TV ad: Allan Gray: Legend

Embed Video

Top 6: September 23rd 2009

Last year’s Allan Gray commercial "Beautiful" was exactly that, beautiful. It was also funny, endearing, memorable and extremely clever. And with a silver at Cannes, a Loerie Grand Prix and a string of other awards and accolades it was also very successful. Following up something like that is a daunting prospect for any team at any agency. The first step in the conceptual pre-production process was laying out a believable and realistic potential life path for James Dean had he not died in the accident in 1955. The casting involved a worldwide search even trawling James Dean look alike competitions at country fairs across the US. " What was interesting is that we ended up finding our James Dean on our doorstep , a car mechanic from Cape Town," says Davies. "In all my years of advertising, I have never seen a treatment that was so detailed, so carefully thought through, and so deeply researched, than the treatment Keith gave us when pitching to handle this commercial. From beginning to end, his commitment to the job bordered on obsession. There is no doubt in my mind that he is at the top of his game right now," says Alistair King, Executive Creative Director at King James, Cape Town.