This lovely "Portraits" spot for Instagram really does wonders with the fuzzy yellow filter that just screams late '70s/early '80s, and the casting and direction bring you into this family's world even as the costumes change with the … hmm?
What's that? This is an ad for Bank of America?
Huh.
Financial services is a tough category, but this really excellent generational short film is kind of a triumph of copywriting over brand identity. "We know we're not the center of your life," the narrator apologetically tells us at the end of the minute-long spot by Hill Holliday. And yeah, we know that, too.
What we don't know is what the narrator means when he says, "There was a connection that started it all and made the future the wonderful thing it turned out to be." Was there? Are we talking about the beautiful photo album of this lovely family that is clearly growing by leaps and bounds with each passing second? I think we must be.
Mind you, it is a really lovely advertisement. The actors are all perfect, and director Ivan Zacharias has framed every shot so that it seems to be taking place just after the family makes the needed adjustment to deal with "the second British Invasion," for example (love the cute punk girl doing her excessive makeup), or the long-haired son's "brief brush with the law."
"We know we're not the center of your life, but we'll do our best to help you connect to what is," the voiceover says at the end, followed by the briefest flash of an on-screen tagline ("Life's better when we're connected") and the client's logo.
BofA does such an impressive job getting out of its own way in "Portraits" that it could almost be an ad for anything. But it's backed up by more spots—two released so far, with many more on the way—in different styles and with more direct product messaging.
They'll be hoping you connect with them as well.
CREDITS
Client: Bank of America
Agency: Hill Holliday, Boston
Spot: "Portraits"
Executive Vice President, Chief Creative Officer: Lance Jensen
Executive Vice Presidents, Group Creative Directors: Spencer Deadrick, David Gardiner
Senior Vice Presidents, Group Creative Directors: Kevin Daley, David Banta
Art Director: Kevin Daley
Copywriters: David Banta, Lance Jensen
Executive Vice President, Director, Creative Production: Bryan Sweeney
Senior Vice President, Executive Broadcast Producer: Scott Hainline
Broadcast Production Assistant: David Shaw
Executive Vice President, Managing Director: Leslee Kiley
Executive Vice President, Account Director: Nancy Lehrer
Vice President, Account Director: Andrew Still
Management Supervisors: Kim Almazan, Jaime Zozula
Account Supervisor: Kate Norris
Account Executive: Megan Wiggin
Assistant Account Executive: Raquel Ross
Project Manager: Jillian Malenfant
Senior Vice President, Group Planning Director: Linda Lewi
Director, Broadcast Business Affairs: Lenora Cushing
Director, Business Affairs: Sharon McDonald
Production Company: Smuggler
Director: Ivan Zacharias
Producer: Nick Landon
Line Producer: Pete Slowey
Music: Original Snow Palms
—Spot: "Dumont Green"
Executive Vice President, Chief Creative Officer: Lance Jensen
Executive Vice President, Group Creative Director: Spencer Deadrick
Senior Vice Presidents, Group Creative Directors: Neal Hughlett, Sue DeSilva
Copywriter: Neal Hughlett
Art Director: Sue DeSilva
Vice President, Executive Broadcast Producer: Karen Kenney
Associate Broadcast Producer: Patrick Driscoll
Executive Vice President, Managing Director: Leslee Kiley
Executive Vice President, Account Director: Nancy Lehrer
Senior Vice President, Account Director: Jeff Nowak
Vice President, Account Director: Andrew Still
Management Supervisors: Kim Almazan, Vanessa Tebesceff
Account Executive: Angela Castellucci
Assistant Account Executive: Lisa Gapinske
Senior Project Manager, Amanda Sullivan
Senior Vice President, Group Planning Director: Linda Lewi
Vice President, Planning Director: Ross Cidlowski
Planner: Allie Pirolli
Director, Broadcast Business Affairs: Lenora Cushing
Director, Business Affairs: Sharon McDonald
Production Company: Red Thread
Editorial Company: Lost Planet
Color Correct: Nice Shoes
Colorist: Lez Rudge
Conform: Brickyard
Music: Pick Up the Pieces by Average White Band
—Spot: "San Diego Biofuel"
Executive Vice President, Chief Creative Officer: Lance Jensen
Executive Vice President, Group Creative Director: Spencer Deadrick
Senior Vice Presidents, Group Creative Directors: Neal Hughlett, Sue DeSilva
Copywriter: Neal Hughlett
Art Director: Sue DeSilva
Vice President, Executive Broadcast Producer: Karen Kenney
Associate Broadcast Producer: Patrick Driscoll
Executive Vice President, Managing Director: Leslee Kiley
Executive Vice President, Account Director: Nancy Lehrer
Senior Vice President, Account Director: Jeff Nowak
Vice President, Account Director: Andrew Still
Management Supervisors: Kim Almazan, Vanessa Tebesceff
Account Supervisor: Kate Norris
Account Executive: Angela Castellucci
Assistant Account Executive: Lisa Gapinske
Senior Project Manager, Amanda Sullivan
Production Company: Red Thread
Editorial Company: Hill Holliday Bubble
Editor: Dan Cabral
Color Correct: Nice Shoes
Colorist: Lez Rudge
Conform: Brickyard
Music: Feeling Alright by Joe Cocker
Senior Vice President, Group Planning Director: Linda Lewi
Vice President, Planning Director: Ross Cidlowski
Planner: Allie Pirolli
Director, Broadcast Business Affairs: Lenora Cushing
Director, Business Affairs: Sharon McDonald