Bringing a sponsor’s vision to life
Deep Cuts pres. by TAG Heuer is one of the most challenging and most rewarding sponsored series I have ever worked on because of the specific sponsored elements required by the client and the production techniques used to successfully bring the vision to life.
TAG Heuer came to us asking for a series featuring top MLS players in key TAG Heuer markets opening up about their thoughts on culture, style, and their personal life experiences. The twist was they wanted a series that didn’t rely on highlights or action between the white lines to drive the narrative.
From that direction, Deep Cuts was borne. Working with an outside production agency we identified Manny LeBarbier, an LA barber known for cutting footballers’ hair. He became the vehicle to drive the conversation with the players, creating a comfortable space for them to open up and share their life experiences.
Product placement was extremely important for TAG, so we convinced them to agree to gift a watch to Manny as well as each player who featured in the series that they could wear during the production and keep after the shoot.
Dressing the set
From a production standpoint, the environment had to match the aesthetic of a premium brand, so at each location we transformed locker rooms and team meeting rooms into pop-up barber shops. Dressing the set was an intricate, time-consuming process, but it was worth all the attention to detail once the cameras started rolling.
By combining the beautiful set build outs, the visuals of the watch, and key TAG Heuer brand messaging sprinkled throughout the interview we were able to deliver on all of the client’s requests and showcase the personalities of top MLS stars in a new, creative way.
In addition to managing the sponsor’s expectations and integrations, I was also the executive producer of the series and he field producer at each location, which included producing three episodes in Spanish.