180 Amsterdam's new European campaign for Moyee FairChain coffee might not be everyone's cup of tea.
It's an edgy brew flavored with wry wit, positioning the java brand as a caffeinated antidote to the inherent cruelty of life itself. Yes, human existence might be patently unfair. But Moyee claims its superior taste and equitable treatment of local growers provide some much-needed balance.
Consider: Rock stars. Even those of the aging, boney, burned-out variety, like the guy in the clip below, can lord it over the rest of us. "This man is hideous," the voiceover begins. "But he could have your wife. Or your daughter." That fetching fan at his side, we're told, "is someone's wife and daughter." Whoa, major drag. Facing such cosmic injustice, can anything perk up our spirits?
"A company that actually treats their coffee growers fairly is quite a serious thing, but with that comes the expectation to do something serious, or emotional," 180 executive creative director Dave Canning tells AdFreak. "We think using humor makes it stand out more, and therefore will be more memorable."
The next spot takes the "life's unfair" concept to apocalyptic heights. "Whether it's the inevitable heat-death of the universe, or a cataclysmic Earth-ending disaster, everything we've ever done will be gone," the narrator laments, clearly in need of the day's first cup. How, one wonders, will we ever find the strength to grind our way through the meaninglessness of it all?
"The contrasting of bad news/good news was funny to us," says Canning's creative partner, Dan Treichel. "What we love about the campaign device is that there's an endless amount of things that you never really think about being unfair."
The offbeat vibe of the latest spots recalls Moyee's "Under the Influence" work last year in one of Amsterdam's famous "coffee shops," where stoners were invited to sample the brand.
In the new campaign, however, radio takes the biggest risk by pushing potential hot-button topics. One ad begins: "Donuts are delicious: Powdered donuts, glazed donuts, donuts with donut crumbs on top of the donuts. It's unfair that a hardworking cop who puts his life on the line every day can't enjoy any of those without being aware that he's a horrible cliché."
Another ponders the fate of atheists: "If they're right, they will simply cease to exist … If they're wrong, they'll be drowning in a sea of fire and pain while demons stab them in the face with pitchforks forever."
If some folks take offense, well, life isn't fair, now is it?
CREDITS
Agency
180 Amsterdam
President & CCO: Al Moseley
MD: Stephen Corlett
ECDs: Dan Treichel and Dave Canning
CD: Adam Noel
Art Director: Rachel Kennedy
Copy Writer: Vito Catalani
Producer: Eline De Roo
Planner: Vincent Johnson
Brand Director: Katharina Schablitzki
Production
Director: Robert Jitzmark
Production Company: Camp David Films
Producer: Nicola Jones
DOP: Jallo Faber
Focus Puller: Johan Hannu
Production Designer: Karin Myrenberg
Stylist: Elsa Fischer
Hair & Make Up: Johanna Nomiey
Editor: Jonas Wessman (Ugly Rockstar), Stefan Ström (End of Days)
Post Production: MPC and Frost VFX
Online: Samuel Schulthess @ Frost VFX
Rockstar: Per-Urban Österman
Rockgirl: Frida Poole
Voice Over: John Cavanagh
Equipment: Dagsljus Stockholm
Audio Post Production: Wave Studios Amsterdam
Sound Design & Mix: Randall Macdonald @ Wave Studios Amsterdam
Client
Moyee Coffee
Founder: Guido van Staveren van Dijk
Creative Director: John Weich
