| | ABC Sports Online news services
Everyone knows that preparing for the U.S. and World Figure Skating Championships isn't easy. Reigning US and World Champion Michelle Kwan shows us just how difficult it can be. In three humorous spots, produced by Crossroads Television for ABC Sports' coverage of the U.S. and World Figure Skating Championships, Kwan tells us how challenging it is to come up with new programs, costumes and music for a competition. We're then treated to examples of some of the options her "people" present her with-bizarre leather and fur costumes, strange music and odd interpretive dance.
"ABC Sports has a tradition of giving sports fans an up-close and personal look inside their favorite events. We were looking to combine this tradition with the sport's top skater, Michelle Kwan, to create awareness of the upcoming U.S. and World Championships," explains Cindy Vannoy, vice president, Advertising and Promotion, ABC Sports. "Our creative team of Rich Williams and Rob Stecklow took this strategy over the top and successfully developed a campaign that will get even the casual fan interested in our championship events."
Crossroads Television director Steve Eshelman directed the spots which begin airing January 1, 2001. "Steve has a remarkable gift for understating outlandish comedy. He creates these wonderfully outrageous situations and then doesn't comment on them, leaving the audience to its own reaction," commented Crossroads Television executive producer Stephen Axthelm. "He also allows Michelle to be herself. The camera loves her and her personality is really endearing".
Director of Photography was Eric Engler, and Nancy Rabinowitz supervised post production. Crossroads Television is a creative services agency, specializing in branding, marketing and promotion for broadcast, cable, Internet and other entertainment clients. Crossroads Design, a division of Crossroads Television, specializes in conceptual broadcast and electronic design.
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