Last summer, Droga5 New York and Dixie asked viewers to go “#DarkForDinner” and put away devices to more fully engage friends and family over dinner. This year, the agency and brand teamed up to create “Deadzone Diners,” remotely located popup restaurants in areas with no cellphone reception.
The three locations in Los Angeles with bad service include a cave, a hillside and a federal reserve vault, with the agency setting up its popup diners at those places. Over three days in August, more than 1,000 people visited the locations for a meal and were forced to actually talk to each other, since there wasn’t enough cell service to play Pokemon Go (and there probably wouldn’t have been too many Pokestops in those places anyway, come on).
Droga5 collaborated with celebrity chef/The Chew co-host Carla Hall, who created recipse for the “Deadzone Diner” locations as well as the campaign website.
While the “Deadzone Diners” stunt was limited to Los Angeles, Droga5 creative director Devon Hong hopes the resulting video (above) and website can result in audiences rethinking how they view such areas. “Rather than being something negative we want people to start looking at these spaces as a little sanctuary for you to spend quality time with other people,” he told Adweek.
It’s something to think about the next time you’re cursing out a lack of reception.
Credits:
Agency: Droga5 NY
Creative Chairman: David Droga
Chief Creative Officer: Ted Royer
Executive Creative Director: Neil Heyman
Creative Directors: Devon Hong, Tara Lawall, Jeff Scardino
Copywriter: Mietta McFarlane
Art Director: Luke Chard
Jr. Copywriter: Ted Meyer
Jr. Art Director: Tommaso Fontanella
Executive Design Director: Rob Trostle
Design Director: Rich Greco
Senior Designer: Nate Moore
UX Designer: Brett Stiller
Design Intern: Ian Plath
Chief Creation Officer: Sally-Ann Dale
Head of Interactive Production: Niklas Lindstrom
Executive Interactive Producer: Tasha Cronin
Senior Social Producer: Chris Parke
Social Producer: Gabrielle Nicoletti
Global Chief Strategy Officer: Jonny Bauer
Strategy Director: Elaine Purcell
Strategist: Newman Granger
Senior Communications Strategist: Delphine McKinley
Senior Data Strategist: Brad Mumbrue
Data Strategist: Remy Lupica
Executive Group Director: Brett Edgar
Account Director: Ross Gillis
Account Manager: Ashton Atlas
Associate Account Manager: Kyra Gembka
Project Managers: Nicole Spaeth, Michelle Yee
Client: Georgia-Pacific / Dixie
Senior Director, Brand Center: Shari Neumann
Senior Brand Director: Andrew Noble
Senior Brand Manager: Gary Berger
Brand Building Leader: Teresa Bossong
Senior Associate Brand Manager: Nelie Zanca
Associate Brand Manager: Diana Black
Social Media Specialist: Brooke Lujano
Production Company: Snippies
Director: Roman Luck
DOP: Roman Luck
Executive Producer: Tom Dicerbo
Producer: Shelley Maclachlan
Editorial: Snippies
Editor: Tim Hickson
Assistant Editor: Jake Birnbaum
Executive Producer: Tom Dicerbo
Producer: Shelley Maclachlan
Post Production: Snippies
Executive Producer: Tom Dicerbo
Producer: Shelley Maclachlan
Music: APM
(Song/composer/etc. to suit): Pretty Baby
Sound: Snippies
Mixer: Tim Hickson
Experiential Production Company: na collective
Executive Producer: Jim Striebich
Producer: Nicolette Coan
Photographer: Name – Rich Fury