IBM - Every Second Counts

The saga continues. IBM came to us to create this third installment in a series of videos about the importance of power systems and backup servers. Seems like a no-brainer, but you’d be surprised how often this important safety net gets glossed over.

How do we make something super tactical, also super entertaining? So glad you asked.

We already knew that our client wanted to show the potential for disaster when e-commerce companies lose power. It was our job to make it emotional. We set the scene on Valentine’s Day— which is about as high as the stakes can go in terms of same day delivery. We decided to weave human drama into the IT department in a way that feels real, yet larger than life.

We were deep into Q4 of 2020 (the year of COVID19, in case you missed it) and yet sooner or later, the show must go on. Things would need to look a little different in order to keep everyone safe.

Luckily, ‘flexible’ is our middle name. We keep light on our feet in general, and when it comes to production— we’re pretty damn good at adapting. 

Sometimes the stars just align. We made a connection with a co-working space that was just recently open for business and still filling out its spaces. Translation: a clean slate.

Since there was no one around, we were able to take over the entire floor. Wardrobe, make up, lighting, cast, and crew each had their own section. Serendipity. Our second set was a warehouse which also provided plenty of room to keep everyone safe and comfortable.

The campaign launched over Valentine’s Day to great performance -- with a click through rate at 2.5x the client’s average, 3x the average clicks, and 2x the average engagement rate. All organic, of course. Turns out our audience loves ramping up the drama on the most romantic day of the year.