, executive producer David Chipon and producer Elda Bravo.
Animation was designed at Velvet Mediendesign, Munich, by animators Sylvie Roessler, Christian Stanzel, Martin Tallosy, Christian Deister, Dagmar Ammon, and editor Jochen Kraus.
Special effects were designed at Blackmountain, Stuttgart, and Velvet Mediendesign, Munich, by Abdelkareem Abonamus, Daniel Stern, Tobias Ott, Yuta Shimitzu, Bastian Traunfellner and Adam Wesierski.
Sound and music was designed and produced at Adelphoi, London, by sound designers/composers Andrew Sherriff and Ashley Bates. The most interesting part of the work was trying to pitch the sound design elements so that they were in key with the horn note.
Service production for the Prague setting was provided by Milk & Honey, Prague, with producer Katarina Halova.
The Calling won a Silver for sound design at the London International Awards, November 2008.
Gran Centenario is a Mexican Tequila, with its origins in 1858 when Lazaro Gallardo developed the Selección Suave (Smooth Selection) process of processing blue agave, blending newly rested tequilas with smooth, aged tequila reserves. The tequila was named for the beginning of the 20th century. The bottle design was inspired by the Art Deco style of the 1920s.
Sound design is all right but can’t believe you’re bigging up this pile of unmitigated shit.