The hirsute, rotund free spirit from Southern Comfort's famous "Beach" ad in 2012 may have been harboring a dirty secret—his famous tan might have been at least partly self-inflicted—judging by the brand's new spot, which goes to great lengths (and widths) to celebrate artificial bronzing.
The latest spot in the "Whatever's Comfortable" campaign, from Wieden + Kennedy New York, shows three blokes in hairnets—and what frankly look like diapers—lacquering their pasty exterior Britishness in a golden hue. This is because the weather in Britain is terrible, and they can't achieve a more natural summer glow by natural means.
Not that they'd want to. This spray-tanning business is borderline orgasmic, judging by their quivering reaction to the spray gun's feathery touch. Comfortable is putting it mildly.
Tanning oneself is only part of the story, though. Viewers are also encouraged to "tan" their lemonade this summer by spiking it with Southern Comfort & Lime.
"Following the popularity of our previous ads, we've leveraged that momentum into a new chapter, one that not only heroes our 'Whatever's Comfortable' attitude but also the drink itself," says client marketing manager Gwen Ridsdale. "Southern Comfort lemonade and fresh lime, the brand's recommended serve, is integral to the story in a unique way, which adds a whole new dimension to the campaign by encouraging consumers to 'tan your lemonade' this summer.
The spot breaks today online and will appear in cinemas and video on demand through the summer in the U.K.
CREDITS
Client: Southern Comfort
Spot: "Spray Tan"
Agency: Wieden + Kennedy, New York
Executive Creative Directors: Jaime Robinson & David Kolbusz
Creative Directors: Jimm Lasser, Caleb Jensen, Mike Giepert
Copywriters: Laddie Peterson & Rajeev Basu
Head of Content Production: Nick Setounski
Producer: Cheryl Warbrook
Strategist: Tom Gibby
Account Team: Toby Hussey, Katie Hoak, Kerry O'Connell
Business Affairs: Sara Jagielski, Justine Lowe
Production Company: Biscuit Filmworks
Director: Andreas Nilsson
Executive Producer/COO: Shawn Lacy
Executive Producer: Colleen O'Donnell
Line Producer: Mirka Taylor / Jay Veal
Director of Photography: Sebastian Wintero Hansen
Editorial Company: Arcade NYC
Editor: Geoff Hounsell
Post Producer: Cecilia Melton
Post Executive Producer: Sila Soyer
Editorial Assistant: Sam Barden
VFX Company: The Mill
VFX Lead Flame: N/A
VFX Supervisors: N/A
VFX Compositors: Tomas Wall, Rob Meade
VFX CG Artists: Andrew Bartholomew
Producer: Colin Moneymaker
Telecine Company: CO3
Colorist: Tim Masick
Mix Company: Heard City
Mixer: Phillip Loeb
Sound Designer: N/A
Producer: Natasha Alden & Sasha Awn
Song: All Gold Everything
Artist: Soulja Boy