Today, in partnership with Ad Council and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Vox Media’s award-winning branded content studio, Vox Creative has released its first-ever TV spot, in a thrilling, horror-esque spot reminding everyone not to drive after smoking marijuana.
What had originally started as a partnership between Ad Council, NHTSA and Vox Creative to create a campaign to run across Vox Media’s platforms, quickly evolved to a larger scope, for the spot to run across broadcast TV as the team at Vox Creative shared the idea for the spot itself: to create a thriller-like film reminding everyone it is illegal to drive high – even if you are being chased by a masked man with an axe.
In the spot, directed by the award-winning Vincent Peone, we see two guys running for their lives, sprinting from a lurking masked man wiedling nothing but an axe. As the two guys find their truck and turn the ignition on, they remember it’s illegal to drive high. As they switch seats to safely and responsibly flee from the scene, a song plays reminding everyone not to drive high. It’s an original song, created in collaboration with Vox Creative and production company, Artclass and was written, performed and produced by Daniel Grimsland.
As part of the fully integrated campaign, in addition to the 30-second TV spot running on broadcast in the coming weeks, the brand studio also created an upcoming custom 30-second radio spot. A 80-second version of the film will run via branded content on Vox.com – as well as distributed via Vox Media’s proprietary ad marketplace, Concert.
Vox Creative also created movie posters for the spot, with fake reviews to promote the campaign on social, as well as :15 social cuts that will run on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
Creative Credits
Agency: Vox Creative
Heather Pieske, Executive Creative Director
AJ Gutierrez, Creative Director
Tina Nguyen, Head of Production
Daniel Littlewood, Executive Producer
Jessica Barbosa, Producer
Mike Mueller, Senior Content Manager
Lauren O’Connell, Designer
Production Company: Artclass
Vincent Peone, Director
Lindsay Cortiana, Line Producer
Client/BrandAd Council/NHSTA
Campaign”Don’t Drive High”Shoot Date2/5/20
Director, Office of Consumer Information, AdCouncil/NHSTASusan McMeen
Marketing Specialist: AdCouncil/NHSTA, Kil-Jae Hong
Agency: Vox Creative
Heather Pieske, Executive Creative Director, Vox Creative
AJ Gutierrez, Director
Mike Mueller, Senior Content Manager
Jessica Barbosa, Line Producer
Production Company: ArtClass
Director: Vincent Peone
DP: Justin Derry
Managing Director: Geno Imbriale
Executive Producer: Kate Aspell
Head of Production: Sparkle Jones
Line Producer: Lindsay Cortiana
Post Production: ArtClass
Editor: James Lee
Sound/Music Company: TJ Dumser
Composer: Daniel Grimsland
Color Company: CO3
Colorist: Jaime O’Bradovich
Color Producer:
Cast / Talent - “Bag Man Serial Killer” Matthew Van Orden
Cast / Talent - “Connor” Aaron Kheifets
Cast / Talent - “AJ”Jeff Ayars
Location #1Pastimes Cabin - Folkston, GA