When a global pandemic hit, we pivoted Smirnoff’s summer campaign to celebrate staying home with humor, patriotism, and a reminder that you can still make the most of summer, even from the couch.
What do you do when you shoot an ad campaign for a summer-themed vodka seltzer three weeks before a global pandemic shuts down the country? You start by re-concepting and going through an entire week of footage to tell a very different story.
Rather than abandon the original campaign, we decided to alter it to fit current circumstances—by blatantly recognizing that the pandemic changed all our plans and that “staying from home sucks”. Keeping true to Smirnoff’s celebratory brand message, we reminded viewers that they could still celebrate warm-weather moments from home—and that this summer that was one of the most patriotic things they could do.
In addition to television commercials, we created a series of display ads with slogans such as “Twerk From Home”, “It’s Almost Happy Hour”, and “Dye Your Own Hair, For America.” To promote the campaign, the slogan ads were also made into virtual backgrounds fans could use on video chats.
Directors: Kinopravda
DOP: Ben Mullen
Editor: Marlo Caine (MVP)
(The original star-studded, party-themed summer campaign was produced by Art Director Lena Laque-Almond and Writer Caro Hernadez.)