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Baker Street
January 10, 2019
Brian Bacino

How We Gamified The College Football National Championship

By:

Guess Who’s Coming?

That’s the question Baker Street posed to the Bay Area in our integrated digital, outdoor, and experiential campaign for this year’s College Football Playoff National Championship at Levi’s Stadium.

Our first step was to create an iconic poster and outdoor design, seen in the video below, that helped communicate that the National Championship game was actually the result of a playoff system involving the top 4 teams. This is only the 5th time the National Championship has been decided by the Playoff system.

The visual language of the campaign practically challenges fans to fill in the brackets, in their own mind, and make their own predictions. The design inspired a campaign where we literally asked fans to place the logos from the top 25 teams in the country, into the final four, and then make their predictions for the big game.

Did you guess right?

Baker Street Advertising Credits:
President: Jack Boland
Chief Creative Officer: Brian Bacino
Chief Strategy Officer: Don Donovan
Copywriter: Bob Dorfman
Art Directors: Corey Stolberg/Jason Wong
Producer: Brody McHugh
Creative Manager: Lesly Pyle
Design Studio and Production Manager: Jeff Teator
Group Account Director: Dan Nilsen
Account Supervisor: Nick Spillner
Media Director: Glenn Yajko
Media Supervisor: Jena Benzel
Senior Broadcast Buyers: Shelly Kalianis/Cel Vital Bella

Production Credits:
Director: Brian Bacino
Executive Producer: Michael Pickman-Thoon, Rough House Editorial
Director of Photography: Cliff Traiman, Little Giant Lighting & Grip
Editor: Michael Pickman-Thoon, Rough House Editorial
Colorist: Roger Krakow, Rough House Editorial
Motion Graphics: Eric Stafford, Rough House Editorial
Post Producer: James Hagedorn, Rough House Editorial
Audio Mixer: Jeremiah Moore, Rough House Editorial

Brian Bacino, Creative Chief B2, Sports, Sports Marketing, Uncategorized

August 2, 2018
Brian Bacino

It Takes a Village to Raise a Trophy

By:

It takes a village to raise a trophy – a village of dedicated, creative thinkers in every department – planning, media, account, creative and production – along with great clients.

Our Baker Street Advertising village scooped up 6 Communicator and 5 Telly Awards, as two of the nation’s prestigious advertising awards announced their winners.

Below is a breakdown of the awards and the celebrated work:

Communicator Awards:

SF Giants Interactive Campaign | Gold
— “We Are Sundays
— “Two For Tuesdays
— “Day Baseball
— “Orange Fridays

SF Giants :30 TV Spot | Gold
— “Meet the Closer

NorCal Honda Online Campaign | Gold
— “Civic Reasons
— “Speed vs. Space
— “Iceberg
— “Run The World

NorCal Honda Craft in Copywriting | Gold
— “Civic Reasons

NorCal Honda Online Animation | Gold
— “Iceberg

NorCal Honda Online Promotional Video | Silver
— “Speed vs. Space

Telly Awards:

SF Giants Interactive Campaign | Gold
— “We Are Sundays
— “Two For Tuesdays
— “Day Baseball

SF Giants :30 TV Spot | Gold
— “Meet the Closer

SF Giants Interactive Film | Silver
— “We Are Sundays

SF Giants Interactive Film | Silver
— “Orange Fridays

NorCal Honda Online Campaign | Bronze
— “Civic Reasons
— “Speed vs. Space
— “Iceberg

NorCal Honda | Pre-Roll Video | “Civic Reasons”

NorCal Honda | Pre-Roll Video | “Speed vs Space”

NorCal Honda | Pre-Roll Video | “Iceberg” 

NorCal Honda | Pre-Roll Video | “Run the World” 

SF Giants | Interactive Film | “We Are Sundays”

SF Giants | Interactive Film | “Two For Tuesdays” 

SF Giants | Interactive Film | “Day Baseball” 

SF Giants | Interactive Film | “Orange Fridays” 

SF Giants | :30 TV Spot | “Meet the Closer” 

