Havas Worldwide client Hefty doesn’t just do trash–it also supports public education in the United States via Box Tops for Education, a popular advocacy org dedicated to raising money for local schools by partnering with General Mills and other such massive corporations.
In order to emphasize Hefty’s commitment to The Children, Havas created a new campaign snarking on a serious problem: a lack of funding for schools across the United States.
In #SaidNoSchoolEver’s first spot, a principal, an art instructor and a totally-not-stereotypical gym teacher list their biggest fake complaints.
The second spot “Mrs. Bush” continues in that vein, because young Americans truly do have “all the resources they could ever need.”
The client has elaborated on the theme by sharing meme-style imagery created by Havas:
#SaidNoSchoolEver pic.twitter.com/sHF2PbWSBm
— Hefty (@Hefty) August 6, 2015
#SaidNoSchoolEver pic.twitter.com/SFew5wrXSh
— Hefty (@Hefty) August 6, 2015
#SaidNoSchoolEver pic.twitter.com/N1WqhpqlJf
— Hefty (@Hefty) August 6, 2015
This campaign does address a very real point: despite repeatedly ranking as members of one of America’s most admired professions (outside of advertising), teachers aren’t paid very well and never have been. They do often have to spend their own money to do their jobs, and they take a beating in the political sphere as well.
A 2014 poll found that American adults seem to think that respect for teachers by students and the public at large has declined from back in the day when THEY were in school. Yet certain nationally visible “leaders” think that teachers unions–you know, the ones that actually advocate for higher wages and greater job security–deserve “a punch in the face.”
Havas GCD Ecole Weinstein tells Adweek that “We wanted to touch the surface of the issue and still do it with a bit of a smile and make [the campaign] culturally relevant and sharable” because the subject “hit close to home for some members of Havas’ creative team.”
We wonder if any of the GOP candidates will have anything to say about it tonight…
CREDITS
Client: Hefty
Agency: Havas Worldwide Chicago
Chief Creative Officer: Jason Peterson
Group Creative Director: Ecole Weinstein
Creative Director: Shelby Georgis
Copywriter: Matt Bush, Ellie Brzezenski
Co-Head of Production, NA: David Evans
Executive Producer: Brigette Whisnant
Producer: Jordan Sider
Business Affairs Manager: Bonnie Hamilton
Group Account Director: Lisa Evia
Account Director: Kevin Passolt
Sr. Project Manager: Matt Hartwig
Production Company: Caviar Content
Director: Jeff Bitsack
Executive Producer: Darren Foldes
Producer: Tova Dann
Director of Photography: Giorgio Scali
Editorial Company: Studio 6 CHI
Sr. Editor: Mike Abrams, Andrew Maggio
Sr. Audio Engineer: Todd Bernstein, Studio 6 CHI; Mark Ruff, CRC
Executive Producer: Lauren Shawe
Post Producer: Jordan Sider, Kara Weinert
Colorist: Luke Morrison, The Mill
Assistant Editor: Kelsey Moher
Graphic Artist: Jesse Willis, Studio 6 CHI