UltraStar GM given commemorative Emmy

Adam Saks had a clear vision for the UltraStar Multi-tainment Center’s first commercial.

Saks, the center’s vice president of operations and general manager, said to showcase the new facility, he thought the business would be better off first attracting the adult market – people who would then bring their children to the center, which has activities for all ages.

“I told them I wanted a commercial that was edgy and sexy,” he said.

The piece, called “Ultra Star Edgy Sexy,” won an Emmy Award for photography from the Rocky Mountain Southwest Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences in the fall. COX Media employees who worked on the spot recently presented Saks with a commemorative Emmy for his role in making the commercial.

“It was his idea and we brought it to life basically,” said Marta Schmitz, a producer for COX Media who was part of the team that created the spot.

Although kids were featured in the piece, the commercial had an adult focus. Set to the sounds of a guitar riff followed by drums and a piano, the spot showed people enjoying food and alcohol, adults dancing at the center’s 21-and-older Luxe Lounge, and moments of flirtation.

Saks said paid actors and the center’s employees participated in the shoot.

The original shoot took place in January 2013 and took a day and a half to complete, Schmitz said.

Peter Costello and George Gifford – the commercial’s two photographers – won the award. The commercial had two camera units, Schmitz said.

Saks said ideas for 2014 commercial spots are in the works. He said the business buys commercials by zone and the areas that the center’s commercials are shown include Chandler, Casa Grande, Ahwatukee and some of Gilbert.

Saks said people from Cox Media presented him the commemorative award last week.

“I was blown away,” he said. “I did not expect it.”

Saks added the award would not have been possible without the support of the Ak-Chin Indian Community, which owns the center.

He told InMaricopa.com that community officials were the ones who said they were “going to make professional-grade commercials.”

“It’s their support that got us here,” he said.

UltraStar Multi-tainment Center at Ak-Chin Circle posted the commercial to their Facebook page on March 20.