Baker Street Advertising Credits (NorCal Honda Work):
President: Jack Boland
Chief Creative Officer: Brian Bacino
Chief Strategy Officer: Don Donovan
Copywriters: Brian Bacino/Robert Leon/Sarah Inglis/Bob Dorfman/Lesly Pyle
Art Directors: Sarah Inglis/Ken Woodard
Producers: Julie Costanzo/Brody McHugh/Lauren Finerman
Senior Strategist: Howie Leibach
Group Account Director: Dan Nilsen
Account Supervisor: Christine Rodriguez
Senior Account Executive: Megan Boland
Media Director: Glenn Yajko
Media Broadcasting Supervisor: Sheila Taylor
Media Supervisor: Jena Benzel
Senior Broadcast Buyers: Shelly Kalianis/Cel Vital Bella

Production Credits (NorCal Honda Work):
Directors: Soloman Burbridge, Joshua Cox and Rob Shaw, Bent Image Lab
Partner/Executive Producer: Ray DiCarlo, Bent Image Lab
Executive Producer: Anthony Greene, Bent Image Lab
Producers: Brianna Vitale/Gabi Villasenor, Bent Image Lab
Sound Engineer: Lance Limbocker, Limbocker Studios

Baker Street Advertising Credits (SF Giants Work):
President: Jack Boland
Chief Creative Officer: Brian Bacino
Chief Strategy Officer: Don Donovan
Copywriters: Brian Bacino/Robert Leon/Bob Dorfman
Art Directors: Ken Woodard/Jason Wong
Interactive/Cinemagraph Art Director: Xavier Li
Producer: Brody McHugh
Creative Manager/Script Supervisor: Lesly Pyle
Senior Strategist: Howie Leibach
Account Supervisor: Nick Spillner
Senior Account Executive: Juliana King
Media Director: Glenn Yajko
Media Broadcasting Supervisor: Sheila Taylor
Media Supervisor: Jena Benzel
Senior Broadcast Buyers: Shelly Kalianis/Cel Vital Bella

Production Credits (SF Giants Work):
Director: Brian Bacino, Baker Street Advertising
Executive Producer: Mark Dwyer, Dwyer Productions
Director of Photography: Cliff Traiman, Little Giant Lighting & Grip
Director of Photography “Meet The Closer”: Keith Pikus
Line Producer: Jon Bowden
Editor: Alan Chimenti, Ntropic Editorial
ECD/Founder: Nate Robinson, Ntropic Editorial
Post Producer: Emily Avoujageli & Danielle Cheifetz, Ntropic Editorial
VFX Director: Aaron Vasquez, Ntropic Editorial
VFX Artists: Ethan Chang & Miguel Diaz-Rivera, Ntropic Editorial
Colorists: Chris Martin, Nick Sanders, & Kristy Navarro, Ntropic Editorial
Graphics Artist: Erica Poat, Ntropic Editorial
Flame Artist: Mark Everson & Todd Hemsley, Ntropic Editorial
Junior Flame Artist: Jerome Knight, Ntropic Editorial
Rotoscoping Producer: John Mendaros​, Ntropic Editorial
Rotoscoping Artists: Roel Elaco, Jun dela Pena, Alfred Ilagen, Ntropic Editorial
Post Assistants: Gillen Burch & Yvonne Pon​, Ntropic Editorial
Audio Mixer: Andy Greenberg, One Union Recording

Accolades, Awards, Baker Streeters, Brian Bacino, Creative Chief B2, Honda, SF Giants, Sports, Sports Marketing, Uncategorized

December 5, 2017
Brian Bacino

WOW WE WON – W3 WEB AWARDS

By:

Baker Street just won a Gold and Silver in the prestigious 2017 W3 Awards, recognizing the power of web creativity. We won Gold for our SF Giants interactive story, “Orange Fridays,” part of our 4-part digital film series for the Giants. And we won Silver for our very own website, BakerStAdvertising.com.

“Orange Fridays” Interactive Film

Our Giants Client challenged us to create innovative content for their social channels and we delivered the triple W win with this interactive campaign that showed Giants fans they can experience many different flavors of Giants games depending on the day of the week.

