Spider-Man Swings In So The AA Can Save the Day

​Common People Studio has produced a cinema-first commercial with DCM Studios, as part of a partnership deal between The AA and Sony Pictures tied to this summer's release of ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’.

The spot marks the third collaboration between DCM Media's in-house creative studio, DCM Studios, and Common People Studio.

Bringing together a much-loved UK brand in The AA with the global stardom of Spider-Man presented its own creative challenges, but the resulting film delivers The AA's long-running "It's OK, I'm with the AA" punchline with warmth and humour, set against the scale of a Marvel blockbuster.

Director Jamie Maule-Ffinch commented, "When Tony, the executive producer, phoned and asked if I fancied shooting Spider-Man jumping onto a burning car, I rolled my eyes, and replied, 'Oh… go on then.'

"One of the best things about this project was working with the agency DCM. From the outset, they shared my vision of making the commercial feel like a genuine moment from the Marvel universe. It had to live comfortably in that world while still delivering for the client, finding that sweet spot between blockbuster action and understated, grounded comedy.

"What really appealed to me was the idea behind it. In the middle of a superhero battle, nobody ever thinks about the ordinary people caught up in the collateral damage. Their everyday problems suddenly become extraordinary, and that felt like a funny, memorable take on the superhero world meeting a car insurance ad.

"The response from the crew was brilliant too. Every call I made was met with the same reaction: 'You had me at Spider-Man.' We assembled an incredible team, and it was obvious from day one that everyone wanted to make something special.

"DP Dominic Bartels and I opted for a more classic Hollywood shooting style, favouring longer, immersive takes that let the audience sit in the tension pre-explosion. For the stunt itself, I was determined to capture it in a single shot, putting the audience right there as Spider-Man bursts through the smoke and lands on a wrecked car.

"It's not every day you get to work with Tom Holland's stunt double, Luke Scott. Luke and his team were consummate professionals, making the stunt feel effortless while delivering exactly the kind of scale, gravitas and Marvel energy we were after.

"One of my favourite moments happened between takes. As soon as Luke stepped onto the street in full costume, Wembley erupted. Children appeared on balconies wearing Spider-Man outfits, waving and shouting, 'We love you, Tom!' Luke happily waved back. It must be quite nice being mistaken for a Hollywood superstar.

"I'm incredibly proud of what we achieved. Even better, everyone seemed to share that feeling. The AA, DCM and Sony were all delighted with the finished film, and hearing that the Chairman of Sony Pictures had watched it and genuinely enjoyed it was a surreal moment.

"Getting to direct Spider-Man is definitely a bucket-list tick. If someone can let Sony know I'm available for the next movie, that would be smashing.

"Massive thanks to the cast, crew, Common People Studio, and our awesome producer Suzanne Chetty."

Tony Roberts, co-founder and EP at Common People Studio, added, "We have worked with the DCM Studios team numerous times, but working with Spider-Man has to be right up there as a career high. Jamie shoots a lot of his comedy with anamorphic looks, with his love for ‘80s cinema, and we thought that coupled with his light-touch comedy would offer up brilliant results for this film. The entire project was a real team effort, with collaboration between us, agency and brand, and it was lots of fun on the day.”