Scents trigger powerful memories and that dynamic is used to great advantage for families who are leaving their long-time homes. Directed by Zachary Heinzerling (a Best Feature Documentary Oscar nominee for Cutie and the Boxer) and conceived by a creative team at Droga5, this short online film–titled Give the Gift of Home–follows three families about to transition from a beloved residence to new accommodations. They do so having left a piece of them back at their original abodes. But Air Wick gives them a special “Gift of Home,” devising special scents synonymous with their sentimental, life-shaping roosts.
This year’s “Gift of Home” campaign is especially meaningful with a charitable partnership between Habitat for Humanity International and Air Wick. During the holiday season, Air Wick is donating $250,000 through a portion of its profits to benefit families in partnership with Habitat for Humanity International.
Credits
Client Reckitt Benckiser/Air Wick Agency Droga 5, New York David Droga, creative chairman; Ted Royer, chief creative officer; Tim Gordon, Nick Klinkert, group creative directors; Craig Gerringer, Nic Bauman, copywriters; Conner Tobiason, Sean Park, art directors; Sally-Ann Dale, chief creation officer; Ben Davies, head of broadcast production; Topher Lorette, group integrated production manager; Leah Donnenberg, producer; Jonny Bauer, global chief strategy officer; Jonathan Gadd, group strategy director; Deaglan McFarland, strategy director; Danielle Travers, sr. brand strategist; Graham Jones, brand strategist; Calvin Stowell, sr. social strategist; Samantha Deevy, comms. strategy director; Brynn Little sr. comms strategist; Lily Ng, data strategy director. Production Ways & Means Zachary Heinzerling, director; Stuart Winecoff, DP; Lana Kim, Jett Steiger, exec producers; Lia Mayer-Sommer, producer. Editorial Cut + Run New York Akiko Iwakawa, editor; Joe Simmons, assistant editor; Rana Martin, exec producer; Ellen Lavery, producer. Postproduction Roma VFX Vincent Roma, Flame artist. Music Martin Crane Audio Sonic Union Rob McIver, mixer.
Director Marc André Debruyne--who’s handled by production house Open Swim for U.S. representation--brings Coca-Cola’s legacy of celebrating holiday traditions to life in this campaign spotlighting Filipino Balikbayan boxes. The spot--out of Toronto agencies Taxi and VML--features Tita Rosita, owner of the oldest Filipino-Canadian grocery store in Toronto, whose much-adored shop was wrapped like a massive Coca-Cola-themed Balikbayan box as she prepared hundreds of boxes for customers to send their loved ones, with Coca-Cola paying for the boxes and the cost of shipping them to the Philippines. The spot is a testament to the brand’s prevailing facilitation of cultural and generational connectivity, especially during the holiday season.
The collaborative project--produced by Toronto production company MOWAD--was particularly special for Debruyne, who’s Filipino, because of the large presence of Filipino crew members on set. “It’s a totally surreal feeling when a work project crosses over into your personal life. It’s not too often that happens,” shares Debruyne. “The number of Balikbayan boxes I’ve sent home since I was a child, being surrounded by so many Filipinos on set – both crew and cast, and even being served pancit by Tita Rosita for lunch (and getting yelled at after because I didn’t have seconds) brought back so many wonderful memories of my mom. It was such a fun vibe on set. This wasn’t even a job, it was truly something special.”
