Liberty Mutual Spoofed Commercial Tropes to Make Its Ads More Memorable

Liberty Mutual’s “Something to Help You Remember” campaign skewering overused commercial tropes returns this week with four funny installments from Goodby Silverstein & Partners. Yes, marketing spoofs abound. But this effort’s a cut above, cannily goofing on oh-so-tired cliches that supposedly make ads memorable.

“There are so many common techniques used during every commercial break that are scientifically proven to work. This campaign allows us to interpret them in the most ridiculous way possible,” agency co-executive creative director David Suarez tells Muse.

First, we meet a bunch of twentysomethings at an obnoxiously over-branded pool party. They wield devices ablaze with LiMu logos while frolicking to a jaunty jingle that extols “Young people!” “Good Times!” and “Insurance!”

“This idea clearly came from folks that grew up in the ’90s, when a product could transform any situation into the best time ever,” Suarez says. “It’s like a vintage Sunny D ad and a vintage Mentos ad had a baby. Musically, we just wanted to reenforce the idea that young people in ads help you remember insurance, so the lyrics didn’t stray too far from that.”

Beats play an even bigger role in the next installment, as animatronic squirrels living inside the walls of a suburban manse deliver a devastating earworm:

“Catchy music is probably one of the more well-trodden tools advertisers use, so we really needed to make it extra catchy to stand out,” explains Danny Gonzalez, also a GS&P ECD. “We had the band of squirrels custom made!”

Here’s an overwrought mother-daughter wedding day spot designed to humorously play on viewers’ emotions:

“The actors’ performances were really great,” says Suarez. “I felt bad that before every take they had to remember the death of their childhood dog to get their eyes watery.”

Still, the moisture unleashed above can’t compare to the deluge of the final commercial, which showers a young couple with romance:

“The water wasn’t heated, so the actors were definitely cold,” Gonzalez says. “But nothing warms someone up quite like a steamy smooch, so I don’t think they minded too much.”

In each outing the comedy works—even if you’re not an ad nerd—with sharp scripts and director Tim Godsall (of Halo Top and Ikea fame) providing the perfect mix of laughs and deliberately ham-fisted home-insurance branding.

“We’re actually embracing the techniques advertisers use and openly acknowledging them,” says Suarez.

“This campaign is celebrating the art form of all of those weird little films we make people watch every day.”

CREDITS

Client: Liberty Mutual 
Chief Marketing Officer: Jenna Lebel
AVP, Brand Strategy and Advertising: Sean Kelleher 
Director, Brand Strategy & Advertising: Rachel Pannullo
Sr. Marketing Manager, Advertising: Abby Muti 

Agency: GS&P New York
Executive Creative Director: Danny Gonzalez
Executive Creative Director: David Suarez
Creative Director: Cam Miller
Associate Creative Director: Chase Doutre
Associate Creative Director: Daniel O’Connor 
Associate Creative Director: Steve Nass
Associate Creative Director: Candace Faircloth
Copywriter: Sophie Lichtman
Copywriter: Craig Shervin
Art Director: David Spradlin
Art Director: Nando Sperb
Art Director: Mila Wizel
Senior Broadcast Producer: Alexei VanMourik
Group Account Director: Chris Ferko
Account Director: Katie Lancaster
Account Manager: Tom Yadron
Assistant Account Manager: Alli Greenberg
Business Affairs Manager: Howie Mapson 

Production Company: Anonymous Content, LA
Director: Tim Godsall 
Managing Director: Eric Stern 
VP Commercials / Executive Producer: SueEllen Clair
Head of Production: Kerry Haynie
East Coast Sales: Paul Muniz 
East Coast Sales: Stacie Gillman  

Service Production Company: Merchant 
Executive Producer: Ian Webb
Head of Production: Sara Alfaro 
Producer: Shannon Barnes

Editorial: Arcade Edit
Editor: Dave Anderson 

Assistant Editor: Andy Trecki
Senior Producer: Kirsten Thon-Webb
Executive Producer: Crissy DeSimone

Online / VFX : JAMM
Shoot Supervisor: Mike Wigart
Lead Flame: Tim Robbins
Flame Artist: Patrick Munoz
Flame Artist: Rachel Moorer
Flame Artist: Marcus Wood
Digital Matte Painter: Derry Frost
Producer: Mike Wigart
VFX Coordinator: Jon Lazar
Executive Producer: Asher Edwards

Sound Design/ Mix: Sonic Union
Sound Design/Mix Engineer: Steve Rosen
Studio Director: Justine Cortale

Music: Butter