This stark, 8mm black-and-white :30 has a rough-hewn, home movie feel. It offers the peculiar perspective of looking up at the world above from a hole in the ground. Initially, that view of the world is confined to some weeds and grass blades covering the edges of the dirt hole. But the sound of children playing is a tip-off of what’s to come.
A boy’s face appears as he looks down at us through the hole. Shortly thereafter, another boy enters the picture. The beginning of a supered message appears against a black background: "Please, Mr. President…"
The spot returns to the two boys. From the expression on their faces, we can see their curiosity has been piqued by something they see. One boy extends his arm, lowering his hand into the hole.
The scene then cuts to the continuation of the supered message across a black screen: "Please sign the international ban on land mines."
Entiled "Hole," this PSA was sponsored by the Peace Council, a nonprofit foundation consisting of advertising and business professionals. The organization’s purpose is to use advertising to help raise awareness about issues of social consequence. Another TV spot from The Peace Council called "Power Lock" addressed racial prejudice and made "The Best Work You May Never See" gallery earlier this year (SHOOT, 1/21, p. 15).
The creative team consisted of Brent Ladd, senior VP/creative director at GSD&M, Austin, who art directed the PSA; and fellow GSD&M senior VP/creative director Daniel Russ, who wrote the ad. Ladd and Russ are founding members of the Peace Council.
Recently recognized with a best of show honor at the Austin Addys, "Hole" marks the spot directing debut of Dennis Fagan, an Austin-based fine arts still photographer who’s looking to broaden into TV commercial helming. Ron Rendon and Afhsar Kharat of 501 Post, Austin, served as editor and sound designer, respectively. The unusual buzzing and clicking sounds deployed by Kharat add an eerie, scary feel that heightens the spot’s conclusion.
The spot has received airtime during a Washington, D.C. news program which President Clinton supposedly watches regularly. At press time, "Hole" had also garnered scattered free runs in Austin and other markets.
While this is its first TV effort focusing on the ban on land mines, the Peace Council has pursued this issue actively for a couple of years. The group made its first splash in ’98 with a print campaign which advocated a ban on land mines, and the removal of those that had already been planted. One of the print ads showed a land mine with accompanying text that read: "This Is A Land Mine. It Doesn’t Know When The War Is Over."
