STORIES:
HITS x MISSES
Case studies tell the business story. But the human stories behind the work are sometimes even more interesting.
Case studies tell the business story. But the human stories behind the work are sometimes even more interesting.
Easy, right?
Not surprisingly, the response from our client was, "Too complicated. No director would do this. The studios won’t go for it."
A year later we had a new client. We still loved the idea. So we pitched it again. Same response. A year after that, another new client. Another pitch. This time, they responded with a question. "Love the idea. But a film might be asking too much. What about a music video?"
We hadn't thought of that.
We called our talent partner. "Got a big artist who wants to shoot a new music video and give all the footage away?" Instead of laughing in our faces they called us back. "How about Imagine Dragons? They've got a new song called Believer and the band loves the idea."
Our big idea had finally found its articulation with the right client and the right partner. Make The Cut, as we called it, was a big success.
And we learned some important lessons: Great ideas are worth pursuing. Be persistent. Iterate.
Adobe x Imagine Dragons // Case Film
The Pumpkin Spice Latte is Starbucks' biggest seasonal product. Its arrival each fall is practically a national holiday. But a few years ago the market started getting crowded. Hundreds of copycat products were popping up, diluting the moment that Starbucks created.
Multiple teams and agencies were prepping for the upcoming fall season. The ideas were big, beautiful, and on brand. But none were clear winners. Valuable time was slipping away. Our team was approached at the last minute. Did we, the lowly social media agency, have an idea up its sleeve? And could it be launched in a week?
Our idea unfolded less like a pitch and more like a conversation from a Wes Anderson film:
How about a nonstop four day livestream showing the world where pumpkin spice lattes come from?
You mean the Starbucks test kitchen?
No, a pumpkin patch. The first pumpkin spice latte of the season is hatched by a pumpkin.
What does the pumpkin do for four days?
It just sits there.
Do we need a website?
No, we'll use Facebook Live.
Can we go live in a week?
Yes.
Will there be puppies?
Yes.
Approved.
Just like that the Pumpkin Spice Patch livestream was born. It launched on time, on budget, and was a big silly success. One of the most valuable brands on Earth won the pumpkin spice war with an idea that was both pragmatic and bonkers.
And we won some unexpected lessons: Even the biggest brands can surprise you. Be pragmatic. Be bonkers.
Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Patch // Case Film
T-Mobile, the un-carrier, was looking for an un-agency AOR to match their moxie.
Our agency was in mid evolution, fusing together comms, advertising, social, digital, etc. We wanted to amaze them with unexpected ideas. We'd be the most un-agency they'd ever seen. Never mind that the RFP laid out specific and fairly traditional duties. We were going to overdeliver them into AOR ecstasy.
We flew in digital strategists, planners, and creative directors. The ideas poured in. Not just tactics, but an entirely new brand campaign. So many senior staffers joined the pitch, no one knew who was in charge. The big idea grew four heads. Our strategy film morphed into a three minute acid trip.
When we finally walked into the T-Mobile offices, we had a team of about fifteen, including an improv actor in a pink tie and a rapping DJ with turntables. Our presentation was everything and nothing. No one knew what to do with our three ring circus. So we left without their business. Or our dignity.
All that remained, besides the pink tie, were lessons: Bigger isn't better. Keep it simple. Answer the brief. No DJs…just, no.
T-Mobile RFP // “Strategy” Film
Six months into COVID, storytelling at Cruise, like at most companies, was dormant. But technical progress was still happening. There were milestones to be documented and stories to be told. So our tiny team began creating content, mostly in the middle of the night. Why? Cruise policy required human safety drivers during the day. At night, with less traffic, the cars could go solo.
For nearly two years we filmed almost exclusively in the dark.
There was another challenge. Autonomous vehicles can't be remote controlled. They use AI to make decisions in real time and they don't take direction from a film crew. To capture the footage we had to chase them around the city. We called it safari shooting.
We had non-technical challenges, too. Out in the streets of SF the growing resentment towards tech companies was very real for us. We were hassled, heckled, and hated on. We were even robbed of our equipment twice, once at gunpoint.
But the team was tenacious and prolific. We captured every big moment and milestone. We filmed at night and did post during the day. We experimented constantly. We didn't sleep much. We were an energetic, talented, and adaptable team with great chemistry, it was invigorating and fulfilling work.
The lessons might be obvious but they're still worth repeating: Real creativity is about solving problems. Small talented teams can accomplish almost anything. Chemistry is critical.
Internal video celebrating a new luxury: filming during the day!