High Five: Portugal
Our Lisbon office, like everyone during this Covid-19 reign, has been constantly challenged by the on / off changes to travel permissions around the world. Fortunately, we have helped our agency and production company clients with multiple ways to keep filming and to maintain Portugal as a premier destination for commercial productions. Our first spot during the early months of lockdown last year was a remotely handled Coca-Cola job, ‘The Great Meal’, with Kim Gehrig at Somesuch for Anomaly, working closely with other JW Collective worldwide service production partners. Here are some of my favourite projects from across this challenging time...
Vodafone - 'Nothing Is Faster Than NOW'
Agency: Antoni Berlin
Production: Nick Gordon - Anorak / Somesuch
This Vodafone x Apple spot for Germany - celebrating the speed of 5G - used multiple locations across Lisbon to tell the story, including a city apartment, a corner store and numerous subway scenes.
BACARDÍ - 'Conga Feat. You'
Agency: BBDO New York
Production: Caviar
Director: Henry Schofield
Featuring Leslie Grace, Meek Mill and Boi-1da, it’s never a problem getting international talent to visit Portugal and this spot and social campaign was shot across four days in Vila Franca, with complex locations, local casting, wardrobe and art department logistics for a large cast and crew during the pandemic.
Greenies - 'Sticky Play'
Agency: adam&eveDDB
Production: Blink
Director: The Bobbsey Twins From Homicide
Re-creating a desert island and showcasing the wonderful beach locations available in Portugal, this shoot was conducted and produced remotely during lockdown across three different time zones.
Lexus - 'How It Feels'
Agency: The&Partnership
Production: Biscuit
Director: Ben Strebel
Portugal gets its fair share of car productions with both its mountain and ocean-side routes, but this shoot for Lexus’ new ‘Electrified’ range came from Estoril Circuit and a local quarry, plus two studio shoot days filled with speciality lighting, wires, liquid, smoke, magnetic FX and some high-speed filming.
Vrbo - 'Your Together Awaits'
Agency: Crispin Porter + Bogusky / 360 Agency
Production: Biscuit Filmworks
Director: Isaiah Seret
This spot for US rental company VRBO found everything it needed surrounding Lisbon to showcase a variety of property occasions for their stays, with an emotional voice over from John Legend.
