Prunelax provides relief in dark times via Five by Five Global
Actor Pharma’s laxative brand Prunelax has launched a new campaign via independent agency Five by Five Global.
The first two parts of the five-part campaign have been launched today, titled ‘Buried’ and ‘Casket’.
In the ‘Buried’ spot, a woman is burying a body in the wood only to have a bush walker come by and interrupt her. It is then revealed then that the walker is visually impaired, holding a cane and using a guide dog.
On whether any visually impaired people were consulted on the spot, Five by Five Global’s executive creative director Craig Bailey told Mumbrella: “We consulted a relevant organisation in regards to how our actor should use the dog harness and the cane. Whilst our lead actor works with the visually impaired, we didn’t consult any visually impaired individuals and we didn’t consult any serial killers either.”
In another spot, titled ‘Casket’, a family is paying respects at a funeral. The corpse breaks wind and then it is revealed that she is not dead, but constipation nearly killed her.
Bailey commented: “The most effective sketch show comedy is not wrapped in cotton wool. It doesn’t move the needle unless the odd nerve is touched. Our intention was to get people talking—and feeling something when they watch these spots.
“Speaking of feeling something, the use of laxatives is a bit of a taboo subject; so when laxative brands aren’t communicating a sanitised and rational message, they have historically used broad-metaphor toilet humour. It’s all very obvious, and in effect – unmemorable. Getting a bit darker and unexpected will hopefully help us cut through and capture peoples limited attentions—and strategy aside, it was a lot of fun to make. Too much fun, probably.”
On the relationship with the client, Bailey added: “When you are singing from the same sheet, great work can be made. A courageous brief and subsequent strategy is only worthwhile when it is seen through to the end and this client was integral in pushing the ideas as far as they could go.”
Actor Pharma’s marketing manager Donna Jacobson commented on the campaign: “We’re living in a strange time with a lot of noise in the media; so it was imperative to find the right agency to help us cleave through it all – Five by Five just got ‘us’ and what we wanted to achieve. We are very excited to launch the Relief campaign, to help us build awareness of Prunelax as the preferred natural laxative brand.”
The campaign will be on Youtube, digital, BVOD and social, and launches today (6 September).
Credits:
Client: Actor Pharma
Marketing Manager: Donna Jacobson
Creative Agency: Five by Five Global
Strategy Director: Matt Lawton
Executive Creative Director: Craig Bailey
Creative: Craig Bailey
Creative: Nick Donovan
Client Director: Marc Grantham
Production Manager: Amar Narula
Account Manager: Lois Vega
Account Executive: Rukiya Ahad
Production Company: helium.film
Director: Armand de Saint-Salvy
DOP: Jordan Maddocks
Executive Producer: Brenden Johnson
Producer: Benjamin O’Donnell
Casting: Fountainhead Casting
Post Production: Vandal
Editor: Armand de Saint-Salvy
Grading: Marcus Timpson
Flame: Phil Stuart Jones
Sound Design: Nigel Crowley
Music composition: Subvert.tv
