Google's Nest Helps a Dad Teach His Son to Be Respectful of Women in Brand's Oscars Debut
Spot From Deutsch Is Quiet Nod to the #MeToo Movement
Editor's Pick
During the Oscars ceremony on Sunday, some eyes will be on Hollywood to see how the industry comports itself in the post-Weinstein era (like, will Ryan Seacrest get snubbed?). Google's home products company Nest inserts itself into the conversation with a sweet ad about a dad who teaches his son to be respectful of women.
Created in partnership with Deutsch L.A., "Prom Night," opens in the doorway of a home where a young man, his date and her friend are about to head out for their big night. But as he turns toward the limo, an older male voice stops him, saying: "Steven, can I have a minute? I want to make sure you understand how special Sarah is, so treat her with respect, and don't assume being her date means anything more than that."
The voice, it's revealed, is coming from the Nest "Hello" doorbell, as the boy's father, at work, is speaking through his phone.
It's Nest's first Oscars appearance and promotes the new product, set to debut in the first quarter of this year and available for pre-order now. "The company's mission, from day one, has been to create a home that takes care of the people inside it, and the world around it," says Nest CMO Doug Sweeny. "There's this conversation happening between men and women, started by the #MeToo movement. We did not want to simply run a product-oriented ad. We wanted to insert Nest into the conversation authentically."
"Our north star, creatively, is this idea of how men can set an example, not just react to the world," says Xanthe Wells, the advertising vet who joined the company as its global creative director last year. "I think as a woman in the advertising business in general, it's really hit hard in the last few months, watching all of it. So this just felt right. We haven't really done work like this before."
The tone was especially important, she says: "We went preachy a couple times and it felt wrong. We didn't want it to be heavy-handed."
Deutsch conceived the idea and worked with Nest's creative team to refine the script. Matt Baron via AllDayEveryDay directed. The ad also reflects a more humanistic approach for the category. "Nest is an optimistic brand, and we wanted an optimistic message more concerned with bringing in good than keeping out the bad," says Deutsch North American Chief Creative Officer Pete Favat.
Credits
- Date
- Mar 01, 2018
- Brand :
- Nest
- Client :
- Nest
- Agency :
- Deutsch-Los Angeles
- Chief Marketing Officer :
- Doug Sweeny
- Global Creative Director :
- Xanthe Wells
- Creative Lead :
- Colleen Harlan
- Global Head of Advertising and Engagement :
- Gene Willis
- Director, Communications and Consumer Marketing :
- Kate Brinks
- Director Partner and Channel Marketing :
- Lauren Gellman
- Executive Producer :
- Jessica Koontz
- Consumer Advertising Manager :
- Kate Whittington
- Product Manager :
- Erick Low
- Product Manager :
- Leo Paskin
- North America Chief Creative Office :
- Pete Favat
- Executive Creative Director :
- Guto Araki
- Creative Director :
- Neal Desai
- Creative Director :
- Eric Manchester
- Director, Integrated Production :
- Vic Palumbo
- Executive Integrated Producer :
- Dan Kaplan
- Senior Integrated Producer :
- Ali Issari
- Music Director :
- Eryk Rich
- Music Producer :
- Chase Butters
- Music :
- Dez Davis
- Group Account Director :
- Walter Smith
- Account Supervisor :
- Kelly Childers
- Director, Integrated Business Affairs :
- Abilino Guillermo
- Senior Business Affairs Manager :
- Saeyoung Kim
- Director, Broadcast Traffic :
- Carie Bonillo
- Director :
- Matt Baron
- Executive Producer :
- Renee Krumweide
- Head of Production :
- Nikola Westermann
- Line Producer :
- Christian Nurse
- Editor :
- Jared Coller
- Executive Producer :
- Susye Melega
- Producer :
- Gabriella Page
- Assistant Editor :
- Kyle Behrens
- Colorist :
- Ricky Gausis
- Executive Producer of Color :
- Meghan Lang
- Senior Color Producer :
- Rebecca Boorsma
- Licensed Music :
- Prom Night
- Track :
- Bloomed C
- Composer :
- Robert Murguia
- Publisher :
- Mophonics
- Composer :
- Aurelien Mergault
- Track :
- HERO
- Publisher :
- Kaptain Music Library ASCAP
- Publisher :
- APM Music ASCAP
- Editorial Company :
- Nomad
- Color :
- MPC
- Audio Post Company :
- Lime Studios
- Audio Mixer :
- Joel Waters
- Executive Producer :
- Susie Boyajan
- Assistant Mixer :
- Chris Nungary
- Production Company :
- ALLDAYEVERYDAY
Need a credit fix? Contact the Creativity Editors