"Ford Global Anthem" began as an idea by JWT international creative director Ted Powell to celebrate the new millennium while commemorating the impending 100th anniversary of the car company that made such an indelible a mark on the last bit of human history. The result is a two-minute epic of emotions that aired as a media roadblock, appearing on every network around the world on November 1 at 9 p.m.

The spot is based on a song created by Powell and composer Danny Beckerman, performed by renowned young opera singer Charlotte Church and set against a palette of geographically and emotionally striking images captured on a 13-week globe-spanning shoot. Created out of JWT Detroit, the spot tells of endings and beginnings and is the first in which Ford has brought all of its brands - Ford, Lincoln, Mercury, Aston Martin, Volvo, Mazda and Jaguar - together in one integrated message. In the spot, people from different ethnicities, social strata and states of being are shown living out joyous and heart-wrenching moments, with Ford's cars and trucks playing a subtle or direct role in the drama.

Powell, director Edouard Nammour from bicoastal production company Atherton, DP Simon Duggan and a team of a dozen other production personnel set out on the production adventure May 10, beginning the shoot in Argentina, and wrapping August 6 in Vancouver. Along the way, the crew traveled to Australia (filming in Sydney and in the outback), Japan, China, Germany, England and LA. In China, the team was given previously unheard-of clearance to shoot in places like Meridian Gate and the Forbidden City, with officials cooperating to the extent of allowing the Chinese Army to march through a scene. Church was filmed singing at Minack Theater in Cornwall, England, and vocals were recorded at London's Olympic Studios. Music was recorded in Melbourne by the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.

Powell conceived the idea two years ago while he was JWT regional creative director for Asia Pacific, based in Taipei. (He moved to JWT in Detroit in January into the position of senior partner/Ford international creative director.) He co-wrote "Anthem" with Beckerman, then living in Melbourne, now based in Detroit at Yessian Music. The concept was presented to Ford 18 months ago and the job was awarded to Atherton in February. Powell says finding the right director was a long process involving hundreds of reels. In the end, a common creative vision between Nammour and Powell sealed the deal; a good personal rapport also didn't hurt, considering the production schedule.

"We clicked creatively," says Powell of the director. "Personality also came into it; we had to make sure we were compatible. It was a pleasure working with him; every detail was covered - there was no doubt in his mind what was going to happen on shoot day." Nammour, in turn, picked Toronto editor Barry McMann, out of that city's Third Floor Editing, as his creative cutter of choice to handle the gargantuan job. McMann received dailies over the course of the shoot and cut the spot over six weeks at Third Floor. Toronto's TOYBOX was also called in for post duty, with the shop's senior Inferno artist, Jeff Campbell, creating the effects design work, including color grading, compositing, sky replacements and filter effects.