DDB Chicago and director Jesse Dylan of Wondros tap persuasive celebrities to motivate prospective GED recipients in the comical new :60 PSA “GED Pep Talk Center” for Ad Council, the Dollar General Literacy Foundation and YourGED.org. The PSA, for broadcast and in-cinema release, features celebs working at a fictitious GED Pep Talk Call Center, where they each give test takers their own brand of pep talk.
The pep talkers are Jerry Stiller, Danny Trejo, Ron Perlman, DMC and Chris Lloyd to name a few–all of whom were chosen for their unique communication styles to provide varying levels of encouragement, from subtle to fierce, to those in need of a little motivation. The website allows visitors to adjust a slider to control the strength of their pep talk, varying from “Gentle” to “Extreme.” The range goes from sweet TV mom Debra Jo Rupp (That 70s Show) to tough guy Trejo.
While comedy is the means chosen for this PSA, the subject matter is serious. Some 89 percent of American businesses require applicants to have at least a high school level of education; yet more than 35 million adults do not have their high school diploma. This campaign looks to provide the “push” needed for these people to get their GEDs.
The multi-media campaign provides resources for people find and sign up for free GED classes. In addition to the :60 spot and 13 online pep talks, there is also a hot-line with the option to choose the appropriate level; a special text service to get a celebrity call back and even an option for well-meaning family and friends to send a pep talk via Facebook to their loved ones.
Hwang Dong-hyuk On Season 2 of “Squid Game,” Wrapping Production on Season 3; What’s Next?
Viewers may gasp, cringe or cry out watching characters die on Netflix's "Squid Game," but those simulated deaths have a different effect on its creator, writer and director. Instead, Hwang Dong-hyuk feels happiness seeing them go.
The show has a huge cast and Hwang says it was "really difficult" to manage everyone on set.
As characters would die, Hwang recalls saying to the actors on their last day, "'Oh no! How sad! I won't see you tomorrow,' but I was always smiling inside."
"Squid Game" season two premieres Thursday. It once again stars Lee Jung-jae and centers around a secret competition in South Korea that targets people in debt and the winner gets a big cash prize. What they don't know is that losing the game is deadly.
Hwang originally conceived of the show 15 years ago as a two-hour film but it failed to gain traction with financiers or even interested actors. He put it aside and worked on other films instead. He then had the idea to make it a TV series instead and took the project to Netflix. There, it could reach a wide audience.
"I never in my wildest dream thought it was going to be this huge," said Hwang, who spoke about the show and what comes next. Answers have been edited for clarity and length.
Q: What have you learned from "Squid Game"?
HWANG: I learned that I shouldn't give up. If you love something and if you want to create something, it might not work now, but the time might come later. Or that idea could be the source of inspiration for something else.
Q: You've already finished filming season three of "Squid Game." Have you thought about what your next project will be?
HWANG: I'm afraid to talk... Read More