The National Stroke Foundation launches new TVC via DraftFCB Melbourne and Mr. Smith
The National Stroke Foundation has launched a disturbing new television commercial through DraftFCB Melbourne and Mr. Smith films to highlight the hidden epidemic of stroke.
As Australia’s second largest cause of death, stroke is a prolific killer yet it gets very little attention compared to other health issues.
To highlight this, the commercial features a serial killer character who is clearly impressed with a stroke’s ruthlessness.
Says Mat Garbutt, DraftFCB’s creative director: “This spot is deliberately confronting, but that’s exactly what’s needed to jolt people out of their complacency regarding stroke. If we can get people talking, we’re going to help save lives. Simple as that.”
Agency: DraftFCB Melbourne
CD: Mat Garbutt
Writer: Josh Aitken
Art Director: Steve Liu
Producer: Lisa Ramsey
Production Co: Mr Smith
Director: Craig MacLean
Producer: Helene Nicol
Editor: Tim Parrington – The Butchery
Grade & Online: The Refinery
11 Comments
Don’t think this quite works. Spooky, scaremongering tone. As people who read about death in the media since age 5 I think we’re basically immune to such tactics.
Something fresh, from a different angle would have been a better bet surely.
Relying on a hammer belting a plastic brain feels a bit desperate.
Surprised this idea was seriously considered let alone signed off on.
I have to disagree with Pete. Belting a brain with a hammer is quite an attention grabber though I had to wonder, where’s the call to action? Is that to come? Is there a follow up fundraising campaign? A preventative measures campaign? A signs-to-look-out-for campaign? The only other question I have is: what’s under the remaining silver service dome covers?
Err. So stroke will obliterate my brain as surely as if I were belted with a ball-peen on a saturday night. But what exactly does the Stroke Foundation want me to do?
With lazy thinking like this, it’s no wonder Honda drove out the door.
Being very close to a couple of stroke victims and having to deal with the aftermath of two devastating strokes I found this to be offensive, upsetting and it wouldn’t make donate a single cent to the charity.
This was a wasted opportunity and a nasty piece of communication.
gratuitous and unnecessary – a wasted opportunity for all involved.
Yeah 4:40pm is right – what they want us to do??
The angle is fresh, the lack of any prompting of the punter as to what to do with the “strokes kill” information is a big question mark, not quite answered by “yeah, that’s why there’s a URL in the end frame.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IcAFNnVg0q8
It this the same 51 sec version that went to air? Has this directors cut has had it’s URL / call to action graphic removed?
If you’re going to do 100% to camera monologues, you have to be able to write exceptionally well to pull it off.
Not enough good writers in our business, unfortunately.
This ad harks back to the old school public health messages of the ’80s. It’s been proven that scare campaigns don’t work and this ad is a huge waste of the public donations that keep this organisation running. Surely this ad will not resonate with anyone; there is nothing to relate to. Give us some facts and something to do. Very disappointing.