Bob Ebel, widely recognized as one of the top kids directors in advertising, has joined STORY for exclusive national representation. Ebel plans to close his longtime production company, Chicago-based Ebel Productions, in order to focus exclusively on his directing career.
In explaining his decision to join STORY, Ebel said that after more than two decades, he wanted to relieve himself of the responsibility of running a company. “It was time,” he said simply. Ebel added that the hardest part of his decision was parting ways with longtime staff, but noted that the producers, directors of photography and other production crew who have worked with him in the past will continue to do so through STORY.
STORY executive producer Mark Androw described himself as a longtime admirer of Ebel and said that he has tried on more than one occasion to lure the director to his company. “Bob has never had sales representation, his work is so strong and he has such a strong reputation that he has done it all by word of mouth,” Androw said. “One of the things he will gain is access to our national sales network and production resources.” Androw and Cliff Grant will serve as executive producers for Ebel’s projects.
Ebel’s name has become virtually synonymous with kids spots as he has raised the craft of directing young actors to an art form. Many of his spots have become classics and he was recently named one of America’s favorite directors in a poll of advertising agencies conducted by Creativity Magazine. His work cuts across all product categories and includes some of the world’s best known brands (recent examples include Quaker, McDonald’s, Oscar Mayer and the U.S. Marine Corps)—the common denominator being memorable performances by kids.
Ebel, who began his career as a creative at J. Walter Thompson, Chicago, has a simple explanation for his success with young talent. “We allow kids to be kids,” he said. Ebel also goes to extraordinary lengths in casting. He often conducts casting sessions in multiple cities and once auditioned 2500 kids to find the right talent for a spot. Ebel is meticulous in preparing for his shoots and extremely patient in working with kids in order to illicit natural and engaging performances.
A campaign for Blue Cross/Blue Shield is a typical example of the Ebel magic. In one spot a boy, demonstrates his karate skills, flashing deft arm gestures and his “bulging” muscles. Ebel elicited the performance spontaneously while engaging the kid in conversation. “I sometimes become a 5-year-old myself to get to their level,” Ebel observed.
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