Press Release

To celebrate the 75th Anniversary of Alka-Seltzer, Bayer and its agency
BBDO New York/Energy BBDO, have remade one of television’s funniest
commercials (the original aired in 1972), “I Can’t Believe (I Ate The
Whole Thing)”. Andrew Sherman/FLUID created the score and the sound
design for the comedic gem.
The remake features Peter Boyle, best known as Frank Barone of the long
running CBS-TV hit sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond, sitting upright on
the edge of his bed reeling from indigestion and reprising one of
advertising’s most famous commercial slogans – “I can’t believe I ate
the whole thing.” His wife, Doris Roberts, who played his television
spouse in the sitcom, encourages him to take Alka-Seltzer for his
discomfort. True to their television personas he, having taken his
Alka-Seltzer, dives into a piece of cake, and she threatens “drop one
crumb and you’re dead.”
Andrew Sherman composed an underscore with a classic, non-campy feel to
support the mood and the joke and the ambience of the spot which is
lightly comedic without being over the top. The agency wanted something
sorrowful as he is, after all, regretting over indulging. A slightly
seasick violin to set the mood of the track and it reinforces the tone
in the beginning of the spot. The challenge was to incorporate the
woeful sound of that old style and transition to a more positive mood
when the Alka-Seltzer does its job.
Credits:
Agency:
BBDO New York/Energy BBDO
Chief Creative Officers: David Lubars, Marty Orzio
Sr. Creative Director: Ed Maslow
Creative Supervisor: Greg Alderisio
Copywriter: Greg Alderisio
Assoc. Creative Director: Joe Coccaro
Art Director: Joe Coccaro
Sr. Producer: Karen Leiper
Exec. Music Producer: Loren Parkins

Production Company:
MJZ
Director: Clay Williams
Director of Photography: Ueil Steiger
Executive Producers David Zander and Lisa Rich
Art Director Jamie Vickers
Offline Editorial:
Cosmo Street Editorial
Offline Editor: Tom Scherma
Assistant Editor: Aaron Langley
Producer: Karen Hennegan
Film to Tape/Postproduction:
Nice Shoes
Online Editor: Russ Bigsby
Colorist: Chris Ryan
Music/Sound Design:
FLUID
Composer: Andrew Sherman
Music Producer: Brad Stratton
Exec. Producer: David Shapiro

Audio Post Production Company:
Sound Lounge
Mixer: Tom Jucarone