Actor, author and woodworker Nick Offerman takes on his dirtiest role to date, starring in an NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council) campaign created and produced by Incredible Beast Omnimedia in which Offerman, who hails from a farming family in Minooka, Illinois, promotes regenerative agriculture by portraying worn-out topsoil, healed by cover crops.
NRDC is leading a campaign to persuade Congress to support the COVER Act as lawmakers negotiate a new Farm Bill to replace the current law, which was last adopted in 2018. The COVER Act would incentivize farmers to plant cover crops by offering them a $5-per-acre savings on their crop insurance bills—just as an auto insurer can reward good drivers with a discount.
Regenerative agriculture practices, including cover cropping, build soil health and fight climate change. They maintain roots in the soil, which sequester legacy carbon from the atmosphere, prevent soil erosion, percolate water quickly, protect waterways from pollution, increase soil fertility, and help farmers reduce their use of harmful chemicals and synthetic inputs, saving money. Currently, however, only about 5% of America’s cropland utilizes cover crops.
The “Face Plant” campaign, conceived of by Incredible Beast founding partner Sandra Itkoff and brought to life by creative agencies Upshot and AMP Agency, serves to enlighten and motivate the public and Congressional leaders on the importance of cover crops and their role in soil and food health—as well as the health of our planet. The campaign asks people to go to nrdc.org/soil to learn more about cover cropping and climate-friendly agriculture in the Farm Bill.
“I am grateful to finally exploit my talents as a dirty man of the soil to encourage the use of cover crops in pursuit of restoring the health of our nation’s fields,” said Offerman, who comes from an Illinois farming family. “We have a long way to go, and many more regenerative steps to take, but supporting this effort is a very good beginning.”
It was produced by Incredible Beast, a production company that puts farming and food at the center of the story, and directed by Morgan Sackett, known for his work that includes Veep, Hacks and The Good Place.
“Incredible Beast’s goal is to not preach to the choir,” said Itkoff, “but to present strong, optimistic, entertaining narratives that show the power of food and farming to address food security and climate issues—and pull large amounts of legacy carbon from the atmosphere. It is an incredible opportunity to bring the talents of Nick and Morgan, both from farming families, together with NRDC to help build a better future.”
Offerman is the face of the new campaign and plays the dirt in the lead spot, with only his scraped and pallid face visible as he talks directly to the camera about the daily harms he endures. He explains how “generations of chemicals and tilling have left me spent and lifeless—dried out, flaky, like dust in the wind,” then explains the vital role that cover crops can play in restoring the ground’s health as his face begins to take on a healthy glow and flowers spring up around him.
“We never doubted Nick’s dedication to protecting the earth, but it wasn’t until we saw him buried up to his neck in soil that we realized this is truly a mission for him,” added Michael Rivera, chief creative officer at AMP and Upshot. “With Nick’s comedic turn in the dirt, our goal is to ignite a conversation about farming practices and the value for everyone of more sustainable practices like planting cover crops.”
The spot launched during Climate Week NYC, which started on September 20, across various social-media platforms.
