Lassie the GE Kung Fu Fighter

In the Matrix, Lassie the rough collie dog is a kung fu hero.

Lassie in GE TV Ad

BBDO New York worked together with Joe Pytka of PYTKA to promote General Electric’s Security services with the “Imagination at work” campaign in 2004. The 45 second TV advert featuring Lassie starts with the familiar opening of the popular TV show of the 1960s. Young Timmy heads off with his fishing rod in hand, Lassie by his side. It’s not long before a mountain lion intercepts the pair. Instead of just barking, Lassie launches into a Matrix-style kung fu display which scares the lion off. We’re introduced to the security technologies from General Electric as an example of imagination at work. Shots include airport security and building security. The advert concludes with a scene in which the Lassie scares off a would-be marauding bear with just a bark.

Credits

The Lassie spot was developed at BBDO New York, by executive creative director Don Schneider, creative director/copywriter Tom Darbyshire, chief creative officer Ted Sann, creative director and art director Ted Shaine, and music producer Rani Vaz.

Filming was shot by Joe Pytka. Editor was Clayton Hemmert at Crew Cuts. SFX/VFX were developed at Quiet Man.

The video can be accessed at GE’s own site (streamed in Quicktime, RAM and WMV) and downloaded as a 4.76 mb mov file on Clayton Hemmert’s page at Crewcuts.

The ad is included on the Lassie 50th Anniversary Collection DVD – see the Lassie Online site for more details on the DVD. Wikipedia has a helpful background on Lassie.

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This entry was posted on Monday, September 12th, 2005 at 10:50 pm and is filed under Inspiration, TV Ads Cinema and Online Videos. You can follow any responses to this entry through the comments feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.