This new spot for the latest game in EA's Dead Space series really captures the visceral horror of the video-game franchise's sickest, most disgusting … wait, hold on.
I'm sorry, this is an ad for herbal tea.
It plays better pre-spoiled, so watch below. The punch line just seems ridiculous. On the second viewing, however, you can see more clearly what's dragging the hideous clown, the bloated corpse and the ghost down into the murky depths. "Drown your fears," it says, and seems to imply: "And if you don't have any fears, you are welcome to try a few suggestions from our Fear Generation department here at Hungary-based Herbaria."
One of the nice things about European ads is they seem to take for granted that you can get away with a lot more on the air, and so they just go for broke (witness this 1992 winner of the Cannes Grand Prix).
The makeup artists really deserve some kudos for this one. The clown is, of course, the star of this nightmare, but the chainsaw-wielding zombie guy is perfectly put together (or rather, taken apart), and the effect on the ghost is fascinating—how did they do that? CGI? Really good underwater face makeup and a shaved head? I don't know, but I dig.
There is no escape for these evil creatures from the vast plain of water, which ends up being the inside of your teacup. It doesn't exactly make me want tea right this moment, but it does make me want to see if I can substitute tea for Ativan.
CREDITS
Client: Herbaria
Agency: Jung von Matt/Neckar
Production Company: Tempomedia
Director: Andreas Roth
DOP: Roland Stuprich
Co-Production Company: Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg
Service Production: Valentine Films