Attractive models are great at being sexy in commercials—until the dialogue on the cue cards starts getting super weird and unsexy.
Have a look at this video without spoilers, then scroll down for more on the campaign.
Spoilers below...
Creative studio and production company Big Block Live created the video as a Mothers' Day campaign for Save the Children, which is on a roll lately with some great viral PSAs. Josh Ruben and Vincent Peone (Josh + Vince) directed the spot, having connected with Save the Children more than a year ago.
"We connected last year when Michael Amaditz from Save the Children saw our talk at SXSW about making funny content," Peone tells AdFreak. "They challenged us to come up with an idea that dealt with the subject matter in an evocative way."
"We essentially said, 'Let's take this a step further and add some organic reactions from our talent,' " Ruben adds. "Viewers respond to visceral material like that, and the turn really hooks you in such a fun, darkly awkward way. Save the Children already knew they wanted to use sexy content to drive attention to the cause, which is wise because, to put it bluntly, even the keyword 'sex' is an instant leg up for views."
So, how awkward did it get on the set?
"It certainly wasn't the most comfortable day on set," says Peone. "We had cast a 'director' character, Aubyn Gwinn, who did a great job at being supportive to our talent, encouraging them to give it their best shot. In the end, we were really happy with the level of commitment the models gave us, despite the ridiculous circumstances. Once the ruse was up and our models learned that they were in a Save the Children commercial, everyone was relieved and happy to have lent their performances to the cause. We were thrilled—we knew this piece could only work with genuine reactions, but we were highly sensitive about not ruining anyone's day in the process."
Gwinn, in fact, has done fashion ads, which was critical. "We made it a priority to run the set like a fashion shoot. It was crucial that it looked and felt legit," says Ruben. "We knew if we said we were directing it, there would be a slight chance we'd get recognized from CollegeHumor."
CREDITS
Client: Save The Children
Title: "The Most Important 'Sexy' Model Video Ever"
Air Date: 5/6/14
Creative Director (Save the Children): Michael Amaditz
Manager of Video Production (Save the Children): Suzanne Klaucke
Production Company: Big Block Live
Directors: Josh + Vince
Managing Director: Kenny Solomon
Executive Producer: Mary Crosse
Producer: Corwin Carroll
Director of Photography: Joe Victorine
Editor: Alex Amoling
Colorist: Tristan Kneschke, Exit Editorial
Sound Design: Joel Raebe, Lichen Lion