This snack bar ad is like 'Stand by Me' and 'Stranger Things' with an environmental twist

A gang of kids reflect on climate change and food waste as they roam around town in a new spot from healthy snack brand MadeGood.

The two-minute film sees the diverse (and definitely precocious) group of children debating with insight, humor and questions about how to fix the planet after watching relentlessly depressing headlines about extreme weather and climate change on TV.  As they ride around on their bikes and wander through a small town (with obvious echoes of both "Stand by Me" and "Stranger Things"),  they brainstorm various ideas. One offers putting postage stamps on food to send it to people who are hungry, while others propose growing bigger food "like pumpkins at the fair" to "freezing everyone for a thousand years." The film ends by encouraging activists to "join us" and "Un-wreck the future." 

The ad, running across Canada and the U.S. including in cinemas, online and in fitness clubs, was created by Canadian agency Broken Heart Love Affair. It's not exactly an uplifting watch—there's an element of doom-scrolling about it at first. But the script and direction by Radke's Michael Clowater are peppered with touches of humor to lighten the mood as it digs into some of the issues. The film does make clear, however, that there are no black-and-white solutions.

Although the product link is less apparent, there is a call to action; through PR and outreach, MadeGood is inviting young environmental activists to join "Un-Wrecking Crews" in their community. Kids can join by uploading a one-minute video outlining steps they’ve taken to address food insecurity in their community, why they want to be part of the cause, and identifying any local causes they feel can benefit from support. Each participant will receive one box of MadeGood products, while the company will also provide up to $100,000 in in-kind donations to those causes identified by recruits.

“MadeGood is a company built on purpose and with a mission to feed the tummies and minds of children with nutrition, compassion and inspiration,” said MadeGood Brand Manager Milana Kleidman in a statement. “We realize we have an obligation to do our part for the betterment for the world. Our ‘Un-Wreck the Future’ campaign highlights the issues facing our future, but there is an air of optimism felt through the energy, passion and action coming from the children that we serve. Together we can accomplish great feats. This campaign is both an introduction to our core values and an open invitation for all of us to share ideas and energy towards a better future.”