In director Billy Wilder’s classic comedy Some Like It Hot, Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis weren’t terribly unattractive dressed as women. In fact, Lemmon was alluring enough to garner a marriage proposal from a male admirer—albeit an eccentric millionaire character played by Joe E. Brown.
But in this outrageous ad campaign, when two men in drag go undercover for a competitor that’s snooping on Shaw’s Supermarkets—a Northeast U.S. chain—the humor is in their incurably male appearance. Both are big-boned, seemingly beer-chugging guys, with facial stubble, and falsetto voices that don’t ring true. Wigs and makeup notwithstanding, there’s no mistaking the gender of these spies—some disguise!
"Bakery" opens with two women standing at the bakery counter, their backs to the camera. A young boy tugs at the skirt of one; "I’m hungry," he whines.
"That kid thinks you’re his mother," whispers the second woman urgently. As the camera reveals their faces, we instantly realize that both ladies are men in drag. "Can my son have a cookie?" asks the first poor man’s transvestite in a fake, high-pitched voice. The attendant behind the counter looks in disbelief at the two guys and starts to hand the "mother" a cookie.
"I want a muffin!" demands the child.
"He wants a muffin," whispers the "mom" to her companion, as the Shaw’s worker obliges, offering a huge muffin seemingly fresh from the oven.
"Shaw’s has jumbo muffins, 15 kinds," notes the second "woman."
"This whole bakery’s better than ours," responds the "mom."
His cohort explains, still in hushed tones, "Shaw’s has over 400 items, but they make sure each store stocks what the people who shop there like best."
Suddenly, the little boy’s real mother enters the scene. She’s wearing exactly the same skirt and top as the male mom. "Honey, don’t bother the nice lady," scolds the real-life mother, who suddenly does a nervous double take upon getting a close-up look at the "ladies." She whisks her son away from the bakery section.
A voiceover intervenes: "Shaw’s Supermarkets. The choice is yours." That slogan and Shaw’s logo are then supered across the bottom of the screen.
The spot concludes when the mom-in-drag trills after the real mother, who is no longer in sight, "Love your outfit!"
The package of six Shaw’s spots (also comprising "Produce," "Deli," "Meat," "Seafood" and "Cheese Shoppe") was deftly directed by Jeff Gorman of JGF, Hollywood, for Greenberg Seronick O’Leary and Partners, Boston. Each commercial operates on a similar premise, as the spies are overwhelmed and bummed out by what they see at Shaw’s: incredible selection and service in every department, from the bakery to the butcher shop to the deli and fresh produce sections.
The agency team consisted of co-creative director/art director Gary Greenberg, co-creative director/writer Peter Seronick and agency producer Dominique Farrell.
Gorman’s support team at JGF included executive producer Gayleen Sharon and head of production Laura Thoel. The spots were shot on location in Boston by DP Ward Russell.
The campaign was edited by Eric Pomert of New York-headquartered MacKenzie Cutler. Eric Gelgand and Lez Rudge of Nice Shoes, New York, served as online editor and colorist, respectively. Audio mixer/engineer was Rob Sayers of Sound Lounge, New York, with additional mixing by Rick Sweetser of Rumblestrip, Brookline, Mass.
