A Carl’s Jr. Original Thickburger is the survival item of choice for a woman who’s sojourning the wild–with a male companion–in this integrated promo tying Carl’s Jr. to the Discovery Channel reality competition series Naked and Afraid. The comedic premise was brought to life by the Discovery Channel’s integrated marketing team–led by VP, branded entertainment, Jennifer Pennybacker–and collaborative partner 2C Creative whose prime contributors included director/creative director Brian Eloe and chief creative officer Chris Sloan.
The Naked and Afraid competitors’ nudity is strategically camouflaged through camera angles, well placed props–and special wardrobe that looks like skin once blurred in postproduction.
The very nature of Naked and Afraid required actors who could embody the show’s spirit and weren’t afraid to perform almost completely unclothed, making casting an essential step. Despite the comedic quality of the spot, these actors still had to be believable as actual contestants. This brought the production to Los Angeles, where 2C and Discovery had access to both a large concentration of talent and a rugged location—Soledad Canyon—known for terrain capable of mimicking something straight out of South America.
“It’s always a unique challenge to straddle the promo and advertising worlds, especially when a brand like Carl’s Jr. isn’t one people would immediately associate with Naked and Afraid, so finding a concept that complemented both brands was our goal,” said 2C’s Eloe. “Yet, having collaborated closely with Jenn Penn [Pennybacker] and her team on other tough, co-branding projects, we had already built a rapport and confidence in each other to be successful.”
The Naked and Afraid/Carl’s Jr. project marks the third such integrated promo collaboration between 2C and Discovery Channel, which have also paired up for different “Shark Week” integrated campaigns.
Client Carl's Jr./Discovery Channel For Discovery: Lara Richardson, SVP, Marketing; Jennifer Pennybacker, VP, Branded Entertainment; Matt Schoepfer, production manager. Agency/Production/Post 2C Creative Chris Sloan, chief creative officer; Brian Eloe, director/creative director; Robert Armstrong, director of operations; Dmitri Zavyazkin, colorist/VFX artist; Claudia Castaneda, Jeff Morelli, Jesus Martinez, editors. Production Thomas Camarda, DP; Chris Stoerchle, line producer; James Hegh, assistant director. Audio Cesar Haliwa, audio sweetening.
Top Spot of the Week: EHRAC, Animation Studio NOMINT Depict Life “In Limbo” As Families Search For Loved Ones
This animated film titled In Limbo depicts the journey of a heroic woman protagonist representing the countless families in the North Caucasus of Eastern Europe (where Chechnya is situated) searching for their forcibly disappeared loved ones. Utilizing theatrical elements, the film highlights the unnatural disruption caused by enforced disappearances and delves into the profound trauma these families endure. It emphasizes their long battles with the domestic authorities as they seek answers. The film also underscores the vital role of community support in helping these families cope and continue their fight for answers, serving as a compelling call to action for justice and human rights.
Through intimate storytelling, In Limbo raises awareness of the ongoing uncertainty that leaves families in a perpetual state of limbo, unable to find closure.
Directed by Afterman--the animation duo consisting of Tsvetelina Zdraveva and Jerred North--and created and produced by London-based animation studio NOMINT, In Limbo was commissioned by the European Human Rights Advocacy Centre (EHRAC).
In a joint statement, Zdraveva and North shared, “Our film takes place on a theater stage, highlighting how such tragedies are far removed from ordinary life,” they continued. “The stage is circular, resembling an artificial, perpetually spinning obstacle course, with a target—the red tail lights—just within sight yet never within reach, symbolizing the family’s never-ending quest for justice.”
“We used a limited primary color palette to contrast the two worlds all families are pulled between. Minimalist compositions of starkly silhouetted characters and environments create the ominous atmosphere of a deeply painful and... Read More