No one left the cake out in the rain, but just as illogically, someone launched a projectile from a slingshot—inside the house, of all places—causing a chain reaction that destroyed a chocolate confection meant for a kid named Norah.
Ordering a triple-layer replacement sets off a new flurry of activity at a local bakery, followed by a bicycle delivery and a celebration saved.
The scenario—which plays out in a beautifully choreographed, music-driven trilogy—comes via a new campaign from DoorDash Canada and Toronto-based agency Hard Work Club.
There’s so much eye candy on display that “One Delivery in Three Acts” is best watched multiple times, better to catch the stylistic references to Michel Gondry’s music video for Daft Punk’s hit, “Around the World,” as well as the Rashomon effect and the homage to filmmaker Busby Berkeley’s dancing extravaganzas.
The theatrical work, from lauded director Henry Scholfield, paints DoorDash’s vendor partners and delivery workers as heroes coming to the timely aid of consumers in need, with the tagline, “Dash That.”
“It can feel like you push a button and just like that, a delivery arrives at your door,” according to Heather Cameron, head of brand and creative for DoorDash Canada. “But of course, there is a whole neighborhood hustling to make that happen. This work gives merchants and Dashers their due, putting a magical spotlight on the whole flywheel that makes what we do possible.”
DoorDash launched the trilogy recently with the first two spots, “The Party” and “The Order.” The third ad, “The Dash,” will debut during the National Basketball Association All-Star Game Feb. 18, when all three ads will run throughout the telecast.
Artful advertising
To create the elaborate sets, Hard Work Club took cues from stage design, building a series of revolving and sliding platforms to represent a local community and its inhabitants.
The ads were shot with a combination of practical and digital effects, with Keone and Mari Madrid providing the choreography. (The pair has worked with BTS, Justin Bieber, Billie Eilish and other pop stars.) The soundtrack—a reworked version of Sam & Dave’s classic 1960s soul song, “Hold On, I’m Coming”—came via Sndwrx in Toronto.
The goal was to develop a campaign that felt more like artistic expression than traditional advertising, per Meghan Kraemer, co-founder and executive creative director at Hard Work Club.
“We wanted to show the connective thread that weaves through each neighborhood and every order—bringing the customer, the merchant and Dasher stories into a single arc,” Kraemer said.
The 30-second spots will get cutdowns and digital content aimed at vendors and delivery workers via “DoorDash for Merchants” and “Dash to It” platforms.
In addition to the NBA placements and online video buys, the media plan via Wavemaker will roll out in English and French programming in Canada.
‘Your Door to More’
“One Delivery in Three Acts” drops as DoorDash in the U.S. gears up for its third appearance in the Super Bowl and the first campaign from Wieden+Kennedy, recently named as part of its ad stable.
Although few details have been released about the Super Bowl 58 spot, the ad intends to drive home the new brand platform from W+K, “Your Door to More.”
Like Uber Eats before it, DoorDash is touting an expanded delivery service that goes beyond food to a range of goods and necessities.
