Clad in white lab coats, two men with a mission identify themselves to the camera as "Smith" and "Jones." The enterprising duo is conducting a residential door-to-door survey, "to see if people like trash in their homes." Upon entering the house of a male respondent, the researchers do more than ask the question: They proceed to empty a bag of garbage on the floor.
Caught off guard, the home’s resident is obviously upset, causing Jones to check the "Don’t like" box on the survey questionnaire. But there is method in this madness—as we discover when Smith and Jones pull out exhibit "A" in a clear plastic bag. It contains litter that the male homeowner threw out of his car window, onto the freeway.
A flashback sequence catches the guilty party in the act, under the surveillance of Messrs. Smith and Jones, who lie in wait along the freeway’s edge. A zoom-in from across the road and a binocular-framed shot of the offense being recorded add to the flashback feel, separating this scene from those set in the litterbug’s house.
We then return to that home, where Smith and Jones subject the man to a rapid-fire series of follow-up questions: "Is California your home?" The guy responds in the affirmative. "And you don’t like trash in your home?" continue Smith and Jones, who then conclude with the rhetorical question, "Then why would you trash California?"
The spot ends with the "Don’t Trash California" tagline, accompanied by the Cal Trans (California Department of Transportation) logo.
The Cal Trans :30 was directed by Doug Werby of kaboom productions, San Francisco. His support team included executive producer Lauren Schwartz and assistant director Loretta K. Wilson. The spot was shot on location in Livermore, Calif., by DP Andy Lilien.
Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide, Sacramento, was the agency on the job, with Kris Hanson serving as creative director and Jerry Lowe as senior designer/copywriter/art director/producer.
Director Werby off- and online edited the spot via Bongo Post and Music, Sacramento. Colorist was Paul Bronkar of Company 3, Santa Monica. Bongo Post and Music’s Bob Smith was sound designer, music composer and audio mixer.
