Egg Films’ Kim Geldenhuys’ directed Moving Forward, the new Standard Bank commercial from TBWA\Hunt\Lascaris. The spot showcases the significant historical moments from the 1900s to the present day, telling the story of how the human race has progressed and how good it feels to move forward.
BlackGinger seamlessly integrated new actors into the stock footage of iconic breakthrough moments like the Wright brothers’ first flight, women voting in the US for the first time, the end of the Second World War, and, closer to home, South Africa’s first democratic elections in 1994, the Rugby World Cup victory in 1995, and the SKA astronomy project that has taken South Africa to the forefront of international science and technology.
“With each step forward for humanity, regardless of its scope, one thing remains constant: our joy in celebrating the act itself – that breakthrough moment of progress,” says Geldenhuys.
The advert features an all-star cast, including Albert Einstein, Charlie Chaplin, Winston Churchill, Mahatma Gandhi, Miriam Makeba, Haile Gebre Selassie, and James Small, but Kim says it’s not about lauding the hero of every moment. “It’s about celebrating the moment itself for the sake of ‘Everyman.’ It’s about reminding people of how far we have come and how justified we are in celebrating our progress as a global collective.”
Edited by Kobus Loots at Upstairs Post, the spot is held together by some clever lip-synching to RobRoy Music’s mashup of various versions of Sh Boom Sh Boom (Life Could Be A Dream), originally written by The Chords.
Watch it here.
