Xerox "Brother Dominic: Together they set the page free" (2017) 1:00 (USA)

Back in 1976 Xerox gave us an iconic Super Bowl spot featuring a monk named Dominic who somehow needed to get 500 illuminated manuscripts printed. Thankfully, Xerox was there to help. Now they are still there, and have recreated the premise. Only now, Dominic needs to print up some 500 personalized scripts in different languages on different devices securely and send them across the world. We see how people all over the world receive the good word so to speak. And just like the original, it ends on the "it's a miracle," gag.
While Xerox the product is still there to help it is very telling that technology has progressed to the point where things magically appear all over the world with ease. Unlike the original spot where Dominic had to go to a printer and was greeted by a print shop employee who knows his name and walked him to the copier, and showed him how to use it, Brother Dominic is now walking across the monastery courtyard to what looks like the studio in an ad agency to use his print card to make the print order happen. This is both a fun nod to how much easier life has become for all of us, and weirdly undermining of Xerox as well. It's no longer a huge ordeal to do these things.
As a stand alone ad it still works even without knowing the context. Access to Adland's Super Bowl Archive aside, there are very few people under the age of fifty (minus hardcore ad geeks) who will remember the original spot. And unlike say, Crispin's cheeky send up of the original of Grey Poupon, spot, this ad is incredibly sincere. It's a slight letdown in that the only wow factor comes from the product and not the story. It's a very faithful retelling of the original indeed. Faithful? Anyone? Never mind.

Xerox
CMO – Toni Clayton-Hine
Vice President, Global Brand, Advertising and Media - Barbara Basney

Y&R
Chief Creative Officer - Leslie Sims
CD - Fern Cohen
CD - Margot Owett
Executive Producer - Mathieu Shrontz
Associate Producer - Larissa Ananko
Executive Producer/ Head of Music – Lauren King
Music Producer - Deb Oh
VP, Account Managing Director - Britta Dahl
Account Director, VML- Seth Galena
Account Supervisor - Arantza Urruchua
Account Executive - Susan Akinyi
Executive Vice President, Brand Planning - Chip Walker

Production Company – The Corner Shop
Director - James Rouse
Executive Producer(s) – Anna Hashmi
Producer – Benji Howell
Director of Photography – Joost Van Gelder

Editorial Company - Work Editorial
Executive producer – Erica Thompson
Producer – Jamie Lynn Perritt
Editor – Art Jones
Music Company – Woodwork Music
Music Producer – Andy Oskwarek
Composer – Joseph Reuben
Postproduction Company - Framestore
Executive Producer – Dez Macleod-Veilleux
Producer – Sophie Harrison
Lead Artist/VFX Supervisor – Gigi Ng
VFX Team: Giulia Bartra, Julien Desroches, Liz Yang, Raul Ortego, Matt Pascuzzi, Akira Thompson, Callum McKeveny
Color Correction: Steffan Perry
Audio House – Heard City
Engineer – Eric Warzecha