It's a shame that American employees have all but lost their lunch hour, doomed by office pressure to eat at their desks with packed lunches or a quick sandwich from the deli. But thankfully, American employers are idiots—and won't even notice if you replace yourself with a blow-up doll for an hour while you have a nice lunch at Applebee's.
But let's not insult your doppelgänger. It's not a blow-up doll—it's a lunch decoy. Introduced last year by Crispin Porter + Bogusky to urge more people to eat lunch at Applebee's, the decoys have just gotten a major upgrade—becoming the quite formidable-sounding Industrial Strength Lunch Decoys, and getting a humorous new infomercial (and companion 30-second spot) from CP+B in the process.
Made with plastic that's 20 percent thicker? Check. Rigorously tested with common workplace hazards in mind, including annoying co-workers, coffee spills and surprise ninja attacks? Check. Packaged with an accessories kit, including mustaches and tattoos, so it can look just like you? Check. Actually available for sale on Amazon? Check!
Why do you need a new and improved lunch decoy? Because Applebee's has a new Lunch Combos menu, which allows you to create over 200 combinations of soups, salads, sandwiches and pastas starting at $6.99. So, basically, you'll be there every day—and your decoy will take that much more abuse.
In fact, at some point, your decoy is going to need a decoy.
CREDITS
Client: Applebee's
Campaign: 2013 Industrial Strength Lunch Decoy
Agency: Crispin Porter + Bogusky
Worldwide Chief Creative Officer: Rob Reilly
Creative Directors: Scott Macgregor & Tom Miller
Associate Creative Directors: Peter Knierim & Matt Swanson
Sr. Art Director: Pedro Saldarriaga
Copywriter: James Beikmohamadi
Sr. Digital Artist: Charlyn Erickson
Print Producer: Tyler Christenson
Executive Integrated Producer, Video: Lisa Effress
Integrated Producer, Video: Yogiraj Graham
Jr. Integrated Producer, Video: Caitlin Sullivan
Production Company & City: Smuggler, Hollywood, CA
Director: Renny Maslow
Partners/Executive Producers (Production Co): Patrick Milling Smith & Brian Carmody
Executive Producer/Coo (Production Co): Lisa Rich
Executive Producer (Production Co): Laura Thoel
Head of Production (Production Co): Andrew Colon
Producer (Production Co): Rhonda Vernet
Editorial Company & City: Plus Productions, Santa Monica, CA
Producer(Editorial Co): Dre Krichevsky
Editor (Ld): Wayde Samuel
Editor (Tv): John Grinberg
Assistant Editor(S): Jeff Wilson & Glen Montgomery
Mix House: Plus Productions, Miami
Mixer: Eddie Alonzo
Animator: Jeff Wilson
Visual Effects Company & City: Method Studios, Santa Monica, CA
Executive Producer: Robert Owens
Producer: Colin Clarry
Telecine & City: Company 3, Santa Monica, CA
Colorist: Stefan Sonnenfeld
Executive Producer: Rhubie Jovanov