Beveridge Place Pub, at 6413 California Ave. sw. is an unusual place. Not just because it's one of the few places where you can bring your dog and have a beer or some wine, but because it's a genuine neighborhood gathering point. The kind of place where people go to do the kind of networking that really matters- face to face. But owner Gary Sink, in his dream of building the bar found that he could not get financing from a bank to go ahead. That is, until he spoke to Spokane based Sterling Savings Bank.

Sink found that they listened to him in 2006, heard his business plan and provided the money. "They really did a good job for us when nobody else would," Sink said.

When Sterling began a re-branding effort through Hydrogen Advertising here in Seattle the process involved interviewing bank customers and the interview with Sink had all the elements they were seeking. "One of the things that was important to us," said Claire Roberts VP/Marketing Director, "was to tell Sterling's story and have that be completely authentic. The best way to do that is to present what our customers have to say.
We looked for customers who were important in their community and that the story is from their point of view. We knew about Gary from his banker in Seattle and his story is very reflective of Sterling being a community bank."

This all led to Sterling selecting Sink and the Beveridge Place as the subject of a very polished 30 second TV commercial that puts both the pub and the bank in the best light. The script for the commercial is below.

It shows Sink in the pub, polishing a glass, drawing a beer, shows the location as it looked in 1958, and cuts to a shot of the banker Sylvia See enjoying a beer with Sink and others finishing with a toast, "Here's to tenacity. Here's to Sylvia!"

You can see the commercial on YouTube here:
http://www.youtube.com/user/thehydrogenchannel
or on the air on the Survivor Finale – Sunday 5/13 9:15-9:30pm. The spots are also running during the Mariners as well as CNN, MSNBC, and on major networks You can catch it during morning news, evening news and prime time.

Rick Peterson (President) and Tom Scherer (Executive Creative Director), who are Hydrogen's cofounders described the production:

"During pre-production when we were scouting the Beveridge location in West Seattle, it was a sunny and gorgeous afternoon. There were these beautiful sunbeam shafts of light entering the space, creating a warm and authentic sense of place. Right then, we decided to focus on how to capture that dramatic natural lighting in the final production."

"However, on the actual shoot day, the weather outside was overcast. So, instead of relying on natural sunbeams shining through the windows, we deployed a powerful bank of lights to emulate the effect. We also added water vapor so the shafts of light could be seen on camera. It made for a great environment."

"One thing we've learned over the years is that nothing can kill a good idea faster than poor execution. Execution is huge. Not just in television advertising, but also in all forms of advertising. With great executions that pay careful attention to all the important details, ideas can shine and live up to their full potential to connect with the audience."

Here's the text of the commercial:

"In my business, location is everything. That's why losing our lease was devastating. Fortunately I found the perfect spot. We talked to a lot of banks. But only one saw us as more than just a piece of paper. Sylvia at Sterling bank. She rolled up her sleeves and made it happen. 'Here's to tenacity. Here's to Sylvia! (voice over) Sterling Bank. Nobody works harder for you."