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

Published On
Mar 01, 2018

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

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