Sweet Spot Content’s Emotional Spots for 1Life

1Life’s vision for raising the bar with their latest campaign was clear – to move away from infomercials to content with a real, honest emotional pull. 

With this vision, agency House of Brave conceived three emotive stories: the Wedding, the Rebel and the Pilot – three very different scripts, each with the potential to touch different people. As soon as Sweet Spot Content heard the stories, they were motivated to produce films that would truly stir and connect with the viewers’ emotions. 

Working together with the agency, they helped to craft stories that were as real, relatable and touching as possible. Adding in small hooks, they created the opportunity to draw viewers in more deeply: the corsage with sentimental value in the wedding, the photograph the pilot takes along on every flight, the climactic moment between the rebel and her mother when she returns after running off.

 

View the videos here: http://vimeo.com/channels/557427

“We wanted to end up with three short stories that are touching to whoever watches them. We took a lot of care in the casting, locations and the art direction to make sure all the details are realistic and bring substance to the story – so it doesn’t feel like you’re in a made up ad world,” explains Sweet Spot Content Co-director Gareth Paul.

They found actors that would be able to pull off the performances in these stories, which are loaded with emotion, yet don’t have any dialogue. More importantly, they also made sure to find actors who look just right – so that you believe the bride truly is that little girl all grown up. Being able to go back in time with the flashbacks also gave the art direction an interesting angle. 

Working together as co-directors, Miles Goodall and Gareth Paul, supported by expert producer Linda Notelovitz, are able to cover every small detail of a production. The three form a collaboration that ensures even the smallest elements of a production come together in a way that creates an overall excellent film.

House of Brave executive creative director, Vanessa Pearson says: “Miles and Gareth make a powerful creative combination. They took the original ideas and imbued them with emotion and high points, which results in some beautiful storytelling and very effective communication. Gareth's former advertising experience and Miles' sharp and sensitive DOP eye laid the groundwork for a truly collaborative process between agency, client and production company. Nothing was left to chance throughout the process, and the final result speaks for itself.”

The co-directors also worked closely with composer Adam Howard to find the perfect sound that resonates with each story, using the music as a powerful way to create a stronger emotional pull for the viewer. And while they concentrated on every small detail of the production, Linda ensured that everything ran smoothly – finding solutions to any possible difficulties along the way.

1Life brand assistant Matt Arnold says: “What stood out for me was the efficiency of all aspects of the production and how well they understood the intricacies of the stories, as well as how well they were translated onto screen.”

The final stories truly achieve the vision that 1Life and House of Brave had – to create insurance ads that have substance. It’s the kind of subject matter that you want to use to evoke emotion in people – to remind them to put a plan in place for when they’re no longer around.  

Arnold adds: “The final product is far beyond what was expected. Sweet Spot encapsulated the essence of our brand. The stories came to life and truly brought meaning that everyone can relate to in some way or another. They have provided us with something we can truly be proud of.”

Credits

Sweet Spot Content Production team
Producer: Linda Notelovitz
Director/Cinematographer: Miles Goodall
Co-Director/Production Designer: Gareth Paul 

Agency – House of Brave
Andrew Shuttleworth: Executive Managing Director
Vanessa Pearson: Executive Creative Director
Peet Engelbrecht: Copywriter
Joanne Morrison: Art Director
Loli Bishop: Producer: Agency Producer
Claudine Swanepoel: Account Director

Client – 1Life
Laurence Hillman: Managing Director
Richard Rupping: Senior Brand Manager
Matt Arnold: Brand Assistant
Terchia Kemp: Media Manager

Post Production – Left 
Editor: Nic Goodwin