Reynolds went on to thank his Definitely, Maybe co-star Banks, the legendary Perlman as well as Walker and Lambert “for taking serious stuff so unseriously. Also if you’re thinking Otto Desć looks suspiciously like Academy Award nominee and Free Guy VFX [supervisor] Swen Gillberg, you’d be wrong. No further questions.”
A brand-and-tag relaunch
While Autodesk software is used by millions to make everything from green architecture and engineering, construction projects, manufacturing, media, education and entertainment industries, the brand hasn’t really had a media coming out.
Since its software is used to make movies as well, Autodesk thought the Oscars would be a perfect time to launch a brand statement, one that includes the tagline “Make Anything.”
“Autodesk is how the world gets designed and made, whether it’s a greener building, a cleaner car or an award-winning movie, but we haven’t really told that story. We haven’t talked about why we matter to the world and why we matter to our customers,” Dara Treseder, chief marketing officer at Autodesk, told Adweek.
When Treseder joined as CMO last year, coming over from Peloton, she brought along the agency she had worked with, Maximum Effort, as a creative partner. The agency and brand brainstormed on how to show the world that Autodesk makes the software that its customers use to make a multitude of things, and the Oscars felt like the right moment.
“Here’s an opportunity for us to celebrate the biggest names in Hollywood on the biggest stage, and celebrate the technology that often is behind the scenes. You don’t get these amazing movies, you don’t get Avatar, without the Autodesk software,” said Treseder.
Reynolds utilized his Hollywood connections to bring in Perlman, Banks, Lambert and Walker, giving the campaign even more credibility in its documentary-style presentation. The four filmmakers help show the full spectrum of the way Autodesk software impacts different artists, from actors to directors, cinematographers and VFX specialists.
In helping design the campaign, Maximum Effort served as more than just an agency for Autodesk.
“One of the things I love about Maximum Effort is they’re not just a creative agency. They’re really a strategic business partner for us. They understand how to create and how to use brand to drive business value and business results,” she added.
