A number of months in the past, the oldsters on the McCann Erickson (one the most important promoting businesses on this planet), reached out to us. They stated they had been engaged on a Microsoft tv marketing campaign, showcasing how actual individuals use PCs to realize their ardour, they usually thought HoneyTrek might be an excellent match. Flattered and flabbergasted, we began an intense interview course of, and three months later we’re on nationwide TV! The entire expertise from begin to current has been extremely humbling and completely surreal…right here’s the way it all went down.
HoneyTrek started as a grand concept to honeymoon world wide, immerse ourselves in different cultures, search life-changing adventures, and encourage different individuals to assume past their nation’s borders. Having ditched our desk jobs to observe our dream, we run HoneyTrek from our “satellite tv for pc places of work” (aka. seashore chairs, bus stations, housesits, ferry boats, jungle huts, and so forth.) All we’d like is a laptop computer and one another to arrange HoneyTrek HQ.
After a number of rounds of Skype calls with then McCann and Microsoft groups, they stated they wished us to check out the brand new Dell XPS 13, loaded with Home windows 10. Attempting to include our pleasure, we despatched them our mailing handle in Mazatlan, Mexico. Their electronic mail reply (on a Friday) stated, “Thanks for the handle. The Senior Supervisor and Director of International Promoting shall be arriving on Tuesday.” Wait, what? They flew their higher administration from Seattle to Mazatlan (completely loopy facet word: Seattle & Mazatlan are literally Sister Cities…have to be destiny!) to hand-deliver and arrange our computer systems in individual! We spent the subsequent three weeks exploring the newest Home windows options (Microsoft Edge, Cortana private assistant, Common Apps, 3D Maps…to call a number of) and placing the laptops by way of the HoneyTrek ringer (7-hour bus rides, sun-drenched work areas, running a blog marathons, and so forth.) and it handed with flying colours. One factor led to the subsequent and earlier than we knew it, we had been on a firstclass flight to LA to shoot a TV business.
We pulled as much as the gates of Common Studios, and it was buzzing with digital camera crews, set builders, present runners, and glamorous individuals. A person with a RSA Movies badge walked as much as us, “Are you guys HoneyTrek?” With a mega model like Microsoft we knew this wasn’t going to be a ragtag crew, however we didn’t understand they employed among the finest manufacturing firms on this planet. RSA stands for Ridley Scott Associates; he’s the Academy Award Profitable director of Gladiator, Black Hawk Down, The Martian, and a dozen extra acclaimed movies. He has an unbelievable staff, together with his son and director for our business, Jake Scott. You’ve seen Jake’s work…the Budweiser “Merely Put” Tremendous Bowl advert with Helen Mirran, Johnny Walker’s “Gentleman’s Wager” with Jude Legislation, and music movies for U2, REM, Radiohead, and lots extra. No strain, HoneyTrek.
We had been escorted to Wardrobe for a becoming with the 2 costume designers. Kim and David had been learning our “model” from images and movies over the previous week and deciding on outfits to match. That they had us attempt on and {photograph} a dozen completely different appears to be like, incorporating a few of our favourite private equipment, till we had strong choices to point out Jake. Purple linen gown, a beaded bracelet from Mazatlan, and leather-based sandals for Anne and a few weathered Carhartts, a short-sleeve button-down, and the signature inexperienced hat for Mike.
We tried to get an excellent night time sleep however all of the nerves and pleasure woke me up at 4am, so I made a decision to go to the gymnasium. I stroll out of our resort room on the seventeenth ground of the Common Sheraton and I almost jumped out of my pores and skin…and so did Bernie Sanders’ aides. It was election day in California and The Bern was staying two doorways down from us! However I digress…I did some yoga, had some breakfast, then we received picked up at 6am for hair, make-up, and nails. How glamorous!
Primped and preened, the Assistant Producer escorted us to Stage 4. In an area the scale of an airplane hangar, there have been over 100 individuals…establishing lights, sound, cameras, and props for the “HoneyTrek Impressed” set. We rounded the nook, and everybody paused to stare at us. Gulp.
It was fairly intimidating having all these individuals and large cameras round, however Jake, along with his laid-back vibe and disarming English accent, someway made us really feel comfortable. He sat on the fringe of the stage and simply requested us questions on HoneyTrek and the way we use our tech. They didn’t give us a script…the truth is, they barely gave us any information about what we’d be doing to maintain our responses additional pure. We simply riffed on journey and walked them by way of how we edit images, compile movies, do social media, and put up blogs. Not gonna lie, it was nonetheless fairly intense however so cool that they trusted us to shoot from the hip.
We made it to lunchtime, phew! We don’t understand how individuals who work on these high-profile units don’t get fats. Lunch was a smorgasbord, the meals truck was at all times open, and the crafts service staff delivered gourmand snacks each couple hours…and we liked each minute of it.
As soon as we accomplished the shot record of nitty gritty stuff, that they had us share the tales behind a few of our favourite journey treasures. With Maasai spears, Japanese Kabuki masks, Bolivian miners lamps, and Tibetan Cow Bells, we had just a little enjoyable with props…if solely I knew they’d use the footage of my bell booty shake on TV!
Because the movie crew deconstructed their gear, a 12-person photograph staff arrived for the nonetheless photographs. Along with what’s on Microsoft’s web site proper now, we is likely to be in some print advertisements world wide. (That they had me placed on a sweater so it may run within the Center East.)
Our Home windows 10 TV Business
After we shot the business, McCann advised us there was no assure it might air on TV. They requested us a number of follow-up questions over the subsequent two months however nonetheless gave no indication if and when it might run. Then final week, we get an electronic mail saying: “It’s airing on Monday, don’t inform a soul!” We had been bursting on the seams and in a state of complete amazement that 10 hours of intense filming might be culled into 30 lovely seconds.
With a lot footage and so many platforms to share it on, the staff truly made three variations of the spot. Right here’s one of many 15-second clips you may even see round social media or Hulu.
We’re so grateful for this chance to work with such a proficient staff and revered model. We hope we did all people proud!
