Crafting a Masterpiece: Brad Paisley’s Fender Signature Presents

 

Sterling Doak, Director of Marketing Operations at Fender> Our product development team looks for an artist with a vision who wants to bring a guitar to the market that they feel is unique, interesting, and most of all exciting. Artists often use vintage instruments they’ve customised themselves, so through ‘Fender Signature Presents’ we are looking to partner with musicians to recreate their beloved guitar so we can share it with the rest of the world. 

Brad is a respected entertainer and a long-time Fender player. We’ve been wanting to work with a Country Music artist for quite some time, especially at the Signature level, so the partnership made a lot of sense. Brad has an interesting personal story, and a very unique guitar: an original '60s Telecaster, which is road-worn, and a sparkle paint job which has rubbed away in part from use. His grandfather gave him a guitar at an early age, which is what kick-started his musical journey, so it was very important to him that his Fender Road Worn signature Telecaster be available at an accessible priceprint to inspire young players. 

Jordan Brady, Superlounge> I watched films on Flea, The Edge, Eric Clapton, and a great mini doc on Mac Miller. The goal was to stay in the spirit of the candid, fly on the wall feel, but with Brad, I wanted to have him speak directly at the camera to the viewer. He’s very accessible and his call to action, asking people to post and send him videos, is so genuine. In the pre-show interview, Brad gave us his thoughts and heartfelt intentions to inspire the next generation of guitar players. His input was crucial in making sure he was as involved with the concept as he was designing the guitar. My aim was to showcase his personality, showmanship, and amazing guitar chops. 

Sterling, Fender> We initially planned to use hidden cameras to capture the live show but did a full 180 and decided to shoot the show with a small, tight-knit group on the ground instead. I knew Jordan could run with it as his creativity can quickly adapt and isn’t locked into a specific style. His ability to direct in both controlled and live environments meant he adjusted to the situation quickly and executed it well. 

Jordan, Superlounge> The focus of the live shows was the moment Brad gifts his signature guitar to one lucky member of the audience. Not knowing which kid would be chosen until Brad was at the edge of the stage kept us on our toes, as there was never going to be a ‘take two’ opportunity. Some of the footage is just me in the crowd, going with the flow. 

Sterling, Fender> The original plan was to create one film but, after the first edit, we decided to split the footage into two separate pieces of content: one focused on Brad’s mission to inspire the next generation of guitar players, and the other focusing purely on the manufacturing and specifications of the guitar. This strategic decision was made in order to speak to two different audiences with the same overall message in tact; to get more younger players on their musical journey. If successful, we may implement this two-pronged approach for other launches in the future. 

Sterling, Fender> I’ve worked with Jordan twice before on other larger-scale projects. Having worked with major brands across the country, he has a firm understanding of the commercial system inside out as well as  a solid grasp of the style of production. Brad is a superstar and veteran of commercial work, so it was important to have someone who can execute at that high level. Jeremy Taylor [Global Brand Creative at Fender] met Jordan and we both felt he was right. 

It was also important that Jordan is a Country Music fan at heart. He even directed a mockumentary feature film, ‘Dill Scallion’, that Roger Ebert called ‘the Spinal Tap of Country Music’! He is very familiar with Brad and his work, and it became apparent that, in many ways, Brad is also a fan of comedy. I figured Jordan comes with intangibles that aren’t on his résumé that made it easy to interact with Brad. They both have commonalities that really came to life in the interview, as Brad really felt comfortable throughout, resulting in some great answers and great storytelling.

Jordan, Superlounge> Having worked with Sterling before, I knew he would challenge us with exploring every possible creative idea until we find the best fit. I anticipated he knew I’d be invested and would shepherd the project until completion. Sterling also knew I could capture action in one take, as I recently shot a documentary feature in a warzone, ‘I AM BATTLE COMIC’. He was superb in arranging for five brand new Fender’s from their American Professional and Paramount series to be auctioned off for charity at the theatrical screenings.

Q> How would you describe working in this client direct model? 

Jordan, Superlounge> Working directly with Sterling and Jeremy made the process far more streamlined as there were fewer steps in the chain. Speaking for Superlounge, we approached the project prepared to be flexible with both the creative and the timeline, as we were reliant on Brad’s tour dates - which I think eliminated a huge amount of stress from the get go. Fender’s internal creative team had so much insight and everyone was on the same page; it was truly a seamless process. When things changed, we’d all talk directly (not through long email chains!) and solve any possible challenges in minutes. 

We value the relationship as a long-term partnership so it meant Superlounge and I could go above and beyond our usual role. We acted as a one-stop-shop, as I could shape the creative, execute the production through Superlounge, and handle the post too. 

Sterling, Fender> Working directly with a production company and director allowed us to do a couple of things: the first was to be faithful to the artist and brands wishes in terms of the film’s message. Secondly, the artists we work with have very unpredictable schedules as expected; a lot of agencies have trouble adapting to that very quick shift. Working direct gave us the flexibility to work with a very aggressive or a loose timetable in a lot of cases. 

Jordan, Superlounge> Being a long-time Country Music lover, hearing Paisley classics live brought out the fan in me. Most of all, I got to chat comedy and music with Mr. Paisley, which was a treat. His songs, like “One Beer Can” and “Selfie #theinternetisforever” and "High Life" (featuring Carrie Underwood) are great tracks as is, but his writing on those tracks is as comedically great as it is lyrical stellar. Hopefully, going in knowledgeable and flexible approach, engaging an A+ production team - we can capture more magic moments for years.