Loctite really put a lot of itself into these new commercials.
In fact, the company's adhesive and insulation products were used to build the long, continuous sets that give the 30-second spots their unique visual identity.
In the first ad below, we learn how Loctite helps contractors and DIYers solve "gap problems." You'll marvel (or not) as the pitchman glides past stylized brick and tile wall mockups treated with Loctite foam. That guy's quite the expert on gaps, and he may even seem a bit familiar:
Yas! It's Chris Reese—aka, "Gaps"—who shook his fanny pack for all it was worth in the brand's lauded 2015 Super Bowl commercial. (VH1 crowned it "the greatest" Big Game ad of the year, and the spot placed third among Adweek's favorites.)
This time around, "our Loctite clients briefed us to rethink the traditional demo ad," says Jason Bottenus, creative director at Fallon, which developed the campaign. "We knew we wanted to continue the brand voice we established with our Super Bowl ad. The challenge was to make a demo people would actually watch and believe."
Hey, who could have more credibility on bonding stuff into "one sexy continuous thing" than a bro with a unibrow? Check out the hairy hijinks below:
Now, in the first ad, Reese's toothy divide is the real gaping deal. In the second spot, actor Jeffrey Lewis required makeup to adequately fabulize his forehead.
The technical issues involved in filming presented quite a challenge. "Both the actors and the camera moved on a dolly simultaneously," Bottenus says, "so it took an extreme amount of coordination and a lot of takes to give the illusion of a single-take spot."
Overall, it's a fun way to showcase what most folks would consider a dull product, and Fallon deserves credit for keeping its grip on the campy Super Bowl vibe that proved so appealing.
On set, Bottenus says, a good time was had by all: "Everyone, including our Loctite clients, took a turn getting a photo op while sitting on the chair glued to the wall."
CREDITS
Client: Loctite
Agency: Fallon
Chief Creative Officer: Jeff Kling
Creative Director: Jason Bottenus
Copywriter: Lucas Tristao
Art Director: Daniel Alves
Director of Film Production: Pat Sidoti
Account Services: Chris Lawrence
Business Affairs: Joanna Jahn
Director: Fatal Farm (Gifted Youth)
Editor: Kyle Brown (Arcade Edit)
Color: Mark Gethin (MPC)
Flame: Mark Holden (MPC)
Mix: Jeff Payne (Eleven)
Sound Design: Tone Farmer