Motion Theory is a motion graphics studio that has done a lot of work you’ve probably seen, like the HP ad for Pharrell (hi res here) that also features skateboarding. They did a short ID piece for ESPN on Evolution, specifically the evolution of skateboarding. Apparently, it aired during the Superbowl, but which one? You can watch it and download it from the Motion Theory site. I wonder if they will notice a bandwith spike? As far as the animation goes, it’s fun to watch. As far as the evolution of skateboarding goes, it stops with what mainstream skaters consider the dodo birds of skateboarding, AKA the vert ramp riders – but I’m sure that’s what the client wanted. – Thanks (again) to Livmo for the tip. yeah, it’s going to be that kind of day.

Gotta love infotainment graphics. This one is from the Denver Post article on William Spencer. Reminds me of several things. I think a good fake job for a character in a book or movie would be dental animation specialist – or someone who makes a living modeling 3d computer graphics of mouths and teeth for toothpaste and mouthwash commercials. We’ve covered this guy before, but now there’s newer footage. Supposedly, Spencer stunt doubled Orlando Bloom in a Japanese hair care commercial.

Is this from a new TV show? Some sort of celebrity scandal? Is he the real father of Jamie Lynn Spears’ baby? Has he converted to Scientology? Are those pearl earrings he’s wearing? What new product is he shilling? Enquiring minds want to know, and you won’t be disappointed. [Source: auggiedawg on Sleestak]

I got a tip about this Cisco advert and managed to catch it on my DVR without realizing it, but I accidentally deleted it before I could digitize it. I was waiting to catch it again but it seems like it only aired on one week. Cisco commercials show up, but it’s always a different one. Since then, discussions have popped up all over. So I finally decided to pull it of the Cisco web site. There are additional spots that didn’t air on TV. I’ve put them all together in one vid so you don’t need to wait through the intermissions. Where to start on this… it’s too easy. The main thing they are trying to sell is the fact that with Cisco Networks you can be in touch with everyone on a project almost instantly, no matter where they are. Ironically, the ad agency who put his together couldn’t have been more out of touch with skateboarding culture or history. – Thanks to Tracy Sigler and Paige for the tip.

What is that sassy wench trying to tell you? Isn’t it already completely obvious that hot chicks collect skateboards and eat cheeseburgers? Sometimes a skateboard can be the central element of a commercial, but more and more they are becoming just a small part of a bigger concept, getting lumped in the background with a bunch of hobbies whereas they used to be more of a crazy radical lifestyle commentary. So here’s two currently running commercials that feature skateboarding, one from Gatorade and one from McDonalds.

Whatever your stance on Nike’s presence in the skateboarding industry, you’ve got to hand it to them for the commercials they made and actually aired on broadcast TV the first time around. They are great from a skating and an advertising perspective. I’ve been trying to get ahold of these and post them, but someone else has already done all the work, so why reinvent the wheel? My personal favorite is the running one because it brings back the times when people literally thought you were a freak if you were over 12 and still skateboarding on a public sidewalk. Of course now you’re a freak if you are over 30 and the hassle often comes the skaters instead of the non-skating public. So you can still be a rebel and participate in one of the world’s most popular sports. [Source: Transworld beat me to it.]

What about all the skateboarding Jews? We just don’t see Hanukka skateboarding marketing tie ins like we do with Christmas. Jew, Gentile, regular, goofy… it’s all the same. I don’t even know when Hanukkah is, it’s probably over already. Here’s an Israeli TV commercial for what looks like an exploding energy bar that blatantly rips off the Girl Yeah Right! video. Who knows, Maybe Spike Jonze directed this one too.

This commercial for Babybel Cheese has a lot of incidental skating in the background, designed to make you think the location is a skatepark. In the enlarged stills it’s very apparent that it’s just a public plaza with a few ramps thrown in to enhance the illusion. The dead giveaway is the full loop track at the top of the steps.

Really, this still image of Mr Orange (?) is about all you need to see from the M&M’s commercial that is still airing, unless you are wondering what Paul Weller would look like if he was a candy coated chocolate that came to life. And it’s vintage The The in the soundtrack. Speaking of the Jam, did you know Bruce Foxton and Rick Buckler are touring without Weller as the appropriately titled From the Jam? Now that’s brutal honesty for you! I don’t know where/what/when Weller replacement Russell Hastings is from, but he looks the part and the reviews are good. Coming to North America and Japan in 2008.

Since most of our readers are likely stuffing thier faces today, here’s a Stouffer Pizza Bread commercial circa 2002 that features a fresh faced young man who likes to walk around his kitchen fully padded up. The producers probably made sure the kid was wearing full safety gear for liability purposes or at least to set a good example. I guess they overlooked the part about skating down the middle of the street while trying to balance and eat a giant wad of pizza bread. Anybody know who this kid is?