Four months since the debut “How to Change Cars Forever,” WK’s Portland’s first spot for the Dodge Dart, it’s clear the campaign is now kicking it into high-gear with phase two.

When we first posted the debut spot back in July, there was quite a discussion going on in our comments section. It’s become par for the course here: We post new work from W+K, and the comments explode with people saying it’s not as good as Wieden’s past work or, if someone likes it, it’s because her or she must some sort of W+K fanboy. It’s a testament to W+K’s amazing portfolio they’ve built throughout the years. We expect this agency to blow our mind with every campaign, and we’re quick to complain when it doesn’t.

While this Dodge Dart maybe didn’t completely turn my world upside down with the first spot, it’s definitely grown on me. Despite the fact that it seems to run during every commercial break of an NFL telecast, when I hear the familiar bassline of Kanye West/Jay-Z‘s “No Church in the Wild,” I find myself always completely absorbed in the spot, guessing what aspect of the Dodge Dart will be presented next.

These two new spots, “Interior” and “Unsafe,” take the same formula and condense it into 30-second slices of sensory overload. Perhaps its reflective of the over-caffeniated environment of the W+K Portland office? In any case, the rapid-fire narrative of the Dart’s features really does make the car look like it is far more technologically advanced than any of its competitors. If you’re wondering how to make TV spots dazzle and sell simultaneously, well, it’s just this easy. Credits after the jump.

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Hey, if hip-hop stars and NFL athletes can dig the Chrysler 300, why can’t fashion designers? Well, at least John Varvatos seems to. Just like the car itself, the current New York resident is also “imported from Detroit” and his rock-influenced style is reflected in this latest spot from W+K Portland (hey, the man is buying an Iggy & the Stooges record and his boutique took over CBGBs if you’re looking for credentials).

Guess that now that the love letter to the blue-collar world of Detroit has been sent with the Slim Shady Super Bowl (and BrandBowl-winning) ad, W+K is just content to let celebs take the wheel and set this campaign in cruise control. But, at least we give props to the agency for enlisting one of our fave directors, Mark Romanek, to helm this spot. Credits after the jump.

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David&Goliath nixes the Yo Gabba Gabba gang and Heavy soundtrack in favor of a CGI-addled extravaganza starring everyone from Poseidon and aliens to tribal warriors with its 2011 Super Bowl entry for Kia and its Optima line.

Really though, is there any chance in hell the agency/brand can triumph over last year’s spot? We think not, though at least a cameo from the animated crew could suffice.  Oh well. You can be the judge and the wait for the USA Ad Meter on Monday to see how it fared.

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With the Miami Heat set to tip off the NBA season tonight against the Boston Celtics, it’s rather timely that W+K Portland unveils this Nike spot called “Rise” starring Heat forward and two-time reigning MVP LeBron James. Following his less-than-well-received ESPN special, “The Decision,” where James announced he was taking his talents to South Beach, the backlash that ensued was virtually unparalleled.

So, in this spot, James simply asks the viewer, “What should I do?” While not even close to being as creepy as Tiger Woods’ pre-Masters Nike spot, this LeBron clip (directed by Stacy Wall) seems to beg for the audience’s sympathy just as much. Still, it’s not half-bad and way more entertaining than Tiger’s entry, what with its nod to “The Decision,” a shout-out to noted LeBron critic Charles Barkley and even a cameo appearance by Don Johnson. Will it rehabilitate LeBron’s image at all in the eyes of those who loathe him, though? We doubt it. Credits after the jump.

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