Lewis Lazare ran an item in his Sun Times column on Feb. 8 about research indicating the three most-liked commercials in the 2008 Super Bowl of Advertising were all story-driven.
This led legendary director, Joe Pytka, to send Lazare a note.
I have been lobbying for years to change the way advertisers think, and the results of the commercials I directed that were mentioned in your column reinforce this notion. I’ve treasured my relationship with the long-form commercial through my work for Hallmark and Anheuser-Busch, and I’m grateful for your insight into what we both regard as a serious problem in our industry — the disregard for respect for the public.
The notion of telling a good story is quickly becoming a lost art — both in commercials and cinema — and I commend you in recognizing that. Please keep this forum open.
Here’s a long-format storytelling spot for Hallmark from Pytka and Leo Burnett:
