Disguised as big blockbuster trailers, Vodafone’s latest cinema spots via DDB encourage cinemagoers to turn off their phones before the film begins.
In each of three 20 second ads, the hero is rudely interrupted in the middle of their defining moment by an incoming phone call. The hero then promptly admonishes the unseen offender. It ends with text that says ‘ Don’t ruin the moment. Please turn off your phone’.
One titled ‘Her Highness’ features Mary, Queen of Scots who turns and says “No, no please, take it. I mean, it’s only my big speech”.
‘The Bad Plains’ features a cowboy in the middle of a 10-second countdown when the call takes place.
And the third spot, ‘The Lost Soldiers’, has a soldier in the midst of battle passing on a note to a loved one, who tried to continue despite the ringing dial tone.
Each spot was directed by Goodoil’s Michelle Savill and will be running in Event Cinemas from now through September.
DDB chief creative officer Damon Stapleton says he hopes the cinematic nature of the spots will make people realise how frustrating it is to have a moment ruined by a ringtone.
” [Hopefully] our not-so-subtle guilt trips will make people think twice. We’ve all been there, and it sucks.”
Nileema Allerston, Vodafone’s head of business brand and communications, says the different spots are right on the money.
“[The team have done] an incredible job delivering an important message in a super fresh, contextual way. I’m looking forward to phone-free movies.”
