Hank Perlman of Hungry Man directed this spot in which a lad can’t understand why his dad keeps Star Wars Kraft Macaroni & Cheese–with boxes featuring faces of Yoda, Darth Vader, R2D2 and C3PO–on a shelf in a room full of Star Wars collectibles. The youngster points out that Mac & Cheese is for eating, not for collecting.
Titled “Can’t Play,” the commercial is part of a campaign from agency CP+B which also includes a digital experience (www.KraftStarWarsRoom.com) where users can explore the room shown in the ad. Tapping on each piece of memorabilia, pulls up additional photos and information.
Credits
Client Kraft Macaroni & Cheese Agency CP+B Ralph Watson, chief creative officer; Adam Chasnow, VP, executive creative director; Ryan Dowling, art director; Chris Potts, copywriter; Kate Hildebrant, VP, director of video production; Annie Turlay, integrated producer; Neylu Longoria, Kelly Olech, content supervisors; Ashley Huehnerfuss, content manager. Production Hungry Man Hank Perlman, director; Eric Steelberg, DP; Caleb Dewart, line producer; Dan Duffy, Kevin Byrne, exec producer. Editorial The Now Corporation, NY Owen Plotkin, editor; Jessica Farmer, assistant editor; Nancy Finn, editorial exec producer. Postproduction Method Studios, NY Steve Morris, lead compositor; Angela Lupo, exec producer; Brad Wood, post producer. Graphics/Animation BUCK, NY Maurie Enochson, exec producer; Nick Ferzich, sr. producer. Audio Post Lime Studios, Santa Monica, Calif. Mark Meyuhaus, audio engineer. Music JSM, NY Joel Simon, executive music producer. Postproduction Company 3, Los Angeles Tim Masick, colorist; Rochelle Brown, sr. producer
How do you top one of the most viral brand videos ever made? Spoiler alert: you can’t. But when Dollar Shave Club tapped Zack Seckler to direct a new campaign to revive the absurdist humor of its iconic launch video, he knew he had a rare opportunity to create something special.
The brief was simple: introduce the concept of a physical “Club” that people would love to join while showcasing Dollar Shave Club’s products and embracing the weird. From script to direction and post, Seckler--an alum of SHOOT’s 2021 New Directors Showcase--was invited to help sculpt that vision.
The result is this “Welcome to the Club” spot which invites us to join a unique, seemingly exclusive but in reality an accessible and affordable fraternity of Dollar Shave Club members. But you need to know the password or more accurately, the two-word phrase--"shave money."
“The Club” campaign brings the brand back to its humorous roots, reflecting a new chapter after being acquired by Nexus Capital Management from Unilever in late 2023. The work takes Dollar Shave Club back to its disruptive beginnings and what made the brand a viral sensation from its inception in 2011.