“We Are Sundays” Interactive Film

“Two for Tuesdays” Interactive Film

“Day Baseball” Interactive Film

Credits: SF Giants
Larry Baer, President/CEO
Staci Slaughter, EVP, Communications and Senior Advisor to the CEO
Mario Alioto, EVP, Business Operations
Danny Dann, VP, Marketing & Advertising
Paul Hodges, VP, SFG Productions
Bryan Srabian, VP, Brand Development and Digital Media
Becky Biniek, Digital Media Manager
Kara Gilmore, Marketing and Advertising Project Manager

Giants Video Credits: Baker Street Advertising
President: Jack Boland
Chief Creative Officer/Copywriter: Brian Bacino
Chief Strategy Officer: Don Donovan
Copywriter: Robert Leon
Art Directors: Ken Woodard/Jason Wong
Interactive/Cinemagraph Art Director: Xavier Li
Producer: Brody McHugh
Creative Manager/Script Supervisor: Lesly Pyle
Senior Strategist: Howie Leibach
Account Supervisor: Nick Spillner
Senior Account Executive: Juliana King

SF Giants Video Production Credits
Director: Brian Bacino, Baker Street Advertising
Executive Producer: Mark Dwyer, Dwyer Productions
Director of Photography: Cliff Traiman, Little Giant Lighting & Grip
Line Producer: Jon Bowden
Editor: Alan Chimenti, Ntropic Editorial
ECD/Founder: Nate Robinson, Ntropic Editorial
Post Producer: Emily Avoujageli & Danielle Cheifetz, Ntropic Editorial
VFX Director: Aaron Vasquez, Ntropic Editorial
VFX Artists: Ethan Chang & Miguel Diaz-Rivera, Ntropic Editorial
Colorists: Chris Martin, Nick Sanders, & Kristy Navarro, Ntropic Editorial
Graphics Artist: Erica Poat, Ntropic Editorial
Flame Artist: Mark Everson & Todd Hemsley, Ntropic Editorial
Junior Flame Artist: Jerome Knight, Ntropic Editorial
Rotoscoping Producer: John Mendaros​, Ntropic Editorial
Rotoscoping Artists: Roel Elaco, Jun dela Pena, Alfred Ilagen, Ntropic Editorial
Post Assistants: Gillen Burch & Yvonne Pon​, Ntropic Editorial
Audio Mixer: Andy Greenberg, One Union Recording

*****

BakerStAdvertising.com snares Silver.

One of our biggest accomplishments of 2017 was the optimization of our new Baker Street website. A labor of love spearheaded expertly by our Writer/Creative Manager/Super Star, Lesly Pyle and our Design Director, Ken Woodard, our site stylishly displays our process, our work and our people, and we are very proud of them all.

BSA Website Credits:
President: Jack Boland
Chief Creative Officer/Copywriter: Brian Bacino
Chief Strategy Officer: Don Donovan
Art Directors: Ken Woodard/Brian Powers/Lesly Pyle
Copywriter/Digital Producer/Site Admin: Lesly Pyle
In-House Video Editors: Harrison Chapman, Jane Goodwin-Bell
Senior Strategist: Howie Leibach
Video Editors: Michael Pickman-Thoon, Eric Stafford, Rough House Editorial
Executive Producer: Jen Marek, Thunderbeast
Technology Director: Scott Johnson, Thunderbeast
Lead Visual Designer: Eric Lindsey, Thunderbeast
Lead Developer: Adam Shen, Thunderbeast


Brian Bacino, Creative Chief B2, Digital Marketing, SF Giants, Sports, Sports Marketing

September 12, 2017
Bob Dorfman

Would you buy a Coke from this Man?

By:

As of this writing, the 2017 NFL season is well underway — and Colin Kaepernick is still unemployed. Clearly superior on the field to many of the 64+ NFL QBs currently earning paychecks, the anthem-kneeler is apparently too controversial for the league’s top brass — though they don’t seem to have the same problem with domestic abusers, sexual assaulters, drunk drivers, drug cheaters or air pressure manipulators.

Kaepernick — this close to winning a Super Bowl ring, and only recently one of the game’s most marketable stars, selling for Nike, Beats by Dre and Jaguar, among others — is now too polarizing to even pitch a spiral. A marketer today would have to be crazy to sign him to an endorsement deal, right?

Well, maybe not.

True, if you’re Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, Visa or most any other major, well-established brand, you risk alienating a significant percentage of your customer base by aligning with a controversial athlete like Kaepernick. And given the current political state of our country, it appears this controversy isn’t going away anytime soon.

But what if you’re a brand new fashion or cosmetics company, looking to make a splash with a Time Magazine cover boy whose physique’s been featured in an ESPN Magazine Body Issue. Or you’re an up-and-coming sports performance brand who could use the hard-working athlete in a dramatic “If the call comes, I’ll be ready” training campaign. Or you’re Ikea and might consider running an ad for your full line of seating products, headlined “Why kneel when you can sit?” (Okay, maybe a “no” on this one.)

