The CESAR® dog food brand debuted its “First Day Friends” campaign created by BBDO San Francisco, showcasing the power of pets to reduce stress. This film directed by Daniel and Katina Mercadante–aka the Mercadantes–shows a lad feeling uneasy about having to go to a new school. Each year, more than 7 million kids change schools, which can be a harrowing, lonely experience.
However, the boy’s social anxiety is relieved when he is unexpectedly joined by his dog on the first day of school, which helps him to connect with other kids. Man’s best friend paves the way for him to make new friends.
Credits
Client CESAR Agency BBDO San Francisco David Lubars, chief creative officer, worldwide; Matt Miller, chief creative officer, San Francisco; Michael Cornell, Latasha Ewell, associate creative directors; Katie Burleson, art director; Alisha Pagano, copywriter; Lou Doherty, head of integrated production; Meredith Krull, group strategy director; Dalan McNabola, editor. Production Park Pictures The Mercadantes, directors. Color Company 3 Sophie Borup, sr. colorist. Audio One Union Recording Studios Joaby Deal, sound designer. Music Marmoset, principal composer.
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.
