Ivan Zacharias of Smuggler directed three spots in this launch campaign for the Axe White Label product line of stick and dry spray deodorant and hairstyle cream. Conceived by BBH NY, the package includes “Pool” in which an elegantly dressed and well-groomed man piques the imagination of a sophisticated woman at an upscale resort.
His dashing good looks and air of confidence have her envisioning him as a spy who’s dealing daily with foreign intrigue. We see her depiction of him as he subdues would-be assailants, throwing a couple of them into the pool. Finally he arrives at her poolside chair. Her eager anticipation is tempered by his handing her a menu. He turns out to be a waiter.
A tagline appears which reads, “How you feel says it all,” as we see the waiter earlier in the day getting ready for work by applying Axe dry spray antiperspirant.
All three spots in the campaign feature a confident, well-groomed man. His use of Axe White Label products gives his demeanor a visceral confidence, inspiring onlookers in the world around him to project images of the exciting career and lifestyle he must lead. Each spot ends with a reveal that he, in fact, is just a resort employee.
Ari Weiss, executive creative director, BBH NY, observed, “If you’ve ever been out to a restaurant in Los Angeles, you’ve seen this moment a million times: someone with confidence walks in the front door and everyone turns and wonders who they are. We figured we’d recreate this phenomenon in more eclectic environments and spend some time enjoying the different archetypes our hotel guests incorrectly imagine our heroes embody.
The work targets a new, more mature male audience than previous Axe campaigns, which is reflected in the ritzy setting and a cast of older, wealthier, more sophisticated women. The three spots–”Pool,” “Hotel” and “Knife”–are currently online; on December 29, the “Hotel” and “Pool” spots will hit TV, and all films, including “Knife,” will be live on the White Label website on January 2.
CreditsClient Axe Agency BBH New York John Patoulis, chief creative officer; Ari Weiss, executive creative director; Dean Woodhouse, Hugo Bierschenk, Reuben Hower, Chuck Tso, creative; Carey Head, head of integrated production; Kate Morrison, head of content production/producer. Production Smuggler Ivan Zacharias, director; Patrick Milling Smith, Brian Carmody, Allison Kunzman, exec producers; Nick Landon, producer; Jan Valecky, DP. Editorial Filip Malasek, editor. VFX/Post The Mill NY Verity Grantham, exec producer; Alex Fitzgerald, producer; Iwan Zwarts, shoot supervisor/2D lead artist; Emily Meger, 3D lead artist; Kshitij Khanna, Ashleigh Anderson, 2D artists; Navdeep Singh, 3D artist; Adam Scott, colorist. Music Woodwork Music Phil Kay, composer; Rachel Wood, Andy Oskwarek, producers. VO record/Mix Sound Lounge Tom Jucarone, mixer. Sound Design Henryboy Bill Chesley, sound designer; Kate Gibson, exec producer.
NHS England, M&C Saatchi UK, Director Tom Tagholm Team On PSA Highlighting The Overlooked Signs Of A Stroke
National Health Service (NHS) England has unveiled a multichannel campaign, “Act FAST,” to raise awareness of the individual signs of a stroke and get people to call 999 as soon as they suspect they may be experiencing any one symptom. The push, which is part of the ongoing “Help Us, Help You” campaign, was developed in partnership with M&C Saatchi UK.
The campaign depicts everyday situations where everything might seem relatively normal, but where there’s the sign of someone experiencing a stroke.
A key component of the campaign is this :30--directed by Tom Tagholm of Various Films--which sets up the idea that initially, a stroke might not seem like much, highlighting key symptoms: from struggling to use a paint roller, to not being able to smile when watching TV, to slurring your speech when reading a story to your grandchild. The PSA emphasizes that time is critical, ending with the line: “Face or arm or speech, at the first sign, it’s time to call 999.”
Jo Bacon, Group CEO, M&C Saatchi UK, said, “We want to ensure people take action on the first symptom, rather than waiting for more conclusive signs. To help them understand that even when everything seems normal, something serious might be happening.”
Matt Lee, executive creative director, M&C Saatchi UK, commented: “This is important work. We wanted to explore that precise moment when your world shifts, quietly yet powerfully, off its axis during a stroke. We highlight how a tiny external moment can actually be seismic—an extraordinary gear change, framed in a really ordinary way.”
Director Tagholm shared, “My Dad suffered a stroke a few years ago and was saved from the worst by acting quickly, and by the work of the NHS. So there’s... Read More