Only a strategically placed towel, folded arms and sculptured shadows keep us from getting a thoroughly intimate eyeful of an attractive, otherwise unclothed woman. The camera moves around the female, almost romancing her with beauty shots from different angles. We glimpse her face and body in quick flash cuts. It’s as if she’s a classic Grecian goddess being put on a pedestal and worshipped by the camera.
A voiceover relates, "More and more people like Julia are having cosmetic surgery to overcome the effects of excess fat."
For a fleeting moment, we think we are about to get a mindless message about eliminating cellulite and reshaping our anatomy. But this artistic exercise turns out to be mindful of our well-being, not of a few extra pounds.
A spark suddenly ignites, literally and figuratively: The fat referenced in the voiceover isn’t body flab, but flammable grease.
Flames burst out, seemingly engulfing the woman’s face. In another quick shot, skin appears to wither under intense heat. These abstract glances serve only to heighten the horror of what is happening before our eyes. They underscore the devastating damage—both physical and psychic—wrought by fire.
A voiceover interjects: "Don’t fill pans more than a third. Don’t allow grease and fat to build up. Don’t leave unattended, and never throw water on burning oil." The advice is illustrated by close-ups—the most dramatic being flames bursting suddenly out of a pan, to fill the screen.
We escape the flames, but that’s little consolation as the spot’s unsettling tone and visuals give way to an equally unsettling series of facts. The statistics aren’t cold and impersonal; rather, they convey relevance and urgency. In stark white letters against a black background, the message reads: "Each year in over 72,000 house fires 450 people die and 14,000 are injured." / "Don’t be one of them."
Then below this text appear a logo and ID for the Kent Fire Brigade in the U.K.
Simply titled "Fat," this :30 was directed by Patricia Murphy of London-based Patricia Murphy Films for McCann-Erickson, London. Murphy is represented in the U.S. by Bravo Zulu, the Santa Monica-headquartered production house under the aegis of executive producer Ron Hacohen. Murphy came aboard the Bravo Zulu roster a couple of years ago (SHOOT, 3/10/00, p. 1) in order to take on select American ad projects.
The McCann-Erickson creative ensemble behind "Fat" consisted of creative director/art director Gary Woodward, creative director/copywriter Ivor Jones and producer Juliet Pearson.
Phil Barnes produced "Fat" for Patricia Murphy Films. The spot was shot by DP Hong Manley.
"Fat" was cut by editor Warren Meneeley of Lola Editorial, London. Dave Ludlam and Dave Clifton of Framestore, London, served as colorist and online editor, respectively. Framestore was the post/visual effects house on the job, and audio mixing was done at Space, a London facility.
