Nap with the Payless kitties on Black Friday

Martin/Williams encourages Payless customers to sleep in on Black Friday, and still get discounts via a special text coupon, in this video, which features an annoying "You're getting sleepy" hypnotist voiceover and, oddly, dozens of snoozing kittens. "We've decided to turn the Black Friday tradition on its ear this year and do it in a manner that's really fun and totally unique," says Tom Moudry, the agency's CEO and chief creative officer. I'm sure plenty of consumers will love the yawning kitties. Still, the clip drones on for a long 1:35, and some viewers might nod off before its conclusion. Given the run-of-the-mill stuff they sell at Payless, however, even if folks slip into catnaps and neglect to take advantage of the offer, they won't be missing much.

—Posted by David Gianatasio

Previously on AdFreak:
Take the stairway to heaven with Payless

Published on November 19, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (6)
Filed under Footwear, Gianatasio, Martin/Williams, Payless

Mom gives birth to teen in new anti-drug ad

The target audience for this new spot from the Partnership for a Drug-Free America isn't drug-using teens. It's the mothers of teens who might tumble into that category. It's aimed at persuading moms that they're strongly influential on their kids (appearances to the contrary notwithstanding) and should make good use of that power. Still, if a kid happens to see this oddball commercial while under the influence of some illicit substance, he may imagine he's having a "bad trip" (if that's what it's still called) and decide to clean up his act forthwith. The sight of a woman giving birth to a full-fledged teenager is, after all, a bit unsettling. Almost as unsettling as the sight of a cow giving birth to a hipster. Martin/Williams of Minneapolis created the spot.

—Posted by Mark Dolliver

Published on April 2, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (1)
Filed under Anti-drug, Dolliver, Freaky, Martin/Williams, Partnership for a Drug Free America

A light on the shadows of human trafficking

This "Shadow Hands" PSA by Martin/Williams for the Not for Sale Campaign has been running for several weeks, mainly on the international Setanta Sports Network. Both the spot itself and the cause merit broader publicity. The subject: slavery and human trafficking. The approach: shadow puppetry and simple animation that starkly suggest that the dreams of childhood are forever lost to those enslaved. The impact: understated yet undeniably powerful, with the monochrome imagery perfectly suited for the no-gray-areas nature of the problem.

—Posted by David Gianatasio

Published on February 9, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (3)
Filed under Gianatasio, Martin/Williams, PSAs

Martin/Williams skillfully drives anti-gun ad

Martin/Williams of Minneapolis and production house Blind collaborated on this spot for EndGunViolence.com, the Web site of Citizens for a Safer Minnesota. It builds to a "surprise ending." This tactic almost never works, because it means the commercial loses impact once viewers know what's coming. That's not the case here. The sterile computer-generated environment makes the sudden appearance of a small human form especially poignant. The visuals are, in fact, refreshing for an ad of this type and effectively play against our expectations. There's no overt tugging on heartstrings until almost the very end. By that point, we've followed a hypnotic and ultimately sad trajectory. Such journeys often end with a whimper after starting with a bang.

—Posted by David Gianatasio

Published on February 6, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (7)
Filed under Gianatasio, Gun control, Martin/Williams