I received an email and spent 10 minutes talking to Bill Kelman the director of the Ad that I blogged below: he was happy to have his reply up on the site, and I think his reply is a good, balanced one.

Dear John,

I’m sorry that I offended you with my Geico spec spot. I’m not sure if you understood the context in which it was made. The spot was done as a spec spot and not authorized by anyone at Geico. Spec spots are done as part of a director’s sample reel to get other work. There’s a tacit understanding by companies when new director’s use their brand for sample spots. I’ve even made a spec spot that I sold to company.

We did this spot because Geico had been doing a US campaign that took certain types of television shows, sucked you in by making you think you were watching a Bay Watch type show or an infomercial then having the character interrupt and pitch Geico insurance. Most probably it did not play in Sweden. In this spot we wanted to make you think you were watching an actual CNN report.

So far it does indeed play very well for US and have gotten some great comments as well a one or two that said it was tasteless, including one production company in NYC that is repping me. They just took it off my reel which was fine by me. I’ve played it for creative directors, copywriters, etc and it always gets a laugh, albeit a dark, naughty laugh. I’ve even had a website or two and several cell phone content companies want to license it from me, although I can’t for obvious reasons.

My feeling about Osama Bin Laden and the tragedy of 9/11 is that we are giving a terrorist way too much power over our lives and thoughts. Osama Bin Laden and his ilk were made by the US because of our policies. That being said, our government has opened up a hornet’s nest. Do we let Osama Bin Laden haunt us and give him any power over our lives? Of course not. He is the devil and if we can and should laugh at him. In the spot he’s selling out as a pitch man. In reality, he sold out his people by giving the west reasons to hate.

Anyways, John, I’m sorry you misinterpreted our intent on this spot and thought that this was a real spot. That ultimately is the intent of doing sample spec spots, making you believe it’s a real spot. If you’d like, you can check out my reel at www.billkelman.com I think you’ll get a few laughs from my work. I’m a firm believer in new media, virals, etc and as a new guy, getting attention is what it is all about.

Please stay in touch and likewise, I will do the same.

Sincerely,