Monkey business becomes serious business in "Monkey," an anti-tobacco :60 for the Partnership for a Healthy Mississippi directed by Chris Milk of bicoastal/international @radical.media for agency Maris, West & Baker (MW&B), Jackson, Miss.
Reminiscent of a documentary from the ’60s or ’70s, the spot—the latest in MWB’s ongoing "Question It" campaign—opens with minimal fanfare. A monkey is seen being taken out of a cage by two officials in white lab coats. As they lead the monkey down a long hallway, the only sound heard is that of the animal. When they reach the end of the hall, the camera closes in on the monkey. A folksy voiceover and music breaks in, providing a light comical touch to the proceedings: "Hey, there Frances, lonely Frances." A super across the screen reads, "Frances the Lonely Lab Monkey: A Joe Packaday Production."
Frances is placed in a laboratory chair as the lyrics unfold: "Here’s a story ’bout Frances. Ordinary monkey some might say, except in one extraordinary way. Sittin’ in trees, pickin’ them berries till they hooked her up to something scary. Durn scary!"
Frances is confined in wrist restraints, has sensors applied to her head and is laid back in a chair. The scene is juxtaposed with shots of executives watching the procedure from an observation room. It becomes clear that Frances is being prepared for an injection that will test some sort of drug, presumably intended for humans. The song’s lyrics reveal what’s happening: "Tobacco companies gave her nicotine, it’s in them smokes and it’s mighty mean. Those boys did tests on dose after dose, and folks got hooked from coast to coast."
At first, the monkey is agitated and squirmy, but as the drug reaches her bloodstream, an EKG readout shows the stimulus of the nicotine, which renders her calm. The tobacco executives witnessing the test are pleased. They pose for a photograph with the technicians who administered the drug to Frances. In the photo, the execs are all smiles, as the technicians look away from the camera with expressions of shame.
Two supered messages appear: one that reads, "In the 1960s and 1970s, tobacco companies tested nicotine levels on lab animals"; followed by "Today, nicotine is proven to be as addictive as crack or heroin."
The spot closes with the "Question It" logo and a Web site address directing viewers to more information about the nicotine tests.
"The most effective anti-tobacco ads to date—including our own—have focused on industry manipulation," said Eric Hughes, VP of creative at MWB. "We intend to broaden the focus, and show teens that industry manipulation has ramifications well beyond cigarette companies trying to get you to smoke. By using their product, you could be facing a lifetime addiction that could eventually kill you."
The MWB team consisted of creative director/copywriter Eric Hughes, copywriter Marc Leffler and art director Keith Fraser. Freelance agency producer was Kurt Kirchner.
Milk’s support team included @radical.media executive producer Frank Scherma and freelance producer Dina Oberley. DP was Joe Labisi.
Editor was Mike Coe of Coe Creative, Miami. Colorist was Mike Pethel of Company 3, Santa Monica. Scott Pringle of Broadcast Video Inc., Miami, served as audio mixer. Music came out of Asche & Spencer’s Venice, Calif., office (the company also maintains an operation in Minneapolis). The Asche & Spencer contingent included creative director Thad Spencer, composer Dan Stein and executive producer Hugh Barton. (Barton has since left to launch Barton: Holt, Culver City, Calif.). Lyrics were written by MWB’s Hughes, Fraser and Leffler.
