Part of The Salvation Army’s holiday Red Kettle campaign, this PSA titled “Silent Night” sheds light on the realities of surviving in today’s economic climate. Directed by Benji Allred, Christian Darias and Merik Richardson via production house The Fold–and edited by Camp Lucky’s Elizabeth M. Stewart–for Dallas agency LERMA/, the spot presents the journey of a displaced family attempting to navigate life after facing eviction. A mother with two kids struggles to stay afloat until finding her way to a safe place through services provided by The Salvation Army. Relatable to many, the spot tugs at the heartstrings while encouraging viewers to register to donate and “bring someone peace and volunteer to ring the bell.”
“This spot marks a significant shift for The Salvation Army from docu-style vignettes to narrative storytelling which allows us to showcase an experience that often goes unseen: the moments following an eviction,” said Kirstin Mullins, associate creative director, LERMA/. “Through the lens of a single mom and her kids, we follow an overwhelming journey that’s all too common with eviction rates over 50% higher than before the pandemic.”
“In helping to tell an emotional story that highlights the work of The Salvation Army, I’m reminded of the struggles others are facing and how we can all provide some assistance,” said editor Stewart. “What I love about working with this team is they strove to create something that is both artistic and impactful – and those are my favorite goals with any project I work on. The idea of juxtaposing the beautiful but haunting a cappella rendition of ‘Silent Night’ against footage of a night that was very much not silent nor peaceful is brilliant. I hope people feel its impact as much as I do.”
