Make A Wish Foundation - Beetle Boy (2007) 0:47 (USA)

Agency: Kaplan Thaler Group, New York

Comment from director Jerry Brown:

What appealed to me about the Beetle Boy story is what it’s NOT about. It’s not the story of a celebrity stooping to assist a terminally ill child, it’s not an extravagant expensive trip, not exotic. It’s a typical kid’s fantasy brought to life by some very average, but very caring people. The fact that regular people can make it happen is what’s so great about it. I think it’s all these people doing what they can do, doing their own small part, that resonates with people when they watch the spot - the teacher volunteering to be the evil villain, the off-duty cops volunteering their time - that’s emotion that people can connect with.

Interestingly, the production benefited from this same sort of giving spirit. I wanted a helicopter shot to show the scope of the event, so our Producer began making calls and doing what the Make-A-Wish people call, "getting the ask out" and we ended up with not one helicopter, but four!

Agency: Kaplan Thaler Group, New York
Creative Directors: John Murphy, Simon Hunt
Copywriter: John Murphy
Art Director: Simon Hunt
Producer: Tim LeGallo
Group Account Director: Andrea Halberstadt
Broadcast Business Manager: Janet Wollman
Director of Creative Services: Gerry Killeen
Director of Broadcast: Lisa Bifulco
Assistant Account Executive: Joelle Boucai
Director: Jerry Brown
Production Company: Sticks + Stones, Los Angeles
Executive Producer: Marlon Staggs
Line Producer: Ree Whitford
Director of Photography: Peter MacKay
Editorial: David Gioiella, Northern Lights Post, New York
Music: Scott Pittinsky, Compound, New York