Of course, the best way for a controversial jock to get back into the public’s — and Madison Avenue’s — good graces, is to play well and win, win, win. You know how we love our winners in America.

Maybe a company like Rakuten has the right idea. They’re paying the  extremely winning Golden State Warriors a whopping $20M a year to display their logo on a 2.5-inch patch on the NBA Champs’ game jerseys. Funny, that’s about the same yearly sum that Nike will reportedly pay RusselI Westbrook for the next 10 years to promote their Jordan Brand.

Are these deals worth it? For Nike, it’s a long-term partnership with a highly visible personality who’s not only a superstar on the court, but a fashion icon off — coolly representing a product line named after a legend who most call the best ever, but one that today’s teen demographic probably never saw play live.

As for Rakuten, the Japanese tech holding company is hardly a household name in the US, and will surely benefit by associating with arguably the world’s hottest sports franchise right now. And because it’s a team deal, not an individual player sponsorship, Rakuten doesn’t have to worry about a misbehaving or overly-political jock blowing their investment.

But total Warriors domination could get old real quick for non-Bay-Area fans. Rakuten could be investing in a team that a growing number of people consider an evil empire.

And even if Westbrook should win the next five consecutive NBA titles and MVPs, what if he, heaven forbid, starts kneeling for anthems?

Dorfman on Sports, Sports, Sports Marketing

May 31, 2017
Brian Bacino

SF Giants Campaign 2017

By:

Our “Discovery” phase of campaign development for the 2017 SF Giants revealed two key findings:

  1. The promise of the ultimate SF experience — the people, the views, the food, the party, at AT&T Park — makes fans want to attend  more games.
  2. Casual fans tend to go to the same kind of game over and over: just Sunday games, or just Friday games, just Tuesday games, etc.

We introduced this year’s campaign with “Together in SF” :30, featuring fans experiencing the ultimate SF backed with a dramatic read by legendary skipper, Bruce Bochy.

“Together In SF” :30 TV Spot

Our post house Ntropic, under the masterful eyes of FX director Aaron Vasquez, and editor Alan Chimenti, created cinemagraphs from the photography and video expertly captured by SFG Productions.

Alternate-Ending Interactive Films
Recognizing the importance of the Giants digital community, particularly the 3.2 million Facebook followers, we created a series of interactive films showing the experience of going to Giants games on Sundays, on date nights, during the work week, and the fun of Orange Fridays. Each of these four spots give viewers a critical decision to make at the peak of the story. The viewer’s choice will determine the ending of the stories.

“We Are Sundays” Interactive Film

“Two for Tuesdays” Interactive Film

“Day Baseball” Interactive Film

“Orange Fridays” Interactive Film

Introducing Mark Melancon
We also introduced the Giants new closer, Mark Melancon, with this fun spot that seems to be the fan’s favorite spot of the year. In a hilarious exchange on Twitter, Lou Seal called out Melancon for slamming the door on him. Mark responded, “I was just trying to ‘seal the deal.’” This guy’s going to be fun to watch all year.

“Meet the Closer” :30 TV Spot

Out-of-Home
If you live and drive in the Bay Area, you are also sure to run into our outdoor campaign featuring the photography of Andy Kuno. He has really raised the photography game of the Giants in-house staff and Baker Street gobbled up the good work to create the elegant designs you’ll see on trains, busses, street banners, and electronic outdoor throughout the Bay Area.

Baker Street Advertising Credits:
Chief Creative Officer: Brian Bacino
President: Jack Boland
Chief Strategy Officer: Don Donovan
Copywriters: Brian Bacino/Robert Leon/Bob Dorfman
Art Directors: Ken Woodard/Jason Wong
Interactive/Cinemagraph Art Director: Xavier Li
Producer: Brody McHugh
Creative Manager/Script Supervisor: Lesly Pyle
Senior Strategist: Howie Leibach
Account Supervisor: Nick Spillner
Senior Account Executive: Juliana King

