• by Barbara Lippert , Columnist, December 19, 2024

This new spot promoting the debut of Still G.I.N. by Dre and Snoop features the legendary rappers embracing old-school “smooth” in a new-school way.

And that old/new vibe involves the tuxedoed D&S making an elegant entrance to a glamorous, jazzy,1960s-style night club.

Eventually, they’re introduced to two guys facing them at the bar: an AI-revivified Frank and Sammy in black tie.

That’s a shock. But the jury’s out on whether the actual Rat Packers are turning in their graves. 

Still, seeing the long-dead Chairman of the Board and Candy Man as talking heads (more on that later) gives the otherwise chill-to-narcotized spot an electric jolt.

These days, comedian and weed-devotee Snoop is ubiquitous in advertising, fronting major brands and maintaining his own marketing and media empire. That includes his recent guest mentorship on “The Voice,” where he often stole the show.

That’s because he’s not only funny but deeply musical. 

Snoop got famous as a rapper in the 1990s by being featured on Dr. Dre’s “Deep Cover” and in several songs on Dre’s debut solo album, “The Chronic.”  (1992). 

Two years later, Snoop had his own hit called “Gin and Juice,” which prompted the name of their “Gin & Juice By Dre and Snoop” line of canned gin-based cocktails, introduced last February at a Super Bowl 2024 after-party. 

Now they’ve gone beyond the cans to collaborate on a bottled gin line, Still G.I.N., which takes its name from the smash single “Still D.R.E,” from Dre’s multiplatinum album “2001.”

The 90-second commercial, (with a 30-second cut) was created by Rosewood Creative, alongside director Dave Meyers and generative AI company Metaphysic. 

The spot opens with Snoop and Dre in their evening wear (Snoop in a black cape) strolling through a low-lit club.

Though it all seems high-end (like the premium gin?) there’s a “Sopranos”-like undercurrent, which becomes part of the comic dialogue when S&D (with Snoop in the dark in sunglasses) talk about “taking care of that thing—you know, that thing.”

Then we pan to the bar, and see Frank and Sammy, also in tuxedos, in what looks to be their 1960s prime, watching the newer wave roll in.

They speak:

"Frank: Who are those guys?

Sammy: I heard those guys are the new gangsters in town."

That seems stilted.

But conceptually, the fictional meeting is clever, showing how big singers of their own time get eclipsed by the music of the next generation, and the next. In this case, West Coast rapper royalty from the ‘90s meets the crazy-popular star crooners of the pre-rock era.  

And the whole gin-and-cocktails thing played a huge part in mid-20^th-century Rat Pack culture.

But given the spots’ 90-second length, it seemed very slow-moving until I caught sight of Old Blue Eyes’ enormous, fleshy, static noggin. My own dome exploded. 

It seemed proof that AI has a way to go.  

Sadly, Sammy and Frank look like animatronic puppet heads on a Disney ride that got stuck.  Also, given that these are two guys are known for their superb singing voices, they sound pretty funky.

Nevertheless, Tina Sinatra, Frank’s daughter, seems mighty pleased. In a statement to People magazine, she said, “To see Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg alongside my dad and Sammy Davis Jr. in such a revolutionary way is both thrilling and surreal.”

Back to the surreal: introductions are made across the human-tech spectrum:

“Frank – Snoop” and “Sammy -Dre.” 

They ask the “younger guys” what they’re drinking.

“Gin,” says Snoop. “Still G.I.N.,” Dre says, the staccato combo suggesting 007’s “Bond, James Bond” self-intro, plus his famous martini order: “Shaken, not stirred.” 

And then we hear, “Still G.I.N. for everybody!” from Frank, in Chairman of the Board mode.

And the whole town --  or at least the women in spangly gowns -- celebrates.  

But as if that would provide the goodfellas too much good feeling,  the commercial ends with “All right, cheers, don’t kill everybody tonight.” 

But, Is Still's 85-proof (42.5% ABV) gin strong enough to awaken the dead?

The suggestion gets attention here, as Snoop and Dre slyly, and dryly, show us who’s boss.