It only played in the TV market near Savannah, Ga. - but an attorney's commercial that's being called "epic" and "amazing" has racked up more than 2.7 million hits on YouTube. Personal injury lawyer Jamie Casino bought a full two minutes for the ad, which he wrote and directed.
The spot has won fans online since it aired during halftime in Sunday's Super Bowl, as people were drawn to its use of slow motion, quick edits, smoke and fire to create an atmosphere that would suit a trailer for a new action hero.
The ad opens with a quotation from the Bible and a voice-over introduction from Casino:
"I wasn't always a personal injury lawyer. I once was a notorious criminal defense lawyer who was employed by some of the most cold-hearted villains. My art brought me great wealth -- until one day, my little brother Michael and his friend were two of four people whose lives were taken."
Casino then launches into a personal story of loss and redemption, told over a series of visual effects along with thudding rock music (Nick Nolan's "Devil Gets Your Soul") in the background.
The TV ad also features what the Savannah Morning News calls Casino's "infamous sledgehammer, which he's used in other local ads to 'smash money out of stingy insurance companies.' "
In this instance, the sledgehammer bursts into flame as Casino drags it along a grave and "smashes the headstone of his brother," the site says.
We're not sure why the narrative arc of the ad leads to the destruction of his brother's headstone. But here's what Casino told Savannah's WTOC TV about his motivation:
"My intention was simple: to vindicate my brother and my parents -- one and done -- and let people know in Savannah that there are some people who won't keep their mouth shut. Some people who will take their message all the way to the Super Bowl, and I think I pulled that off."
According to the Morning News, Casino wrote, directed and edited video that had been shot by local production company eThree Media. It quickly grew into a viral hit, as links were passed around on Twitter and Reddit. The sites Deadspin and SB Nation lauded it as "amazing" and "the most insane," respectively.
It seems that Casino is about to get even more media attention.
"ESPN stopped by the office today," he wrote on his company's Facebook page. He added that he'll be on Good Morning America tomorrow, and TMZ tonight.
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