Cramer-Krasselt and Porsche cobble together a visceral spot.

Reel Chicago – February 16, 2018

By Colin Costello

Well, this Reel Ad of the Week from Cramer-Krasselt made me smile. I was not aware of perhaps the coolest Italian cobbler this side of Geppetto, but Porsche USA and Cramer-Krasselt have now introduced me to the legendary artisan Ciccio Liberto.

Who is Ciccio Liberto, you ask? (And why do we care?) Well, for over 50 years, Porsche race drivers have sought out the Sicilian’s handy work in order to the shoe them for races.

And that’s what happens in this visceral spot directed by Stink USA’s Nacho Gayan and edited brilliantly by Whitehouse’s Adam Marshall. Featuring a bright red (is there any better color for a Porsche?) 718 Boxster GTS, driving across Sicily’s landscape, we see a driver easily handle the hairpin curves that come his way while intercutting with shots of Ciccio’s shop.

The sound of the Boxster’s engine pit against the pulse of the cobbler’s old sewing machine is exhilarating to say the least. When the car arrives in front of Ciccio’s shop, an exchange of shoe boxes takes place—the new pair ready for the driver and the old pair ready for repair.

When Ciccio pulls out the old pair to inspect them, the pleasure of driving a Porsche is clear from the hole nearly worn through the sole. Newly shoed, the driver is clearly now able to drive faster (queue the music) and better.

And, really, who wouldn’t be with custom racing shoes — or any shoes? And yes, Ciccio is so beloved that a grown man would call him “maestro.” It all ends with the tagline, “Made for Drivers.” Watch the 1:29 video below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNuSn7bl78M

The new 718 Boxster GTS models boast superior performance thanks to a completely new generation of turbocharged, flat-four cylinder engines. It also features a completely retuned chassis and the latest generation of PCM (Porsche Communication Management), which can be enhanced with services such as real-time traffic information, Google Street View and Apple Car Play.

Porsche USA, which set a new sales record in 2017 and continued growth in January 2018, has also launched a short tribute video to “living legend” Ciccio. It features the likes of CJ Wilson (former MLB player turned Porsche driver) and Dario Franchitti (three-time winner of the Indianapolis 500) rhapsodizing about Ciccio’s life and the impact of his shoes on racing.

I now want a GTS. Time to speak with our lovely publisher about a raise.