Reinforcing its brand platform that remarkable things happen when people care, Travelers Insurance didn’t just highlight a good deed for this holiday spot; they built an entire world to retell it. Inspired by a once-in-a-generation blizzard, the film, created in partnership with TBWA\Chiat\Day NY, centers on a mother and daughter stranded in their stalled car as snow piled high and temperatures plunged, to then be rescued by a Travelers employee who spotted their buried car and ventured out into the storm. The employee not only got them out safely from the whiteout but welcomed them into his home to share his family’s holiday meal. This act epitomized the care this season brings for family, friends, and even strangers.
Travelers and Oscar-nominated (Murderball for Best Feature Documentary) director Henry-Alex Rubin brought this story to life in a truly unique way, staging the whole thing as if it were a play to dramatize the feeling of being trapped in a blizzard. Shot entirely on a blackout stage, the result is an ad that feels intimate, theatrical, and (thanks to a blizzard’s worth of fake snow) impressive in scale.
Production company was SMUGGLER.
REGISTRATION REQUIRED to access this page.
Already registered?
LOGIN
Don't have an account?
REGISTER
Registration is FREE and FAST.
The limited access duration has come to an end. (Access was allowed until: 2025-11-14)
Credits
Client Travelers Insurance Agency TBWA\Chiat\Day New York Dustin Tomes, chief creative officer; James Sowden, chief strategy officer; Walter Connelly, executive creative director; Natalie Alcide, sr. art director; James Feess, sr. copywriter; Elliot Carter, strategy director; John Doris, head of production; Chris Klein, executive producer; Natasha Tkach, sr. copywriter; Ava Swarup, associate producer. Production Company SMUGGLER Henry-Alex Rubin, director; Patrick Milling-Smith, CEO/founding partner; Brian Carmody, founding partner; Drew Santarsiero, exec producer; Christopher Blauvelt, DP; Ray Leakey, producer; Mike Carr, production manager. Editorial Cut+Run NY/The Quarry UK Scot Crane, editor; Eli Beck-Gifford, cutting assistant; Lawrence Lakshmanan, assistant editor; Marcia Wigley, head of production/producer; Ellese Shell, exec producer; Lauren Hertzberg, managing partner. VFX Parliament Music Supervision Radish Music “Window” by The Album Leaf, music track. Audio Mr. Bronx Audio Dave Wolfe, founder/creative director; Geoff Strasser, Dave Wolfe, Michael Artuso, SD/mix; Tiffany Walters, assistant mixer; Zach Fortin, exec producer.
This long-form spot for RWJBarnabas Health--directed by The Hudson Dusters of Greenpoint Pictures for ad agency StrawberryFrog--takes us to New Jersey families in the places and moments that matter most during the holidays. As the largest healthcare provider in the state, RWJBarnabas Health aims to show up in the everyday spaces where people already gather.
Lensed in Nutley, Clifton and Montclair, the film for the “Jersey Spirit” holiday campaign uses a local cast of New Jerseyans to convey authenticity.
“With this campaign, we wanted to bottle up the spirit of New Jersey during the holidays--the humor, the hustle, the heart,” said Tyler DeAngelo, chief creative officer at StrawberryFrog. “Every story told, from ordering Taylor Ham at a diner to sitting around Nonna’s table for the seven fishes, is a celebration of the traditions that make this state so uniquely vibrant. RWJBarnabas Health plays a central role in helping our communities live those long, connected, meaningful lives. This campaign celebrates that spirit with warmth, nostalgia and just the right amount of Jersey attitude.”
In a joint statement The Hudson Dusters shared, “The holidays are the best time of the year in the tri-state. From the city decorated to a tee and everyone out in the streets bundled up to Jersey, where they decorate their homes and towns to the nines. The excitement is in the air at businesses, homes and diners. We loved creating an authentic spot for the folks of Jersey, some of the most prideful people in the country, who keep holiday tradition alive in a major way. We wanted the characters to be real. If you live in Jersey, you know them, they’re you, your neighbor, or at the diner down the block from you. We wanted it to be relatable and... Read More