Production Credits:
Director: Brian Bacino, Baker Street Advertising
Executive Producer: Mark Dwyer, Dwyer Productions
Director of Photography: Cliff Traiman, Little Giant Lighting & Grip
Director of Photography “Meet The Closer”: Keith Pikus
Line Producer: Jon Bowden
Editor: Alan Chimenti, Ntropic Editorial
ECD/Founder: Nate Robinson, Ntropic Editorial
Post Producer: Emily Avoujageli & Danielle Cheifetz, Ntropic Editorial
VFX Director: Aaron Vasquez, Ntropic Editorial
VFX Artists: Ethan Chang & Miguel Diaz-Rivera, Ntropic Editorial
Colorists: Chris Martin, Nick Sanders, & Kristy Navarro, Ntropic Editorial
Graphics Artist: Erica Poat, Ntropic Editorial
Flame Artist: Mark Everson & Todd Hemsley, Ntropic Editorial
Junior Flame Artist: Jerome Knight, Ntropic Editorial
Rotoscoping Producer: John Mendaros​, Ntropic Editorial
Rotoscoping Artists: Roel Elaco, Jun dela Pena, Alfred Ilagen, Ntropic Editorial
Post Assistants: Gillen Burch & Yvonne Pon​, Ntropic Editorial
Audio Mixer: Andy Greenberg, One Union Recording

Photography Credits:
Andy Kuno, SFG Productions

Brian Bacino, SF Giants, Sports, Sports Marketing

February 5, 2017
Bob Dorfman

SUPER BOWL-ING FOR DOLLARS: WHICH PATRIOTS & FALCONS WILL INFLATE THEIR ENDORSEMENT EARNINGS?

By:

Product-Pitching Talent in The Super Bowl LI Sports Marketers’ Scouting Report

No alternative facts can refute that Super Bowl LI was the most watched event of the year. With a TV audience of over 111 million, and another few million watching online, it was an unparalleled opportunity for the Big Game’s players to make an impression with fans and marketers.

Winning Patriot players will score a little over $100K in bonus money, plus a shiny new ring worth around $50K. But the real dough is in the national ad deals, appearance fees, autograph charges and other off-the-gridiron earnings that Super Bowl superstars can rack up.

So which New England and Atlanta players, if any, have enough game to make it big on Madison Avenue? Who’s going to land the talk show appearances, video game covers, cereal box spots, “I’m going to Disney World” cameos, Dancing With The Stars guest spots, and namesake fast-food sandwiches?

Here’s how this expert rates the endorsement talent:

TOUCHDOWN:

Tom Brady.  With his record-setting 5th Super Bowl ring and 4th MVP award, Brady made a strong case for GOAT honors. And for those only watching the game for the ads, his performance for Intel was solid.  Though not an aggressive seeker of ad deals, Brady still manages to lead the NFL’s active players (now that Peyton’s retired) with nearly $10M in off-the-field income from sponsors including Under Armour, Uggs, Beats By Dre, and TAG Heuer. And while he’ll never match Manning’s goofy, guy-next-door appeal, Brady has been loosening up and having more fun in recent ads—consider his Uggs spot with Jeff Bridges, and his Under Armour sleepwear videos. On the upside, Brady’s got the looks, the rings, the charisma, the supermodel wife, and a proven resume as a high-return product pitchman. On the downside, there’s Deflategate, playing for the polarizing Pats, and a friendship with Trump that could erode his fanbase. Nonetheless, Brady has the bod for a Hanes briefs campaign, a perfect smile for a Tom’s Toothpaste deal, and a chin cleft worthy of a Gillette razor torture test. And we’re still waiting for a Chiquita banana ad headlined “The Brady Bunch.” Plus, as a family man, he could qualify for a minivan deal. His postgame tears deserve a Kleenex demo, too. At age 39, Tom is nearing the end of his career, but he’ll certainly remain a compelling pitchman after retirement, much like Joe Montana. He could easily add another $3M to his annual endorsement portfolio, if he so desires. But if you really want Brady, bring a seven-figure checkbook, a product he can invest in, and a contract that doesn’t demand too much of his time. And bear in mind that a recent fan poll had him ranked as both the most liked and most hated QB in the NFL.

Rob Gronkowski.  Gronk’s so big, he didn’t even have to play in Houston to score ad deals. He was the first player to not see a second of action for his Super Bowl team, yet still star in Super Bowl ads. Not just one, but two: for Tide and T-Mobile. He also has deals with VISA, Nike, Monster Energy, Dunkin’ Donuts, Oberto beef jerky and EA Sports. He also has his own cereal, hosts a kids’ show on Nickelodeon, is producing and starring in a new web video series, and has a role in an upcoming film, American Violence. No wonder he can say that he lives off his endorsement earnings and bankrolls all his NFL pay. With the Patriots expected to be a strong Super Bowl contender next season, and Gronk fully recovered from injury, he’ll continue to be in big demand as a pitchman. It’d be fun to watch him do his Gronk Spike on a Timex watch to see if it really “takes a licking and keeps on ticking.” Or going one-on-one against Mr. Clean in a sexy housecleaning battle. As one of the NFL’s most iconic and recognizable characters, Gronk is a fun choice for any product that promises a good time—video games, snack foods, sports cars, condoms.

