'Calilujah!' It's a Heavenly Plant-Based Milk Musical From Califia Farms

Is drinking Califia Farms’ plant-based milk products a religious experience?

Thankfully not, but the brand coins the terms “Calilujah!” anyway, and kicks up its heels in a kitschy half-minute musical staged by Goodby Silverstein & Partners. Directors Alexandra Hamilton Bolton and Diesel Schwarze set the spirited singin’ and dancin’ among the clouds … because the taste is heavenly, OK?

We get giant piano keyboards and colossal coconuts, plus a Calilujah chorus line in cookie costumes, for a production number fusing music video styes with vintage Hollywood and Broadway vibes ranging from Busby Berkeley to Grease:

“It began when we noticed everyone pronouncing ‘Califia’ differently,” GS&P art director Shelby Lemons tells Muse. “We realized we needed a catchy way to help you remember how to say it and ‘Calilujah!’ was born. We thought it’d be so much fun if every time you took a drink, a chorus would bust out a ‘Calilujah!’ “

That could be distracting. You’d spill your smoothie. Also, “Calilujah!” sounds a lot like “Caligula,” but what brand wouldn’t want to be associated with him, right?

“The plant milk industry takes itself so seriously,” says agency associate creative director Kurt Mills. “It’s all about eating healthy and being a better person. We didn’t want to guilt people into trying us, we wanted to be joyful and celebratory and make people feel happy when they pick up a bottle, without all the baggage that usually comes from this category.”

British actor Sean Miles headlines the film, with milky moves choreographed by Jenny Griffin (The Greatest Showman). New York-based singer Chaz Langley handles vocals on a track composed by Squeak E. Clean Studios.

“The costumes and sets were designed and created for the spot, and now some of them are living in the Califia Farms offices,” says GS&P associate creative director Daniel Righi. “It’s going to be one heck of a Halloween party this year.”

Brimming with Pumpkin Spice Oat Milk lattes, no doubt.

The work breaks today across TV, digital and social, with the song and dance getting heavy play on TikTok.

For an equally tuneful take on technology, check out Wieden + Kennedy’s somewhat similar Samsung Galaxy songfest.

CREDITS

Ad Agency: Goodby Silverstein & Partners
Client: Califia Farms
Title of Creative Work: Calilujah!
Live Date: 8/23

Califia Farms
Chief Executive Officer: Dave Ritterbush 
Chief Marketing Officer: Suzanne Ginestro
Senior Director, Brand Marketing: Maija Benincasa
Creative Director: Angela Kowalski
Creative Content Director: Mike Smolowe

Creative
Chief Creative Officer: Margaret Johnson
Kurt Mills – Associate Creative Director
Daniel Righi – Associate Creative Director
Shelby Lemons – Art Director
Lucy Sandwick – Copywriter

Production
Director of Production: Leila Gage
Sr. Producer: Molly Troy

Account Services
Managing Partner: Leslie Barrett
Account Director: Shanley McClure
Account Manager: Lauren Berry
Assistant Account Manager: Will Young

Business Affairs
Director of Business Affairs: Judy Ybarra
Business Affairs Manager: Brittany Longden

Brand and Communication Strategy
Partner, Head of Brand Strategy: Bonnie Wan
Partner, Head of Communication Strategy: Christine Chen
Communication Strategy Director: Nicole Richards
Communication Strategist: Matt McNamara
Junior Communication Strategist: Josh German
Group Brand Strategy Director: Katie Coane

Production: The Directors Bureau
Director: Augustus Punch
DP: Joost van Gelder
EP: Luke Ricci
EP / HOP: Jenni Sprunger
EP / Producer: Sloane Skala
Producer: Stephanie Bruni

Editorial: Exile Edit
Editor: Lorin Askill 
Assistant Editor: Eduardo Wong
Producer: Samantha Axelrod
Executive Producer: CL Kumpata

VFX/Finishing: The Mill
Executive Producer : Hillary Thomas
Producer: Dori Sharvit
VFX LEAD: Timothy Crabtree
Comp: Abigail Riegal, Mike Miller, Basabendu Sarkar, Satya Narina, Arun Kumar
Tracking: Elizabeth Hammer
Animation: Greg Rubner, Anastasia Skrebneva
Cleanup :AVV Suresh, Rose Mathew, Sathya Sagar Kolli, Abhishek Jain, Bandaru Shiva, Irshad Abdulla, Jijo Joseph, Vayuvegula Ganesh Chandra, Prathamesh Redkar
Roto:Chatta Ravikumar, Krishnakant Yadav, Mithil Warlikar, Narendra Kumar, Pateel Venugopal, Shreedhar Vijay Gholap, Shrikant Jadhav, Sureshkumar Venkateshappa

Color:Company 3
Senior Colorist: Matt Osborne
Senior Producer: Blake Rice
Executive Producer: Ananda Reavis
VP of Short Form: Ashley McKim

Music, Mix, and Sound Design: Squeak E. Clean Studios
Composer: Nolan Frank, Matthew Compton
Vocalist: Chaz Langley 
Sound Design and Final Mix: Drew Fischer
Executive Creative Director: Rob Barbato 
Music Producer: Blade Thornton
Executive Creative Producer: Michael Gross
Audio Post Producer: Angelina Phengphong