Michel directed two 30-second spots for Diet Coke in 2004, Tingle and Bounce, as part of a campaign designed by ad agency Foote Cone & Belding. The ads focus on the concept of effervescence. Michel originally wanted real, plastic bubbles in the ads, but instead had to settle for bubbles animated by Psyop.
From the press release:
In the ad called Tingle, [on air May 10, 2004, actress Kate Beckinsale] strolls across a pool deck, clearly catching the attention of the people lounging poolside. Bubbles flow out of the Diet Coke she is drinking, wrapping her in effervescence, then sweeping across people as she passes by, until they can no longer stand the "tingle" that Kate and the bubbles are creating and dive into the pool to cool off. The bubbles then morph in the word "Tingle" on the screen, and the tagline -- "It's a Diet Coke thing" -- appears.
In Bounce, [on air later that month, actor Adrien Brody] walks through a neighborhood in Queens with a definite and pronounced bounce in his step. Effervescent bubbles flow from the Diet Coke he is enjoying, interacting with the people he passes (as well as man's best friend), adding a little "bounce" to their day, as well. The bubbles form the word "Bounce" and the tagline appears.
You can see Tingle here and Bounce here at creativePLANET.
The Sept/Oct 2004 issue of Print Magazine sheds some more light:
In May, the New York office of Foote, Cone & Belding broke his two new Diet Coke TV spots, starring Kate Beckinsale, Adrien Brody, and trails of effervescent animated bubbles - though not the plastic bubbles he'd hoped to build. "The agencies, they're not really used for caring for the director," Gondry says. "If you want to give your opinion on editing and you come to supervise it, they're like, 'what are you doing here'?"
FCB New York creative director Gary Resch recalls the experience far more fondly. "He has a great sort of spirit and a joyfulness about him that I think really found its way into the film." Still, Resch allows, "I'm not sure he'd do this one again, because he likes his effects to be in-camera. The client needed to see what the bubbles would look like before they would commit to a project that was so expensive."
