My Favourite Joachim Back Commercials
This is another addition to the globally popular ACES series of featuring commercial film directors that I admire for bringing creative concepts and storylines to filmic life that enthrall viewers.
Acknowledgements by the Advertising Communication industry, with accolades and international awards for their exemplary filmmaking craftsmanship, are hard-won and well deserved.
Joachim Back
Based in Brooklyn, New York, USA, Danish born Joachim Back’s fascination with filmmaking began in his teens when he became a ‘runner’ for a film production company.
His diligent passion led him up and onward to acquiring valuable know-how from the camera department, the lighting department, the post-production department, and a stint as assistant editor, that culminated in his successful emergence as a sought after commercial filmmaker and director.
He has won Andy and Addy Awards, Clios, Epica Awards, Eurobest Awards, Cannes Lions, and an Academy Award in 2010 for his dark, satirical, short film, ‘The New Tenants’.
1. Renault Scenic, To The Airport
Advertising Agency: Publicis, Milan, Italy
‘To The Airport’ is part of a Renault Scenic advertising campaign about surprising conversations between drivers and their passengers whilst highlighting the SUV’s standard safety features
Director Joachim Back elicits sterling performances from his actors in this ‘fly-on-the-wall’ commercial that makes for entertaining viewing.
2. Renault Scenic, To The Wedding
Advertising Agency: Publicis, Milan, Italy
Renault Scenic’s ‘To the Wedding’ is the second of the surprising conversations commercials in the advertising campaign. Also directed by Joachim Back, it is equally rewarding to view with another great performance from the cast.
3. CANAL Plus, Best Friend
Advertising Agency: BETC, Paris, France
Directed by Joachim Back, this humorous story for the French Premium Pay TV Channel CANAL+, is about a Christmas gift of a cute pet that becomes a huge problem.
It is a fun reminder to think carefully about certain gift choices and their possible consequences.
4. Citroen C3 HDi, Dog Stretching
Advertising Agency: Les Gaulois, Paris
This scenic, highly entertaining commercial about the C3 Hdi’s fuel economy, was directed by Joachim Back featuring a great soundtrack of the song ‘Sixteen Tons’ by The Platters.
5. Audi, The Ugly Duckling
Advertising Agency: Bartle Bogle Hegarty (BBH), London, UK
Directed by Jochim Back and filmed in Slovenia with Jan Velicky as director of photography, the commercial depicts just how advanced Audi’s aerodynamic concept cars of the 1020’s were.
The featured ‘ugly duckling’ concept model, originally created by engineer Paul Jaray, is an example of Audi’s evolutionary innovations from the 1920’s until today as seen in the Audi A5’s aerodynamically efficient, ‘swan like’ design.
The soundtrack features a famous song by Danny Kaye inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s tale of ‘The Ugly Duckling’.
6. MINI Convertible, This Day Forward
Advertising Agency: WCRS, London, UK
Director Joachim Back’s lauded storytelling expertise comes to the fore in this online ‘mini-movie’ commercial for MINI’s Convertible.
Filmed on location in Miami and the Florida Keys, the story is about Jake who has to decide whether to sell his record label worth millions and retire from the music business, or to listen to what his heart tells him and continue doing what he loves best.
The film depicts him reliving the decision making d-day three times in his mind and each time reveals new details, and implications of his dilemma.
The intriguing filmic journey to the final outcome of his deliberations makes for compelling viewing.
7. Land-Rover Discovery, 7th Wheel
Advertising Agency: Young & Rubican, New York, USA
Jochim Back directed the ‘7th Wheel’ commercial to promote the Discovery’s seating capacity of seven people.
The amusing story centers around a rather hapless Matt who decides to join 6 people on a road trip.
There’s ample space for him in the Land-Rover Discovery, but he does’t manage to bond all that comfortably with his fellow travellers and becomes a bit of an outsider, rather like a ‘7th wheel’.
8. Stella Artois, Worth The Effort
Advertising Agency: Mother, London, UK
Stylishly directed by Joachim Back, the amusing story focus is on two bar tenders competing with each other to be the first to present beautiful young women with a perfectly poured Stella Artois.
The commercial is part of the ‘She’s a Thing of Beauty’ advertising campaign referring to the beauty of a perfectly poured Stella Artois in its elegant, specially crafted, trademark glass.
The soundtrack features the 1963 easy listening hit ‘Never On Sunday’ by Percy Faith.