FIELD GOAL:

Julian Edelman.  Edelman’s amazing fourth-quarter catch will go down in Super Bowl history, and might even land him a deal with Super Glue. He’s already appeared in an “I’m going to Disneyland” spot (following Super Bowl XLIX), has his own JE11 brand, and most importantly is dating supermodel Adriana Lima. Given his versatility—he catches, passes, plays on special teams and has even played some defense—he could qualify for versatile products like SUVs, cough/cold/flu remedies or baking soda. And his excellent playoff beard qualifies him for any men’s grooming product, or a Gillette demo.

EXTRA POINT:

James White.  Every Super Bowl seems to have a player who emerges from anonymity to excel. James White is that guy for SB51. With a record 14 catches for 110 yards, plus 3 TDs including the game-winner in OT, he earned the “I’m going to Disney World” honors. But unless White can maintain his greatness over another season or two, going to Disney World may be as far as he goes with national advertisers.

Julio Jones.  A player whose talent exceeds his personality. Arguably the game’s best WR, Jones made some great plays in Houston, but not enough to grab a ring. Until then, he won’t ring up major endorsements.

Martellus Bennett.  A player whose personality exceeds his talent. Marty’s made the most of his 15 minutes of postseason fame: pom-pom dancing after the AFC Championship, saying he won’t visit the White House with his victorious Pats’ team, suggesting Migos should’ve replaced Lady Gaga for the halftime show, calling himself the “Black Dr. Suess.” Team him up with brother Michael, who won a ring with the Seahawks in Super Bowl XLVIII, in a bling-off for Josten’s.

Bill Belichick.  Seven Super Bowl appearances as a head coach—and still few endorsements. His dour, surly, unemotional persona is exactly the opposite of what marketers are looking for in a pitchman. But if you could film him getting visibly excited about your product, it’d be worth seven figures. Or how about showing reporters at one of his pressers, downing No-Doz, Red Bull or 5-Hour Energy?

Dan Quinn.  After that excruciating defeat, the Falcons’ head coach now qualifies for a Maalox Moment ad, or a Southwest Airlines “Wanna get away?” spot

Danny Amendola.  Like most of the Pats’ receiving corps, no superstar. But good looking, speaks well, dating Miss Universe 2012, and just won his second ring. Worthwhile choice to demo the AXE Effect.

Stephen Gostkowski.  Extremely rare to see a placekicker in a national ad, but Gostkowski made it into a Pepsi spot that ran during the playoffs. It will likely be the highlight of his national endorsement career.

Malcolm Butler.  The hero of Super Bowl XLIX and a solid performer in Houston, Malcolm could work in any product demo ad with the headline: “The Butler Did It.”

Dont’a Hightower.  Huge strip sack on Matt Ryan was a game changer. Good choice for Hefty Cinch Sak.

Devin McCourty.  Twin brother Jason plays for the Titans. Good choice for any marketer promoting a two-for-one deal.

Joe Thuney.  Pats OG provides serious protection for Tom Brady. Decent choice for any product that protects well: Axe Deodorant, Rust-O-Leum, Coppertone, Trojan.

Alan Branch.  Put him in an Office Depot ad, setting up his Branch office.

Barkevious Mingo.  Made the move of the year: going from the lowly Cleveland Browns to the Patriots in the preseason. Good choice for a moving company like American Van Lines. Or try Barkevious in a pain relief ad for Aleve-ious.

Matt Bryant.  At 41, Atlanta PK was the oldest player in Houston.  Of possible interest to Ben-Gay, Metamucil, or Advil.

Marcus Cannon.  Of possible interest to Canon cameras.

Trey Flowers.  Of possible interest to FTD florists. 

De’Vondre Campbell.  Obvious choice for Chunky Soup.

Alex Mack.  Mack Trucks.

Vincent Valentine.  Useful one day a year.

Tevin Coleman.  Overcame premature birth and the sickle cell trait to play in the Super Bowl.

Nate Solder.  Overcame testicular cancer to play in the Super Bowl. 

Chris Hogan.  Overcame four years of lacrosse to play in the Super Bowl.

