This group of films excelled at creating buzz by using many different techniques, whether using influencers, partnering with unique brands or staying within a tight budget.
Best film on a budget (below $250,000)
WINNER: Heart of The Farm: Land and Legacy
Corteva Agriscience and Ogilvy
Black farmers were central to the history of the U.S., yet with the consolidation of farms and other challenges, today they represent only about 1% of the country’s farmers. This nearly three-minute film directed by Emily Clark focuses on one of them, James Davis Jr. of Waterproof, Louisiana. The film explores Davis and his property, and the farmer recounts his family’s history, from working the land as sharecroppers to becoming landowners. He also explains the economic and symbolic importance of owning a farm — no matter the discrimination that the Davis family faces, they will always have their farm. The film was launched to coincide with Black History Month and it exceeded all of Corteva Agriscience’s benchmarks, with 2.2 million views to date. It was covered organically by Louisiana television and praised within the agriculture industry.
HONORABLE MENTION:
Spam Brand + Hormel Foods and Attention Span with Attention Span Media
Influencer
WINNER: Apple TV+ Everyone but Jon Hamm
Apple and TBWA\Media Arts Lab
Many streaming services are built on big backlists of films and TV shows or they license third-party content, but Apple TV+ has chosen to only create original content starring and produced by some of Hollywood’s most famous talent. To highlight the many names — Tom Hanks, Denzel Washington, Frances McDormand, Reese Witherspoon and more — who have collaborated with Apple TV+ on projects, director Wayne McClammy turned to Jon Hamm. In a one-minute monologue, set in a modernist Southern California home, an aggrieved Hamm questions how Apple TV+ could possibly have overlooked him when they appear to be working with everyone else in Hollywood. As he scrolls through the Apple TV+ offerings, the intensity of his irritation only increases and his FOMO, played for laughs, encourages viewers to see what they may be missing too.
HONORABLE MENTION:
Merck Oncology and Real Chemistry
Partnerships & Integration
WINNER: Ikea and Buzzfeed Presents: The Bizarre Case of Ivy Kay
Ikea and Wavemaker with Wavemaker US
Ikea and Buzzfeed tapped into the current popularity of true-crime mysteries to create The Bizarre Case of Ivy Kay, the tale of a nurse’s mysterious disappearance. In the three-part series, totaling just over 22 minutes, screenwriter Alison Wong and director Brad Woolf describe Kay’s descent (fueled by a coffee addiction) and eventual disappearance (only for two days, but still, a disappearance).
While true-crime fans were able to enjoy the sleuthing, when the mystery is finally solved it is somewhat anticlimactic. Spoiler alert: Kay visited Ikea for its free coffee but then she took a look around and decided to redecorate her apartment. She finally had a relaxing home where she could disappear for a much-needed two-day staycation. Each of the three episodes featured Ikea furniture while playfully engaging with true-crime stories in a way that would resonate with the Ikea audience and build brand love and positive associations.
HONORABLE MENTION:
Century 21 Real Estate and National Geographic CreativeWorks with The Martin Agency
Viral
WINNER: A CODA Story
Google and Google Brand Studio
The pandemic presented challenges for all families, but especially those with first-time parents and grandparents. It also offered additional obstacles for people with disabilities. A CODA Story depicts how one Google employee, Tony Lee, navigated the pandemic as a new father who is also a CODA — “child of deaf adults.” Live Caption and caption in Google Meet, two Google assistive technologies, made it easier for Lee’s parents to be involved in the life of their new grandson from his earliest days, despite travel bans and other measures that meant any in-person meeting would be delayed. A CODA Story launched at the Academy Awards, and Google partnered with ABC and the Academy to provide audio descriptions for blind and low-vision viewers, continuing the brand’s commitment to accessibility.
HONORABLE MENTION:
Google and Google Brand Studio
