Part of The Salvation Army’s holiday Red Kettle campaign, this PSA titled “Silent Night” sheds light on the realities of surviving in today’s economic climate. Directed by Benji Allred, Christian Darias and Merik Richardson via production house The Fold–and edited by Camp Lucky’s Elizabeth M. Stewart–for Dallas agency LERMA/, the spot presents the journey of a displaced family attempting to navigate life after facing eviction. A mother with two kids struggles to stay afloat until finding her way to a safe place through services provided by The Salvation Army. Relatable to many, the spot tugs at the heartstrings while encouraging viewers to register to donate and “bring someone peace and volunteer to ring the bell.”
“This spot marks a significant shift for The Salvation Army from docu-style vignettes to narrative storytelling which allows us to showcase an experience that often goes unseen: the moments following an eviction,” said Kirstin Mullins, associate creative director, LERMA/. “Through the lens of a single mom and her kids, we follow an overwhelming journey that’s all too common with eviction rates over 50% higher than before the pandemic.”
“In helping to tell an emotional story that highlights the work of The Salvation Army, I’m reminded of the struggles others are facing and how we can all provide some assistance,” said editor Stewart. “What I love about working with this team is they strove to create something that is both artistic and impactful – and those are my favorite goals with any project I work on. The idea of juxtaposing the beautiful but haunting a cappella rendition of ‘Silent Night’ against footage of a night that was very much not silent nor peaceful is brilliant. I hope people feel its impact as much as I do.”
CreditsClient The Salvation Army Agency LERMA/, Dallas Katie Bernet, creative director, copywriter; Amanda Jackson, creative director, art director; Kirstin Mullins, associate creative director, art director; Bridget Fontenot, broadcast & content producer; Cassidy Wren, principal, brand leadership. Production Company The Fold Benji Allred, Christian Darias, Merik Richardson, directors; Jared Fadel, DP. Postproduction Camp Lucky Elizabeth M. Stewart, editor; Matt Cimino, audio engineer; Neil Anderson, color; Laychin Lee, finish artist; Jessica Berry, exec producer; Cate Hauder, assistant editor. Music Fangirl Christian Darias, creative director; Stuart Maxfield, lead composer; Jenessa Smith (English) & Mindy Gledhill (Spanish), vocalists.
NHS England, M&C Saatchi UK, Director Tom Tagholm Team On PSA Highlighting The Overlooked Signs Of A Stroke
National Health Service (NHS) England has unveiled a multichannel campaign, “Act FAST,” to raise awareness of the individual signs of a stroke and get people to call 999 as soon as they suspect they may be experiencing any one symptom. The push, which is part of the ongoing “Help Us, Help You” campaign, was developed in partnership with M&C Saatchi UK.
The campaign depicts everyday situations where everything might seem relatively normal, but where there’s the sign of someone experiencing a stroke.
A key component of the campaign is this :30--directed by Tom Tagholm of Various Films--which sets up the idea that initially, a stroke might not seem like much, highlighting key symptoms: from struggling to use a paint roller, to not being able to smile when watching TV, to slurring your speech when reading a story to your grandchild. The PSA emphasizes that time is critical, ending with the line: “Face or arm or speech, at the first sign, it’s time to call 999.”
Jo Bacon, Group CEO, M&C Saatchi UK, said, “We want to ensure people take action on the first symptom, rather than waiting for more conclusive signs. To help them understand that even when everything seems normal, something serious might be happening.”
Matt Lee, executive creative director, M&C Saatchi UK, commented: “This is important work. We wanted to explore that precise moment when your world shifts, quietly yet powerfully, off its axis during a stroke. We highlight how a tiny external moment can actually be seismic—an extraordinary gear change, framed in a really ordinary way.”
Director Tagholm shared, “My Dad suffered a stroke a few years ago and was saved from the worst by acting quickly, and by the work of the NHS. So there’s... Read More