In this 90-second PSA directed by Brett Warkentien, edited by Marco Perez of Union and written by Dr. Naomi Rosenberg, we witness the harrowing process a doctor goes through when having to tell a mother that she has lost a child to gun violence.
For client Cease Fire USA (States United to Prevent Gun Violence), the project–titled "Every Three Hours"–draws attention not only to the fact that this happens every three hours, but to the idea that a frank conversation now may prevent the worst conversation any parent could imagine.
Credits
Client Cease Fire USA (States United to Prevent Gun Violence) Creative Dr. Naomi Rosenberg, writer; Kelly Warkentien, creative director/art director; Michael O’Connell, creative director/copywriter. Production Brett Warkentien, director; Johan Palm, DP; John Haggerty, producer. Editorial Union/Los Angeles Marco Perez, editor; Jed Stuber, assistant editor; Michael Raimondi, president/managing partner; Joe Ross, exec producer; Milos Zivkovic, sound; Logan Aires, final mix. Color Motion Picture Color Ricky Gausis, colorist. Music Mophonics
Martin de Thurah of Epoch Films directed this animated spot titled “Sluggish” for Wealthsimple. The ad follows a determined slug crossing a sidewalk, serving as a metaphor for the everyday challenges that accumulate on the path to achieving one’s goals--financial or otherwise. The slug, who also serves as the narrator, provides cheeky commentary on his journey thus far and provides insight and wisdom to elevate the emotional stakes and strike a universally relatable tone.
“Sluggish” highlights how Wealthsimple understands both the practicalities of tackling financial challenges and the emotions of confronting them head-on. Director de Thurah captures the slug’s journey across the sidewalk with striking ground-level visuals that immerse audiences in his scaled-down world. Through a brilliantly delivered, direct-to-camera monologue, the slug’s dry humor and rich personality drive the story, transforming minor obstacles--faster creatures, cavernous sidewalk cracks, and irksome raindrops--into relatable metaphors for life’s challenges. When faced with a “boulder” in his path, humorously revealed as a pocket-sized rock, the slug reflects on his struggles before triumphantly arriving on the other side.
“Hearing the slug describe a rock as if it was some kind of impossible mountain reminds us that everything in life is in perspective,” remarked de Thurah. “Human life is an eternal struggle in which every challenge we overcome delivers us to the start of a new challenge. It sounds exhausting, and sometimes it is, but it is also filled with the tantalizing light of hope. That sense of slow progress--illusory or not--gives our lives purpose.”
“Sluggish” marks the third time Wealthsimple’s in-house creative team has... Read More
