Peter Thwaites of The Corner Shop directed this aspirational TV commercial for the University of Phoenix that shows vignettes of hard-working people striving to better themselves, all tied together with an updated version of the classic “The Wizard of Oz” song “If I Only Had a Brain.”
Music/sound shop on the spot, titled “More Than Brains,” was We Are Walker. Conceived by agency 180LA, the piece was named Best in Show at the 2016 AMP Awards for Music and Sound.
Client University of Phoenix Agency 180LA William Gelner, chief creative officer; Eduardo Marques, Rafael Rizuto, executive creative directors; Wilson Mateos, creative director; Josh Hacohen, copywriter; Karine Grigorian, art director; Natasha Wellesley, head of integrated production; Calleen Colburn, executive producer; Dominique Anzano, sr. producer. Mike Harris, global chief strategy officer. Production The Corner Shop Peter Thwaites, director; Joost Van Gelder, DP; Anna Hashmi, exec producer; Suzie Tedesco, line producer. Editorial Cut+Run Steve Gandolfi, editor; Carr Schilling, exec producer; Luc Giddens, assistant editor; Remy Foxx, producer. VFX/Post The Mill Adam Scott, colorist. Online/VFX Jogger Dave Parker, Henry/Flame artist; Rich Rama, exec producer. Audio Post Lime Studios Rohan Young, mixer; Ben Tomastik, assistant mixer; Susie Boyajan, exec producer. Music/Sound We Are Walker Sara Matarazzo, producer; Roarke, vocals and composer. Josh Hacohen, Roarke, lyrics. Song Title “More Than Brains”
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.
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