Written by new-contact on Sep 14, 2011. Posted in Production News

Philips dodges angry drivers on location lighting up Buenos Aires

Electronics giant Philips has taken to the streets of Buenos Aires for its new commercial, See what light can do. The spot shows an endless row of lights zipping across gardens, quiet roads, pools and through homes before reaching the city itself, illuminating the night with a domino effect.

The production chose Buenos Aires for the shoot because a city was needed that would offer a European sensibility, while minimising the risk of rain in the opening months of the year. There was minor set dressing involved, but the most time-consuming element was setting out so many lights.

Obviously we had to stop the traffic in Buenos Aires for many of the shots. It didn't make us too popular and it was lucky we weren't recording sound with all the car horns sounding off.

Matt C Minor, Independent

Matt C Minor Executive Produced for Independent: “We didn't have perfect weather and we did have the occasional bit of rain which was very hazardous with all the lights everywhere. Because all the lights are different they didn't take the same amount of time to light up which took a bit of electrical wizardry and management to sort out.”

Shooting lasted four nights and managed to incur the wrath of local motorists, but otherwise went pretty much according to plan, aside from the unexpected extra challenge of finding kids who could ride bikes.

Minor adds: “Obviously we had to stop the traffic in Buenos Aires for many of the shots. It didn't make us too popular and it was lucky we weren't recording sound with all the car horns sounding off. We also found out that not a lot of Argentinean kids ride bicycles and the ones that do don't do it too well. Who would have thought that?”

Credits:
Client: Philips
Agency: DDB Amsterdam
Agency Producer: Marco van Prooijen
Creative Director: Chris Baylis
Production Company: Independent, London
Producer: Ohna Falby
Production Service Company: Goodgate Productions, Buenos Aires
Director: Philippe Andre