Patrick Chung.  Chinese-Jamaicans are underrepresented in American advertising. 

PUNT:

Matt Ryan.  Ryan stood to gain the most from a Super Bowl win, but it was not to be. With a reputation as a QB who can’t quite get it done, Matty Ice desperately needs a Super Bowl ring if he wants to score deals with makers of ice cream, iced tea, or any product served over ice.

Mohamed Sanu.  Unfortunately, not a very marketable name under our new America First regime.

Michael Floyd.  Very embarrassing DUI caught on video last December; passed out behind the wheel at a stoplight, car still running. Not a wise choice for any automotive brand. Or any other brand, for that matter.

Jimmy Garoppolo.  Tough to stand out when you’re Tom Brady’s backup.

David Andrews.  Centers are never the center of attention.

Robert Alford.  82-yd. pick 6 against Brady will be the highlight of his career.

Malcolm Brown.  What can Brown do for you? Not much.

Dwight Freeney.  Too old.

Deion Jones.  Too anonymous.

Ayodeji Olatoye.  Too hard to pronounce.

Grady Jarrett.  Three sacks on Brady, but none when it really mattered.

Devonta Freeman.  Didn’t get handed the ball when it really mattered.

LeGarrette BlountOvershadowed by James White.

Deion Lewis.  See LeGarrette Blount.

Chris Long.  Overshadowed by HOF dad Howie.

Mattthew Slater.  Overshadowed by HOF dad Jackie.

Jake Matthews.  Overshadowed by HOF dad Bruce, uncle Clay Jr., and cousin Clay III.

Wes Schweitzer.  Overshadowed by Albert.

Brian Poole.  Everyone out of the Poole.

Jonathan Babineaux.  Just say neaux.

Sports, Sports Marketing

December 20, 2016
Brian Bacino

2016 Year In Review

By:

2016. Well, that didn’t turn out exactly the way we expected.

Lots of surprises.

Some of them, not so good.

Like not having our beloved SF Giants fulfill their even year prophecy.

But we still had a ton of fun making the work and helped the Giants continue their record-breaking attendance streak. (Click image below to see the 2016 Giants Campaign page.)

And speaking of records, NorCal Honda continued its sizzling pace thanks to a calendar chockfull of sales events, testimonial films and a robust digital and social media effort.

The first series of key frames below is from our “Go Small. Get Big.” campaign. (Click image below to visit the campaign page.) And the second set is from our seasonal sales events.

Plus, we introduced a new social campaign for Acura called “More of a Good Thing,” featuring 3 inspiring stories from NorCal Acura drivers who are making their world a better place.

The Lin’s Story :30

To see the Lin’s full story, click here.

Marshal’s Story :30

To see Marshal’s full story, click here.

The Young’s Story :30

To see the Young’s full story, click here.

So, while 2016 had its fair share of challenges, Baker Street had its fair share of fun making work for our clients and watching their businesses grow. Check it out in our video below, “Baker Streeters Love the Work”:

And, oh yeah, we launched our website. You know, the one you’re on.

Brian Bacino, Creative Chief B2, Honda, SF Giants, Sports, Sports Marketing

October 13, 2016
Brian Bacino

#BelievenHurts

By:

When you’’ve been #Believen since July, losing really hurts.

SFG16_BELIEVEN_Facebook_Rev1_828x315

Baker Street has been preparing for the post season since July, creating digital, outdoor, and TV for the SF Giants #Believen 2nd Half campaign. And while we are proud of the work, it has been tough to keep Believen when your team posts the worst 2nd half performance, ever.

Yet, through all the torture, our beloved Giants stayed together and kept fighting and somehow got in!

Crawford’s 7 Hits :15

MadBum’s Ks :15

And then they somehow came back!

NLDS 2016 Game 3 :30

So when that fatal 9th-inning meltdown came in Game 4 against the Cubs, it hit us hard.

We have been trying to reconcile this feeling of genuine loss over the Giants dramatic departure from their post season destiny. While it totally makes sense for players and coaches to feel devastated. Even members of the organization. But how can the dramatic and sudden end to the Giants post season have such a physical and emotional effect on us fans?

I guess the answer is we truly believe we are part of this. We have been soaking in champagne showers and championship parades, walking the world as kings. We feel like we know Hunter and his good friend, Buster. We love our homegrown heroes, Bumgarner, Crawford, Panik, Belt, … Conor! We have rode the emotional roller coaster year after year, but somehow, magically, we kept hoisting trophies!

