NFL Star Trevor Lawrence Transforms Tailgating For Ritz

Creative studio and post-production specialists STUCK IN MOTION, unveils a custom-creative commercial for Ritz crackers. It’s their first sports spot airing during the National Football League (NFL) playoffs on CBS. The 15” spot stars Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who blitzes a ‘sad spread’ into a Ritz-filled tailgate celebration. 

Working closely with Paramount Brand Studio creative directorJeff Feuerenstein and Riverside Entertainment director Jonathan Zames, STUCK IN MOTION were responsible for the edit, VFX, sound design and foley in the spirited spot, capturing the energy and excitement of NFL season and accompanying tailgating tradition. 

A table flip, transforming the ‘sad spread’ into a colourful array of tempting charcuterie, Ritz crackers and ceremonial marching band was a pivotal moment in the narrative, and a key component to get right in the edit. The creative team was initially Inspired by a motion controlled and wired technique to flip the table, but pressed by the time constraints of a one day shoot, STUCK IN MOTION recommended an alternative approach using traditional compositing to deliver similar results.

The spot was intended to run for 30”, however, was altered to 15” at the editing stage. Therefore, STUCK IN MOTION had to be thoughtful in their approach to handling the footage, ensuring that they conveyed the desired narrative without the spot feeling rushed or lacking nuance. 

Tommy Shull, creative, principal and executive producer at STUCK IN MOTION commented; “While it feels like a relatively straightforward spot, there’s actually a lot of details in there. For example, the creative team wanted the ending to feel BIG so we added confetti and a Ritz branded blimp overhead. There’s also a lot of little fun notes in the sound design to add humour and make the cut feel more dynamic. It’s these sort of subtle details that really helped elevate the original vision.”

The campaign is running across social media and airs on CBS during the NFL playoffs.