Hasta La Creative!

With August here, Chandelier Creative launched its back-to-school campaign for Old Navy.

Chandelier has previously worked with Amy Poehler and Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and Amy Schumer is the latest female comedian representing the brand.  (Carrie Brownstein also appeared alongside her Portlandia co-star Fred Armisen in Chandelier’s holiday campaign for the brand.)

Schumer, who’s really raking in the ad money these days between this and her appearances in W+K’s Bud Light campaign with Seth Rogen, is “roped into spending the day” with her sister’s kids in the ad.

So she calls a kid named Thomas, who she calls frequently for some reason. He informs her “back-to-school is like our red carpet” and that she should go to Old Navy, which is “what we all wear,” for up to 60 percent off on clothes for the season.

On her way to the store, Schumer declares herself “the best aunt in the world.”

In addition to the full-length, 60-second digital version above, the ad will also appear on broadcast in 30 and 15-second versions sure to dampen the spirits of children on summer break. We’re told the spot also features “young influencers” with strong social media followings such as Thomas Barbusca, Laneya Grace, Skai Jackson and Hayden Summerall, but we have no idea who any of them are because we’re not 14 years old.

The spot follows a familiar formula, relying on its celebrity comedian’s presence and ending with a run to the store. That run is a bit more convincing than usual, as Schumer does a pretty good job selling the idea that she really wants to get those kids out of her apartment. 

Credits:
Client: Old Navy
Agency: Chandelier Creative
Creative Director: Lena Kuffner
Creative Director: Richard Christiansen
Executive Producer: Sara Fisher
Account Director: Eileen Eastburn

Producer: Gulshan Jaffery
Production Coordinator: Camilla Rothenberg
Production Company: Hungry Man
Director: Wayne McClammy
Executive Producers: Mino Jarjoura, Dan Duffy
Line Producer: Dave Bernstein
Director of Photography: Dion Beebe

Editorial: Rock Paper Scissors
Editor: Christjan Jordan
Executive Producer: Helena Lee

Telecine: Color Collective
Colorist: Alex Bickel
Executive Producer: Claudia Guevara

Audio Post: Sonic Union
Mixer: Mike Marinelli

Finishing: MPC NY
Executive Producer: Camila De Biaggi
Finishing Producer: Brendan Kahn

Old Navy spokeswoman Julia Louis-Dreyfus, who took over for Amy Poehler in December, promotes the brand’s line of “boyfriend jeans” in a new spot kicking off a spring campaign from lead agency Chandelier.

The spot casts the Veep star as a couples counselor dealing with a jealous boyfriend who saw a text with the word “boyfriend” on his girlfriend’s phone. Of course, she was actually referring to her new boyfriend jeans from Old Navy. When she informs Louis-Dreyfus that they’re only $15, she says “That’s insane…not clinically, of course” and soon they’re off, following up on the “breakthrough” and headed to Old Navy. Despite Louis-Dreyfus’ talent, the spot never really finds its comedic voice. Both the tone and the timing seem just a tad off and the tacked-on running out of the shot to get to Old Navy ending feels painfully forced (as it has in past spots).

As has become the norm with these types of ads, the outtakes (featured below) are actually more entertaining than the spot itself. So far, however, Louis-Dreyfus’ outtakes have failed to attract the same attention as those from Poehler’s ads. While the latter regularly received upwards of 500,000 views on YouTube, outtakes from Old Navy’s December campaign sit well under the 100,000 view mark. The campaign also includes a social effort, handled by AKQA, featuring Emily Current and Meritt Elliott.

“They’re different sides of the same coin,” Chandelier Founder Richard Christiansen told AdAge, speaking of the two spokeswomen. He explained that Poehler was very spontaneous, while Louis-Dreyfus brings more of a “trained” approach to the ads. “For Julia, we’re still improvising, but a lot of that stuff is a little bit more planned,” he added. “She’s studied. She’s controlled. She’s got a lot of great structure.”