On the 30th anniversary of its famous tagline “The Best a Man Can Get,” Gillette is taking a fresh look at what it means to be “the best.” The company is introducing a marketing campaign and charitable program dedicated to celebrating the stories of men who are making a positive impact and inspiring other in the process.
The program-leading short film, entitled “We Believe,” was developed by Gillette’s global advertising agency Grey and directed by Kim Gehrig of production company Somesuch. It showcases Gillette’s POV of how we can work together to set the right example for the next generation of men and take positive actions that push back against bullying, sexual harassment and the “boys will be boys” mentality, changing the culture of “toxic masculinity.”
Additionally, Gillette has committed to donating $1 million per year for the next three years to non-profit organizations executing programs in the U.S. designed to help men of all ages achieve their personal “best,” changing the conversation of modern manhood for generations to come.
Credits
Client Procter & Gamble/Gillette Agency Grey New York John Patroulis, worldwide chief creative officer; Jeff Stamp, deputy chief creative officer; Joe Mongognia, executive creative director; Asan Aslam, group creative director; Patrick Conlon, creative director. Executive Production Townhouse Katy Hill, VP, executive producer; Rondell Wescott, VP, integrated producer; Kurt Steinke, music producer; Nina Pratt, casting supervision; Alice Lambrides, talent manager. Production Somesuch Kim Gehrig, director; Adam Arkapaw, DP; Nicky Barnes, exec producer; Saul Germaine, line producer. Editorial Cosmo Street Joshua Berger, Tom Lindsay, editors; Anne Lai, head of production; Maura Woodward, exec producer. VFX/Finishing MPC Thiago Porto, VFX supervisor; Mark Gethin, colorist; Alvin Cruz, creative director; Joey Deady, John Shafto, Flame artists; Rob Ufer, 2D lead; Matthew Loranger, exec producer; Meghan Lang, color exec producer; Aiste Akelaityte, VFX producer; Rebecca Boorsma, color producer. Sound Design/Audio Post Heard City Keith Reynaud, sound engineer; Tom Morris, assistant sound engineer; Gloria Pitagorsky, exec producer. Music Future Perfect Music John Connolly, Adam Hochstatter, Ben Pacheco, composers/artists; Victor Magro, arranger; Maxwell Gosling, exec producer. Song: "Reach Out"
Rappers Khuli Chana, Blxckie and 25K team up with Patriot Films director Sam Coleman, who is repped by Ridley Scott Associates (RSA) stateside, to celebrate the power of inspiration for KFC Streetwise and Ogilvy Johannesburg.
Every groundbreaking artist has a story, a moment of inspiration that drives their next wave of creativity. But this doesn’t happen in isolation--original needs to feed original. “There’s a wealth of creative energy bubbling up in the youth of South Africa,” said Coleman. “Everyone is out to try and make a dent in the creative landscape. Inspiration is everywhere you look and all a creative person needs is that spark to go to the next level.”
This 90-second spot features a stellar cast of South African artists riffing off each other, and while KFC Streetwise has long been a mainstay of the country’s youth culture, an authentic approach was critical. Ogilvy turned to Coleman whose experience includes fashion and street culture.
Notable South African creators who appear in the commercial film include Kind Kid toymaker Sanele Qwabe, “Nail Pimp” Nailed Ntswembu, the Island Gals skaters, fashion designer Ruberto Scholtz, visual director Rowan Sakarombe, custom car pimper Ofentse Mphatsoe and metal band Botswana Metalheads. The transitions from one innovator to another were important considerations for Coleman. He explained, “You’re really talking about a ripple effect and how one idea sparks another, so I wanted to create seamless uninterrupted progressions that would evoke that feeling of inspiration and flow.”
KFC’s chief marketing officer Grant Macpherson said, “From a brand perspective, I want to work with directors who have a strong, passionate point of view – someone who brings bold... Read More
