Something happens when a woman turns 52. This is the average age when she starts to feel invisible. She’s erased from culture, and even though she can have economic clout, she’s ignored by brands. Why? Midlife women have been cowed, or vilified, by the myths surrounding this vibrant life stage—but not anymore.
JD Williams, an apparel and lifestyle midlife brand, has a warning in its new campaign out of agency House 337–ignore midlife women at your peril. This 30-second TV spot directed by Amy Becker-Burnett via production company OB42 shows these women as fiercely stylish, turning them from invisible to unmissable, capturing the spirit that has got them this far and is fueling a whole new stage in life.
A cast of 50+ women are seen embracing all aspects of life, blatantly flouting the received wisdom around their age as a narrator repeats all the tired old rumors: “We have lost our style, forgotten how to party, are past it, probably stopped having sex a long time ago, choose to be invisible, play it safe–we are nothing but a hot mess.” House 337’s work rejects these medieval myths of midlife in all aspects of women’s lives, from style to beauty, their sex lives, to partying and hosting at home.
The campaign is running nationwide throughout the U.K.
CreditsClient JD Williams Esme Stone, head of brand; Donna Scully, brand lead. Agency House 337 London Zara Ineson, executive creative director; Lou Canham, creative director; Emma Jordan, art director; Alex Holder, writer; Eleni Chalmers, strategy director; Tash Dean, sr. producer; Jasmine English, assistant producer. Production Company OB42 Amy Becker-Burnett, director; Sam Holmes, exec producer; Lucy Bradley, producer; Natasha Duursma, DP; Grace Becker-Burnett, production designer; Min Sandhu, makeup artist; Sharon Robinson, hair stylist. Editorial Whitehouse Post Scarlett Bovingdon, editor; Ella Sedgwick, head of production; Annabel Bennett, edit producer; Mae Deans, edit assistant. Post Coffee & TV Dionne Archibald, exec post producer; Dylan Bolister, post producer; Lewis Crossfield, colorist; Alfre Vaughn, VFX artist. Sound Design Bark Soho Carley Reynolds, sound producer; Marcus Ffitch, sound engineer. Music The Hogan
Top Spot of the Week: EHRAC, Animation Studio NOMINT Depict Life “In Limbo” As Families Search For Loved Ones
This animated film titled In Limbo depicts the journey of a heroic woman protagonist representing the countless families in the North Caucasus of Eastern Europe (where Chechnya is situated) searching for their forcibly disappeared loved ones. Utilizing theatrical elements, the film highlights the unnatural disruption caused by enforced disappearances and delves into the profound trauma these families endure. It emphasizes their long battles with the domestic authorities as they seek answers. The film also underscores the vital role of community support in helping these families cope and continue their fight for answers, serving as a compelling call to action for justice and human rights.
Through intimate storytelling, In Limbo raises awareness of the ongoing uncertainty that leaves families in a perpetual state of limbo, unable to find closure.
Directed by Afterman--the animation duo consisting of Tsvetelina Zdraveva and Jerred North--and created and produced by London-based animation studio NOMINT, In Limbo was commissioned by the European Human Rights Advocacy Centre (EHRAC).
In a joint statement, Zdraveva and North shared, “Our film takes place on a theater stage, highlighting how such tragedies are far removed from ordinary life,” they continued. “The stage is circular, resembling an artificial, perpetually spinning obstacle course, with a target—the red tail lights—just within sight yet never within reach, symbolizing the family’s never-ending quest for justice.”
“We used a limited primary color palette to contrast the two worlds all families are pulled between. Minimalist compositions of starkly silhouetted characters and environments create the ominous atmosphere of a deeply painful and... Read More