This spot promoting STUDY24-7.com never aired on television as planned. Shortly after the :30 was produced, the client cut back its marketing budget. The only exposure thus far for the commercial has been via e-mail to some 50,000 STUDY24-7.com members.
We open on a library where several students are studying at different tables. Needing a break, a young man gets up from his chair. But before he leaves the picture, he wraps chains around his notebook, securing it to a table with padlocks and a Club-like car steering wheel device.
Adding to the offbeat scenario is the fact that the people studying nearby ignore what’s going on. Apparently, the young man’s behavior isn’t anything out of the ordinary. Finally he pulls out a key-chain remote, clicks its button and we hear a beep as he activates an alarm. Now it’s safe for him to take his break.
But wait. Maybe it isn’t so safe. In his absence, the alarm goes off, with sounds all-too-familiar to car-crazy California, where seemingly every vehicle has a theft-deterrent system that obnoxiously beeps and drones. Coffee in hand, the young man rushes in, sees it’s a false alarm and presses his remote to end the cacophony. The other students still don’t react. They continue to study intently.
Supered messages explain: "Class notes are valuable/We put them online for free/STUDY24-7.com."
"Lockup" was conceived by Los Angeles-based hybrid ad agency/production company Fog Pilot. Creative directors/copywriters were Don Handfield and Lawrence Sher. Art director/production designer was John Milhauser.
Handfield and Sher also served as director and DP, respectively. "Lockup" was shot on location at the Simi Valley Public Library in Simi Valley, Calif. Executive producer was Tony Gray. Franny Baldwin Benullo produced.
The spot was edited by Dan O’Brien of Harley’s House, Santa Monica. Colorist was Mike Eaves of Post Logic, Holywood. Audio mixer was freelancer Steven Corbiere. Sound designer was Art Wright of Thunder Music & Sound Design, Santa Monica.
