Notable Commercials Shot in Hawaii

Hawaii-made Amex, Visa, and McDonald's commercials

Hawaii has long been a popular destination for commercial shoots. The diversity, beauty, and drama of our landscapes make Hawaii perfect for shooting memorable commercials. Since the film commissioners will be going to the AICP Show this week and since we've got a great new 15-20% tax credit for which commercials are eligible, I thought it fitting to highlight some notable commercials that were shot in Hawaii over the past few years. Here are some you may remember:

• American Express: "My life. My Card: Laird Hamilton" (Maui)
• Honda: "Peaks" and "Buckles" 2005 Super Bowl ads (Big Island)
• Nike: "Crazed Referee" featuring Dennis Hopper (Locker room set built at the state-run Hawaii Film Studio in Honolulu)
• Visa: "Konishiki Revue" (Oahu)
• Bacardi Rum: Featuring Telly Savalas (Kauai)
• McDonald's: "Fossil Fuel" featuring an animated T-Rex skeleton in a museum awakened by the smell of french fries (Maui)
• Maytag: Featuring a washing machine on the rocks and the Maytag guy (Oahu)
• Mountain Dew: Featuring a submerged whale with "Do the Dew" on its fin (Oahu)

Other brands that have shot national ads here include: Subway, Nissan, Toyota, Kirin, Calvin Klein, US Army, US Navy, Daido Beverages, Volvo, Dodge, Home Depot, Campbell Soup, Armani, Shishedo, Loreal, Saturn, Barbie, Chrysler, Gatorade, and many, many, many more.

Among the commercial production companies that have shot in Hawaii in recent years are: @radical.media, Anonymous Content, MJZ, DNA, A Band Apart, Traktor, Gearhead Entertainment, PYTKA, NYDRLE, HKM Productions, HSI Productions, Area 51 Films, Chelsea Pictures, Dektor Film, Moxie Pictures, Palomar Pictures, and Link Entertainment.

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