Young and Gifted for Chevy at the Super Bowl

Leading filmmaking contest community MOFILM today revealed the winner of its Super Bowl brand contest, with young director Zach Borst scooping the prize. The 26-year-old's commercial, Happy Grad, will now air at Sunday’s big event.

Established in 2009 MOFILM is helping transform the video creation industry by connecting international brands directly with filmmakers, giving them global access to a pool of undiscovered young and emerging talent while creating innovative advertising campaigns in the process. Back in June 2011, the company launched the world’s first global competition to develop an iconic advert that captured the unique spirit of Chevrolet and its message ‘Chevy Runs Deep’, and now the winner will reap the rewards.

Borst’s spot (above) sees a college graduate mistakenly believe a nearby parked Chevy is a gift from his parents instead of their actual gift, a fridge. As they try to explain the mix up, his elation grows from one extreme to the next with friends congratulating him and even a woman proposing in the wake of his new gleaming status as a Chevy driver. The commercial will take centre screen during the telecast of the 46th annual Super Bowl this Sunday.

Among the most watched sporting events in the world, second only to the UEFA Champions League final, the annual event has a potential audience of over 163 billion viewers and this year a 30-second slot cost an average of $3.5 million. It’s true to say that Borst’s spot stands in the highest of company.

“In this competitive space, brands have to be smarter and more creative with their advertising in order to engage with consumers,” says MOFILM president and co-founder Andy Baker. “Creativity can sometimes be diluted by the bureaucracy and administration of traditional processes, which is why we believe in giving brands direct access to inspiring filmmakers with raw talent.”

You can read more about MOFILM in shots issue 131 and The Cannes Report, available at Cannes Lions.