For North American bank Meridian and Toronto-based ad agency Elemental, Dan French directed this spot depicting a dystopian world populated by nameless folk. It’s a society in which there’s no personalized identity. Rather people are referred to by their account numbers, making the commercial–titled “World of Numbers”–a metaphor for the impersonal treatment some larger banks give their customers. By contrast, there’s a human-based, community-centric spirit provided by regional bank Meridian.
Produced by Impossible Studios, Toronto, in collaboration with Elemental, French (who’s repped by Stink Films in the U.S. and U.K.) sought to build a highly crafted and stylized world with depth. Through intricate set builds and choreographed cinematography, he constructed a narrative to transmit the somber energy behind a nameless society. Casting was a fun but rigorous task. French and his team set out to find a diverse group of people to accurately represent today’s public, while also collectively portraying a lack of identity and sense of confusion. We’re confronted with a series of familiar scenarios that are thrown off by the “world of numbers.”
CreditsClient Meridian Matthew Seagrim, chief digital & marketing officer; Susan LeBlanc, VP marketing; Donovan Bond, director, creative; Genevieve Ross, project manager; Ghazal Taheri, director, brand; Rebecca Tsonis, sr. strategist, brand; Scott Dane, sr. manager, brand. Agency Elemental Scott Fess, creative director; Dustin Brown, partner, chief strategy officer; Lindsay Chase, sr. strategist. Production Company Impossible Studios Dan French, director; Marco D’Angelo, exec producer; Adrian Cheung, producer; Ben Cotgrove, DP. Production Service Company 247 x Radioaktivefilm Kate Galytska, exec producer; Tadas Vaitmonas, producer; Ieva Billionaite, Aukse Veitaite, production managers; Nerijus Narmontas, production designer; Mindaugas Smolkas, set decorator. Editorial School Editing Monica Remba, editor; Yumi Suyama, exec producer; Erica Giustiniani, editor assistant. Color Harbor Picture Company Alex Gregory, colorist; Charlie Morris, head of color. VFX Pinky Swear James Andrews, VFX artist; Airees Angellakis, producer. Audio Jungle Studios Luke Isom, audio engineer; Phoebe Baltazar, producer. VO Record Grayson Music
OMC, Director Andreas Nilsson Trade “Youth” For Skittles
Teaming with creative agency partner OMC, consisting of DDB Chicago and Critical Mass, Skittles rolled out a campaign to playfully spotlight what is often dubbed “Gen Z’s commitment paralysis” by asking them to commit to their love for the brand in the most extreme ways possible. Case in point is this spot titled “Youth,” directed by Andreas Nilsson of Biscuit Filmworks. The film introduces us to a grandson who willingly gives up his youth to his grandma in exchange for her delicious fruity Skittles. It’s a unique and twisted take on commitment that perfectly embodies the Skittles brand. Colin Selikow, chief creative officer, DDB Chicago, said, “We’re thrilled to create another iteration of our ‘Verb the Rainbow. Taste the Rainbow’ platform, bringing a new way to connect with Gen Z in the absurd fashion Skittles is famous for. Our latest film “Youth” brings a classic Skittles vibe to a new generation of fans, giving them the most nonsensical way to commit to the brand.” Read More