Chick-fil-A’s latest installment of its annual Christmas campaign from McCann–the centerpiece of which is this animated short–invites fans back to the world of Evergreen Hills, encouraging them to find joy in the unexpected this holiday season.
In the film, our main character, a girl named Sam, returns to help a new friend CeCe repair a cherished family ornament. With a little help from a quirky baker in Evergreen Hills, they discover the ability to transform an unexpected moment into something wonderful.
With the added pressure for a perfect holiday after a year apart, this film is a reminder to find joy during a stressful season–even when things don’t go exactly as planned. Who knows what magic you’ll find in the seemingly imperfect realities of the season?
McCann led creative development for the campaign and partnered with Psyop on production, bringing viewers to a whimsical bakery in the town of Evergreen Hills called The Whoopsery.
Dircted by Psyop's Marie Hyon, the new two-minute film launched digitally this week, will air Thanksgiving Day on NBC, and will continue to run on TV and in cinemas throughout the holiday season.
Credits
Client Chick-fil-A Agency McCann Sean Bryan, Tom Murphy, co-chief creative officers, North America. Larry Platt, Danny Rodriguez, EVPs, executive creative directors, NY; Sherrod Melvin, Thomas Weingard, Jason McKean, group creative directors, NY; David Mashburn, executive design director, NY; Jesse Yowell, Dan Colburn, associate creative directors, NY; Ethan Buller, design, director, NY; Luzdivina Ruiz, sr. art director; Josh Race, sr. copywriter; Ralph Vibar, art director; Kathy Love, SVP, executive integrated producer; Eric Johnson, SVP, executive music producer, integrated production; Julianna Katrancha, SVP, global strategy director; Justin Luk, Amanda Shaprio, VP, strategy director. Production Psyop, bicoastal Marie Hyon, director; Eve Strickman, exec producer; Andrew Rindlaub, producer; Claire Funderburk, assistant producer; Raven Burnett, writer; Vicorior Intrasombat, Winnie Mai, Misha Oplev, Andrew Park, Laura Yan, designers; Ben Chan, storyboard artist; Briana Franceschini, lead technical director; Ryan Moran, Pt Porter, Michael Sime, previs artists; Kwan Au, Winnie Mai, David Soto, modelers; Kwan Au, Matthias Bauerie, Sarah Bocket, Briana Franceschini, Anne Yang, lighters; & dev artists;Ieva Sauciunaite, lighter; James Atkinson, Steve Hallquist, VFX artists; Pat Porter, lead 3D animator; Sam Crees, Nayoun Kim, Ryan Moran, Michael Sime, Anthony Travieso, Matt Williamson, 3D animators; Zed Bennett, lead rigger, Zeth Willie, rigger; Zed Bennett, Fred Qiao, John Block, technical animation/hair & cloth simulation; Matthias Bauerle, 2D lead; Aaron Baker, Carl Mok, Herculano Fernandes, Manu Gaulot, Sarah Yoo, compositors; Loren Christiansen, editor; Keigo Tanaka, assistant editor. (Toolbox: Maya, Arnold, Zbrush, Yeti, Substance Painter, Photoshop, Nuke, Premiere, Houdini) Sound Design & Audio Post Decibel, New York Tom Goldblatt, sound designer & engineer; Alicia Rodgers, exec producer. Music Squeak E. Clean Studios, bicoastal/international Jesse Watt, composer; Zac Colwell, creative director; Kit Winter, exec producer; Nick Doering, Nick Keenan, Karla Henwood producers.
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.
