Knowing that neutrality is no longer an option for brands, especially brands that have relevant ties to the health issues we’re facing today, Blue Shield of California has been active in recent months with such spots as “Tough” highlighting the conflicting feelings of the healthcare community as it battles COVID-19 on the frontlines, and “Enough” addressing the fight for equity and equality in the U.S.
Now the latest Blue Shield of California spot delves into masks. The conversation around wearing masks has drastically changed since the start of this pandemic–becoming one of the more divisive topics du jour. The brand’s newest commercial, “Save Lives” developed in collaboration with agency partner, Butler Shine Stern & Partners (BSSP), tackles the topic with a simple message: masks save lives.
“Save Lives” uses stoic black and white imagery of real people and families to bring the benefits of using masks to life.
Similar to the previous spots, the production of “Save Lives” was scrappy–tapping local Bay Area photographer Alex Farnum, who took to the streets to capture a diverse group of people to feature, from all ages, races and backgrounds. Everything was shot over the course of three to four days and the spot was turned around quickly; two weeks from concept to completion. This has become the “new normal” for many marketers–being agile enough to produce work within a few days, with limited production resources, to reflect the issues affecting consumers in real time.
The :60 and :30 will run on broadcast TV and connected TV across key markets in California, with digital and social extensions.
