This new branded short for Ray-Ban centers on the comedically surreal story of a young man named Jerome. As a result of societal pressure to suppress his feelings, Jerome repeatedly blurts out “I love you” far too soon in every romantic encounter. After being “cured” by a hypnotherapist, he must fight to reconnect with his sensitive nature to save a budding relationship with featured musician Natalie Prass and express his true feelings.
Titled Oh Jerome, No, this short was directed by Spielbergs (Alex Karpovsky, a co-star from HBO’s Girls, and Teddy Blanks, graphic designer for Lena Dunham + Kim Gordon) and features a cast which include Mamoudou Athie (from the forthcoming Netflix series The Get Down), Arturo Castro (Broad City) and features a score, created and performed specially for Ray-Ban by Prass.
The short is the third chapter in Ray-Ban’s #ITTAKESCOURAGE campaign.
Credits
Client Ray-Ban Creative/Production Teddy Blanks, Alex Karpovsky, a.k.a. Spielbergs, writers/directors. Production Yours Truly Creative Melodie Sisk, producer; Zachary Galler, DP, Tom McMillan, production designer; David Withrow, costume designer; Ash Cristian, line producer. Editorial PS260 Adam Epstein, editor; Colin Reilly, assistant editor; Evann Borgman, post producer. Sound Design Gene Park, sound designer. Postproduction Andrew Francis, colorist. Performers Mamoudou Athie, Natalia Prass, Arturo Castro, Debra Winger, Krystal Joy Brown, Jennifer Kim, Karley Sciortino
Tonal, the strength training system combining revolutionary digital weight technology with personalized, AI-powered coaching, has introduced its new brand platform, “Power Progress,” and advertising campaign developed in partnership with Quality Experience (QX), the creative independent agency founded by Ari Weiss.
Directed by Aube Perrie of Pulse Films (UKMVA Director of the Year 2023 & 2024, UKMVA Best New Director 2021 and Webby’s Best Music Video 2022) with visual effects from The Mill NY, this brand film contrasts how the heavy chains of the past still shape how we work out today, with Tonal representing the future of fitness.
In addition to the brand film, the campaign includes cutdowns ranging from 90 seconds to 15 seconds, with even the shortest spot clearly connecting the old and the new. French director Perrie’s body of work includes music videos for Harry Styles, Megan Thee Stallion, and RM’s “LOST!”
“Sports marketing has had a long history of breakthrough advertising,” said QX creative chairman Weiss. “We wanted to launch with an idea as disruptive as the product itself. Not an easy bar to live up to. Like any great idea the insight is dead simple but the execution is unexpected and riveting. Great sports marketing doesn’t happen without great sports marketers and the team at Tonal shared our ambition to make the marketing as disruptive as the product.”
