“It’s not that bad.” 

We’ve all said it before, often while grinning through less-than-ideal life circumstances that could have been avoided if we’d known that there was a better option and that we didn’t have to settle.

The phrase serves as inspiration for the latest comedic campaign, “Not That Bad,” for Xfinity from agency Goodby Silverstein & Partners (GS&P), Directed by Spencer Riviera of O Positive Films, the spots in the campaign, including this one titled “Bear Trap,” depict the lives of people burdened by not just comical physical setbacks but also technological setbacks–namely, no home internet.

In this commercial, a father soldiers through life with a bear trap clamped to his leg, inadvertently ruining matters for himself, his family and even their dog. 

“We wanted to capture comedic situations where the takeaway is ‘Oh, there’s an obvious, easy choice to be made here,’” said GS&P creative director Jon Wolanske. “We’ve all said ‘It’s not that bad’ about a life choice we know could have been improved upon. But when it comes to the protagonists you see in this campaign, no, it really is that bad. In more ways than one.”

Credits

Client Xfinity Agency Goodby Silverstein & Partners Margaret Johnson, chief creative officer; Jim Elliott, executive creative director; Jon Wolanske, Jon Wyville, creative directors; Matt Bottkol, copywriter; Grant Piper, art director; Jim Haight, director of production; Stephanie DeNatale, executive producer; Cindy Epps, sr. producer; Kelly Evans-Pfeiffer, deputy brand strategy director; Lyniece Hill, jr. brand strategist; Jane Warren, deputy director of research strategy; Maren Severtson, communications strategy director; Shneur Silverstein, communications strategist. Production Company O Positive Spencer Riviera, director; Kristian Kachikis, DP; Jason Reda, producer; Ralph Laucella, Marc Grill, exec producers. Editorial Hutchco Jim Hutchins, editor; Jimmy Hutchins, assistant editor; Jane Hutchins, exec producer. Telecine Company 3 Dave Hussey, colorist; Mario Castro, color producer. VFX/Finishing House of Parliament Lexi Stern, exec producer; Michael Novo, sr. VFX producer; Keith Sullivan, shoot supervisor/creative director; Philip Ineno, shoot supervisor. Music The Musicbed (licensed track). Sound Design Lime Studios Joel Waters, sound designer, creative director; Susie Boyajan, head of production. Audio Post Lime Studios Joel Waters, mixer; Collin Thomas, assistant mixer; Cassie Underwood, producer; Susie Boyajan, exec producer.

 

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