Crawford Destiny :30

Big Game Hunter :30

Buster MVP :30

And so now, even in our even year, we suddenly feel the pain. An unfamiliar sting of it all, for the first time, not magically unfolding the way we hoped. It makes us finally realize those 3 Championships were not pre-ordained. They were’n’t guaranteed. They were miracles. They are more delicious than we realized the first 3 times. And our insatiable desire for another will only grow with this year’’s bitter end.

BSA_Team

Today it hurts. But then you realize how much fun, and how significant it is to feel like you are part of something like the SF Giants. That is the gift this team has given us fans. And while vitriol will likely spew over the next few days, in the end this organization makes us proud. Win or lose, Together We’’re Giant.

Under The Hat Tales: Kids :30

Brian Bacino, Creative Chief B2, SF Giants, Sports Marketing

June 2, 2016
Bob Dorfman

Who You Like In The NBA Finals: Nike or Under Armour?

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Screen Shot 2016-06-02 at 1.03.45 PM
 
The 2016 NBA Finals pits the Golden State Warriors against the Cleveland Cavaliers in a much-anticipated rematch of last year’s Finals, won by the Warriors. But there’s another big-time battle happening in this series. The shoe-off between Nike and Under Armour. Athletic apparel giant Nike recently signed Cleveland’s king, LeBron James, to a lifetime endorsement deal. But up-and-comer Under Armour has on their team the Warriors’ Stephen Curry, the NBA’s MVP the last two years, and the game’s most thrilling player since Michael Jordan. Who’s going to win the merchandise match-up?

I recently offered up my opinion in a story for CBS News:

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/this-years-nba-finals-pit-nike-against-under-armour/

Dorfman on Sports, Sports, Sports Marketing

April 1, 2016
Brian Bacino

Even Year: Giants 2016 Campaign

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To open the 2016 SF Giants season, Baker Street Advertising created a multi-media campaign leveraging the mystique and symbolism of wearing your heart on your head, and how wearing the SF Giants hat brings baseball’s most passionate fans together.

Digital billboards featuring the photography of Christian Petersen:

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The 60-second launch spot, “Heart on your Head,” tells the story of a lifelong Giants fan and his magical journey that began when he wore his Giants hat.

Then we asked all the Giants players how they felt about wearing the SF hat in this internet film series, “Under The Hat Films”:

Subsequent TV spots featured fans in their favorite Giants hat, telling tales of their favorite Giant. Crawford Destiny :30, Big Game Hunter :30, MVP Posey :30, Homegrown :30 with Duffy, Panik, Cain and Buster, and The Illusionist :30 with Sergio Romo.

Then we showed fans how to use their hat to help the Giants Rally, which brought us to a whole slew of “Together We’re Giant” ideas. After all, 162 games requires a ton of fresh content.

Finally, while we were talking to the players about their hats, we got their casual thoughts on a bunch of important topics from Bobbleheads to clubhouse pranks. These guys are authentically good dudes and a joy to work with.

Agency Credits

President: Jack Boland

Chief Strategy Officer: Don Donovan

Chief Creative Officer: Brian Bacino

Art Director: Ken Woodard

Copywriter: Bob Dorfman

Copywriter: Robert Leon

Copywriter: Harrison Chapman

Freelance Art Director (“Chatter” :30): Stefan Copiz

Freelance Copywriter (“Chatter” :30): Matt Bottkol

Creative Manager/Script Supervisor: Lesly Pyle

Broadcast Producer: Brody McHugh

Account Executive: Olivia Albanese

Account Coordinator: Noah Zepponi

Senior Strategist: Howie Leibach

Production Credits

Production Company: Dwyer Productions

Director: Brian Bacino (of Baker Street Advertising)

Director of Photography: Cliff Traiman

Executive Producer: Mark Dwyer

Producer: Chris Knox

Post Production:  Rough House

Editors:  Michael Pickman-Thoon, Eric Stafford, Roger Krakow, Elijiah Pahati

Visual Efx / Motion Graphics Designer:  Eric Stafford

Colorist:  Roger Krakow

Post Production Supervision:  Matt Lopez, Michael Pickman-Thoon

Audio Mix:  Sirius Sound

Mix & Sound Designers:  Shane Watson, Leroy Clark

Brian Bacino, Creative Chief B2, Sports, Sports Marketing