Directors discuss creative process, personal journeys
Of the acclaimed advertisements shown on Super Bowl Sunday, one stood apart from the rest: Bud Light’s “Here Weego,” featuring an odd-looking mutt named Weego.
Tuesday’s awards ceremony for the ninth annual Cocky’s Super Ad Poll was hosted by journalism students as part of their Super Bowl advertising course. The Cocky Award for the best Super
Bowl commercial was presented to Michael Straznickas and Dave Reger, the creative directors of McGarryBowen Chicago.
The charming, humble duo accepted the award Tuesday and gave a speech entitled “The Dumbest Idea Ever.”
The course, JOUR 463, focuses solely on Super Bowl advertisements and is taught by professor Bonnie Drewniany.
“We analyze Super Bowl trends and how different companies cater to different demographics,” said William Goodman, a fourth-year public relations student.
The nearly 100 students in the class, and some faculty, watched the Super Bowl together and voted on the advertisements based on likability, persuasiveness and brand identity.
Straznickas and Reger took students through their creative process, as well as their personal career journeys.
“It was really cool to see the behind-the-scenes process from start to finish of building an ad,” Goodman said.
Straznickas and Reger’s creative process began when their boss asked if they could try and write a few scripts for the Bud Light campaign.
They came up with the concept of combining a dog named Weego with Bud Light’s “Here we go” slogan. Though they first believed another dog in a commercial might be overdone, they were able to capture the essence of the brand by adding a certain hook to it, and won the account.
The commercial is based on a casual, suburban barbecue. The host of the barbecue just bought a new dog, Weego, and taught him to fetch beers. The people unintentionally say “Here we go” throughout the party, and each time Weego brings them a beer.
The idea was taken one step further by collaborating with Facebook and Tony La Russa’s Animal Rescue Foundation (ARF). For every “Like” the ad received on Facebook, Bud Light donated $1 to ARF (up to $250,000).
The directors’ biggest challenge was finding a dog that could play the lovable Weego. The original storyline used a pug, but after some research, they discovered pugs were too common in commercials.
Dog audition tapes were sent to them with plenty of adorable canines, but none were as talented as Nugget, the dog who starred as Weego.
All of the tricks performed in the commercial were actually performed by Nugget. The only special effect used was the rig behind the keg that he stands on, and that was only to keep it steady.
Nugget video-chatted the class during the presentation, answering the students’ yes-or-no questions about his fame with a nod or a bark.
Other challenges in the creative process included finding music and a director, as well as giving the commercial the right “feel.”
Reger’s personal journey started in journalism, before he switched to advertising because of the creative freedom the field offers.
Straznickas studied graphic design, but found his niche when he was trying to help a roommate get a job. His roommate was interviewing for a job in advertising, but when the employers saw his work, they asked, “Who is your art director?” Straznickas got the job — his roommate didn’t.
Both began their careers at Leo Burnett in Chicago, where they met. They have worked together for 20 years.
Some of their biggest campaigns have been for Heinz, McDonald’s, Kellogg’s, Samsung, General Motors and Walt Disney.
For aspiring advertisers, “It’s all about your book or your portfolio,” Reger said. Advertising agencies want to see the way you think and the way you direct, he added.
Straznickas and Reger are currently working on a way to continue Weego, so Nugget may be seen in another Bud Light commercial.