Directed by Kristian Mercado via production company Easy Mondays for The Martin Agency and client Door Dash, this documentary short titled Soul of the City profiles New York City restaurants Caracas Arepa Bar, Tacoway Beach, Nom Wah Tea Parlor, Sylvia’s, Peppa’s Jerk Chicken, and Palma. The film shares their journey over the past year navigating through the challenges of running a restaurant during the COVID-19 pandemic. The film was created to celebrate the special roles restaurants play in their neighborhoods, and the reconnection of restaurants with the communities that love them. Through the film, DoorDash, the on-demand delivery company encourages customers to visit their favorite local restaurants in person once again.
“More than a year after NYC’s dining room shutdowns, over 1,000 restaurants have tragically closed for good, with many continuing to struggle even as the city reopens,” said Katie Daire, Senior Director of B2B Marketing at DoorDash. “Restaurants are the lifeblood of their communities, bringing people together around their tables and in their kitchens. The film was created to bring communities closer to the restaurants that have worked tirelessly to serve them over the past year and also remind customers to go dine-in again and visit their local restaurants.”
Credits
Client DoorDash Agency The Martin Agency Danny Robinson, EVP/chief creative officer; Jerry Hoak, EVP/executive creative director/managing director; Tasha Dean, SVP/head of integrated production; Mike Kelley, creative director; Derek Smith, sr. art director; Stacy-Ann Ellis, sr. copywriter; Ann Parker, executive producer; Anthony Moschini, sr. producer; Coleman Sweeney, content producer; Jaclyn Ruelle, SVP, managing director/ cultural impact & brand communications; Matt Kessler, cultural communications, sr. executive; Kenia Najera, cultural impact specialist; Blake Smoral, strategist; Sean Choi, sr. strategist. Production Easy Mondays Kristian Mercado, director; Asori Soto, Chuy Hernandez, exec producers; Justin Gilley, line producer; Matt Chavez, DP; Tom Busa, COVID compliance manager. Editorial Lindsey Nadolski, Nick Pezzillo, editors; Susie Smith, Max Sterling, Chris Wronka, assistant editors. Color Company 3 Stefan Sonnenfeld, colorist; Blake Rice, producer; Ashley McKim, VP, exec producer; Soraia Callison, head of production. Finish Method Studios Heather Keister, Flame artist; Alexandra Lotti, assistant; Kacy Donaldson, VFX producer. Audio Pickle Music Jacinto Gonzalez, audio engineer; Lupita Alvarez, producer. Music Halo Music and Sound Peter Gannon, owner, creative director, music supervisor; Molly Salas, music supervisor
How do you top one of the most viral brand videos ever made? Spoiler alert: you canโt. 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 โClubโ that people would love to join while showcasing Dollar Shave Clubโs products and embracing the weird. From script to direction and post, Seckler--an alum of SHOOTโs 2021 New Directors Showcase--was invited to help sculpt that vision.
The result is this โWelcome to the Clubโ 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."
โThe Clubโ 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.
