From this five-minute film directed by Joshua Kissi of division7 for Commonwealth//McCann was culled a :60 holiday spot for Chevrolet.

The Christmas film for Chevrolet is a heartwarming and nostalgic ode to the simpler times. “The Holidays With Mrs. Hayes” tells a fictional 65 year-old story of love, loss and the importance of family, chosen and blood alike. The film begins with an elderly woman sitting in a turquoise-colored 1957 Chevy Bel Air station wagon, seemingly unable to get the car to start. We are then transported to the 1960’s where a younger version of the woman is sitting in the same car beside who we come to know as her husband, who sadly loses his life in the Vietnam War. After the tragedy, the woman grows to cherish the car and the memories associated with it. Washing it while the neighborhood kids play in the background, here is where we are introduced to ‘Billy’, one of Mrs. Hayes’s neighbors. Billy grows up helping Mrs. Hayes with odd jobs and in turn Mrs. Hayes helps out all the neighborhood, giving out rides in her Chevrolet, turning the interior into a space station for the kids to play in, much like her, Billy and the children grow older having fond memories of the Bel Air. 

From beginning to end, we not only grow to love the characters, but also the car itself. The film ends with Mrs. Hayes in the present, sitting in her Chevy, turning the key to no avail, until a middle-aged man appears in the parking lot, Billy. All grown up and with his own family, he offers Mrs. Hayes a ride. It’s Christmas day and Billy and his family pull up to Mrs. Hayes’s house in, you guessed it, her 1957 Bel Air. That is the joy of the holidays; it is the memories we keep alive, and the appreciation of those we love.

“We have all heard the phrase, ‘It takes a village,’” said Kissi. “Those of us fortunate enough to live in a neighborhood filled with children and families know the value of the relationships that form within those neighborhoods. These friendships born out of convenience or proximity have taken root to form something deeper.  That was the core goal of the film: to remind viewers about the power of these connections.  During a time of year when it is easy to feel isolated or distant from others, these moments help to remind us of the beauty of who we surround ourselves with. The story of ‘Mrs. Hayes’ may be fictional but the core theme of intentional community rings true throughout the entire film.  Mrs. Hayes experiences immense loss, but that doesn’t hold her back from gaining the love of her chosen family, namely her motherly relationship with a young boy named Billy. 

“We can all attest to having someone in our life who has inspired us to be the individuals we are today.  This film is a love letter to the universality of that experience.  On top of that, for this to be my first car commercial, and having the opportunity to honor the story of Mrs. Hayes, it will always be a memorable experience. Thank you to everyone involved; it was a special project to be a part of.”

Credits

Client Chevrolet Agency Commonwealth//McCann Matt Canzano, chief creative officer, global; Mike Olk, sr. producer. Production division7 Joshua Kissi, director; Kamila Prokop, David Richards, managing directors; Patrick Milling-Smith, Brian Carmody, founders; Alex Hughes, head of production; Gillian Altman, bidding producer; Sara D’Alessio, producer; Katie Murphy, production manager; Mikayla Causey, production coordinator; Patrick Golan, DP; Arle Bordas, 1st AD; Alessandro Marvelli, production designer; Callan Stokes, wardrobe stylist; Lisa Pope, hair; Donna Premick, makeup. Casting Mel & Liz (LA); Smith & Stilwell (Atlanta). Editorial Cabin Edit Nathan Rodgers, editor; Brittany Carson, editorial producer.

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