ITALIAN AMBUSH FOR THE ITALIAN JOB
Charlie Croker would be impressed. The Italians, in the shape of Alfa Romeo, have ambushed the new release film “The Italian Job” with an advertisement that runs right before the film in cinemas across Australiarevealing the new Alfa Romeo 147 GTA as “The Real Italian Job.”
“The launch of the new film was an obvious opportunity for us publicize the new Alfa Romeo 147 GTA,” says Kevin Wall, General Manager for Alfa Romeo in Australia. “After all, the original film, which is a classic comic caper film and an icon of the 1960s, could not have been made without the assistance of Alfa Romeo. This is something the producers of the re-make, which has also been moved from Italy to Los Angeles, seem to have failed torecognize. Charlie Croker, the cheeky criminal star of both films would, I am sure, agree!”
The 15 second advertisement, which features a car in a tunnel as per the film, but which is revealed to be the new Alfa Romeo 147 GTA, not one of the Minis in the film, was produced entirely in Australia. Greg Johnston from Digital Motion Graphics and Val Morgan, along with the Circus Group, approached Alfa Romeo with the creative idea for the advertisement and with the technology to make it a reality. Using cutting edge computer generated graphics, DMG was able to produce a 35 mm film stock quality advertisement with Dolby surround sound for little more than the cost of cinema slide advertising. Even the sound track was recorded in Australia.
“It was a tough job, but someone had to do it,” says Alfa Romeo Australia’s PR Manager, Edward Rowe, who was tasked with creating the sound track. “Taking a GTA to a race track and then driving in a manner to capture the unique sound of its 3.2 litre 250 bhp V6 engine was a demanding task, but I was prepared take as much time as was needed to do as many takes as it took to capture the right sound….”
While British Leyland, the producers of the Minis used in the original Michael Caine Italian Job, made little effort to benefit from their presence in the film, the modern film has been made with extensive assistance from the producers of the modern Mini. So is Alfa’s Kevin Wall worried about taking on the people behind the new film with the 147 GTA?
“Well, I certainly wouldn’t take on Remy Julienne, who did the remarkable stunt driving in the original film, and I have heard that of the actors in the re-make, Charlize Theronis rather handy behind the wheel,” says Kevin Wall. “But if Mark Wahlberg is up for it in a Mini, I will take him on any day in an Alfa 147 GTA!”
(ends)
For further information, please contact
Kevin Wall
/ Tel: (02) 9558 7111General Manager / Fax: (02) 9558 7722
Alfa Romeo Australia / E:
Edward Rowe
/ Tel: (02) 9558 7111Public Relations Manager / Fax: (02) 9558 7772
Alfa Romeo Australia / Mob: 0407 913 244
E:
Alfa Romeo Media web site: