Saatchi & Saatchi wrings wry humor out of some socially awkward scenarios in its latest campaign for detergent brand Tide.
Look, this stuff isn't soil-yourself funny—which is kind of a shame, actually, because Tide's vaunted cleaning action would really come in handy if it were. Still, the slightly warped setups and restrained sensibility feel just right for the P&G mainstay, which closes each installment with its classic tagline, "If it's got to be clean, it's got to be Tide."
First up, we have an examination of bathroom habits set to a funk-ay retro-club beat:
Whoa, maybe just burn that towel, OK?
"We're speaking to those who have ever questioned whether they need a detergent that cleans as well as Tide," says Paul Bichler, executive creative director at Saatchi & Saatchi New York. "We're inviting them to reconsider by showing them some truths about how their clothes are really used."
Inconvenient truths play into this next spot, as a woman discovers her house renters helped themselves to her favorite bathrobe:
"We agreed that we were going to embrace the actors for what they naturally brought to the table," says Bichler. "We looked for the details that made each of the actors unique and then built on them. The spots are mostly scripted, but we did a bit of improv and let the actors make the characters their own."
That approach really pays off in relaxed, slightly askew performances, especially in ads set during a pool party, where a pair of oft-worn swimming trunks known as "the spare" causes much consternation:
Ultimately, the dude suits up and dives in. Hope that water's chlorinated!
"We were looking for a humble pool that a could feel like a new installation, but we were having difficulty finding the right thing," Bichler recalls. "So, we picked a location and the art department refurbished the deck, built a whole new wood facade to the pool and landscaped it. And we paid the homeowner for the privilege. They made out like bandits. I want that gig!"
Yeah, it's a dirty job, but someone's gotta do it.
CREDITS
Client: Tide (Procter & Gamble)
Agency: Saatchi & Saatchi New York
Chief Creative Officer: Jay Benjamin
Executive Creative Director: Paul Bichler
Director of Film Production: John Doris
Producer: Jacob Vogt
Regional Business Director: Nick Miaritis
Account Director: Ryan Martin
Account Supervisor: Jen Brotman
Account Executive: Emily Hook
Senior Business Affairs Manager: Lisa Rimmer
Director: Max Sherman
Production Company: Anonymous Content
Executive Producer, Managing Director: Eric Stern
Executive Producer, Production: SueEllen Clair
Head of Production: Kerry Haynie
Director of Photography: Bobby Shore
Production Designer: Michael Walker
Line Producer: Isil Gilderdale
Editorial Company: Cosmo Street
Editors: Tom Scherma, Aaron Langley
Assistant Editors: Nellie Phillips, Chrissy Doughty
Executive Producer: Maura Woodward
Senior Producer: Luiza Naritomi
Finishing Company: Switch FX
Lead Flame Artist: Jon Magel
Flame Artist: Andrew Rea
Executive Producer: Diana Dayrit
Producer: Cara Flynn
Color: Company 3
Colorist: Sofie Borup
Music Company: duotone audio group
Executive Producer: Ross Hopman
Producer: Gio Lobato
Audio Post: duotone audio post
Sound Design: Juan Aboites
Mixer: Andy Green
Executive Producer: Greg Tiefenbrun