Walmart Thanks Our Troops with the Christmas Wish Commercial

Beautiful new ad by Walmart supporting our troops this holiday season, titled the Anthem Christmas Wish.Anonymous Content Director Andrew Douglas stirs up a moving tribute to U.S. troops for the 2009 holiday season. Anthem Christmas Wish, done for Walmart via Martin Agency, Virginia, stars a group of soldiers returning from an exhausting patrol in the torrid desert heat. As the heroes drop their helmets and packs to the ground, a miracle occurs - snowflakes drift down and soon cover the encampment, injecting the troops with an unmitigated joy. The scene then shifts to a little boy, presumably thousands of miles away, leaving the cozy confines of Santa's workshop. When his mother asks the boy what he wished for, he smiles and says, "Something for Dad."

To recreate arid atmospheres, Douglas shot the spot over a two-day period on Mystery Mesa in Santa Clarita, Calif. A pair of Marine captains and a retired Navy SEAL supervised the shoot to ensure that everything from the look of the uniforms to the handling of weapons reflected military standards and norms. Even the snow was authentic - Anonymous brought in 45 tons of ice, which was shredded and shot skyward to create real powder. Anonymous also created the jovial Christmas scene populated by the boy and his mother.

Walmart created the spot to say thank you to U.S. troops for their brave service. The spot debuted during Game 6 of the World Series, an enormous television event that guaranteed a large audience. Over the next two months, the :30 will run in theaters, online, and during some of the most popular programs on TV, including The Today Show, Good Morning America, and Sunday Night Football. The :60 version will be broadcast on the American Forces Network and Walmart's in-store network.
Credits:
Client: Walmart
Spots Title: Anthem Christmas Wish
Air Date: November 2009
Agency: Martin Agency
CD: Nancy Hannon
Sr. Art Director: Kevin Thoem
ACD/Copywriter: Wade Alger
Broadcast EP: John McAdorey
Assistant Producer: Katie Chirgotis
Prod Company: Anonymous Content
Director: Andrew Douglas
DP: Flor Collins
EP/Head of Commercials: Dave Morrison
Head of Production: Sue Ellen Clair
Producer: Aris McGarry
Editorial: Beast Editorial
Editor: Michael Elliot
Assistant Editor: Joe Rounseville
Producer: Aris McGarry
Post: The Mill
Online Editor: Dan Williams
Colorist: Fergus McCall
Effects: The Mill
VFX Artist: Gavin Wellsman
Producer: Dan Roberts
Audio Post/Sound Design: Sound Lounge
Mixer/Sound Designer: Philip Loeb
Music: Human
Shoot Location: Santa Clarita, CA