There's a lot to love—but not a lot of love—in this six-minute drama made by GreyNJ United for Tecnogas.
Helmed by Thai director Bangjong Pisanthanakun and shot in Italy, the film is fairly uncompromising in its portrayal of a couple trying (and mostly failing) to rekindle a 10-year-old romance. It's terribly uncomfortable watching them snipe at each other. Luckily, the gorgeous scenery makes for a nice distraction, and the film was seemingly shot entirely during the golden hour. It has a dramatic conclusion, where one of the characters makes a sweet gesture by cooking an omelette on a Tecnogas stove (so perhaps "a salty, fried gesture" would be more accurate). And Ad Nut was pleasantly surprised that the film avoided negating itself with an overly happy, and-now-the-music-swells-up kind of ending.
So it's a nice short film. But this ain't film school, and so Ad Nut wonders how effective it will be at achieving the goals of the brand. According to a media release, Tecnogas is sometimes mistaken for a different kind of company (presumably a gas utility). It wants to re-establish its brand name in consumers' minds and also stand out for high quality.
Ad Nut can't argue with the idea that an emotional film can make consumers take notice of a brand name. But beyond that, it gets dicey. For example, the tagline on this film is ‘strong design for a strong relationship’. That would make great sense, except that we just spent six minutes watching a painfully tortured relationship play out. Ad Nut for one couldn't help thinking that the couple would be better off splitting up. Heck, they both admit that they "don't know" why they are even together (at least as the English subtitles have it).
That makes for an ambiguous ending that Ad Nut approves of on a dramatic, human-nature level. But does it make a nice mental association for the brand? Should people keep their stoves around even when they kind of hate them, just because they have a lot of history together? Is that the message we're meant to take in?
Ad Nut might be overthinking it. The video, released on the 21st, has about 1.5 million views on both Facebook and YouTube, and overall positive reactions.
CREDITS
Creative Agency: Greynj United Bangkok
Cco: Jureeporn Thaidumrong
Ceo: Subbaraju Alluri
Managing Director: Kanaporn Hutcheson
Senior Creative Group Head: Nonthaporn Ketmanee
Art Director: Supakit Yindeeanant
Copywriter: Nuttapan Phairutchawan
Strategic Planner: Jongkoch Dusittanakarin
Digital Media Director: Pojanee Sowantip
Group Client Service Director: Kanokkorn Seehapan
Group Account Director: Kantharat Teerarojjanawong
Account Manager: Nutnaree Harussadeechvalit
Operations Service Director: Kanoksak Kanchanachutha
Project Manager: Anuchit Sannopphakun
Production Company: Hub Ho Hin Bangkok
Film Director: Banjong Pisanthanakun
Film Producer: Nattapon Kornkaew
Cinematographer: Niramon Ross
Assistant Film Director: Pacharaporn Hitanant
Casting Director: Surangkana Suwanjinda
Costume Stylist: Supachai Bunnak
Post Producer: Patcharee Sakunruangwat
Editor: Thammarat Sumethsupachok (สวัสดีทวีสุข)
Colorist: Siradhanai Phungnoi (Littlebee Lab)
Music Composer: Chatchai Pongprapaphan
Sound Studio: Wild At Heart Co., Ltd
Sound Mix: Parnthep Puranasukon (Wild At Heart Co., Ltd.)