One of the opening frames in Leo Burnett’s “Fat Talk” spot for Special K tells the viewer that 93% of women engage in fat talk, a form of passive-aggressive self-shaming. Because of Facebook and Twitter, I’m surprised that number isn’t seven percentage points higher.
But during the two-minute spot, women in a nondescript clothing store are forced to confront their own insecurities. Placards of fat talk tweets are posted around the store, and the women realize the self-degradation is bad and start hugging each other. This ad is not a comedy. Instead, it comes off as an incredibly preachy after-school special for adult women. Tackling fat talk is a compelling psychological start for a commercial, but as with a lot of good ideas, the execution winds up muddled into something so safe and vanilla that it’s hard to remember what brand is advertising in the first place. Credits after the jump.
Mylene Pollock: EVP, Executive Creative Director, Leo Burnett
Pippa White: Art Director/Associate Creative Director, Leo Burnett
Kitty Schulz: Writer/Associate Creative Director, Leo Burnett
Producer: Alethya Luiselli, Leo Burnett
VP, Account Director: Jason Kim, Leo Burnett
Account Director: Stephanie Vaky, Leo Burnett
Account Supervisor: Colleen Vail, Leo Burnett
Account Supervisor: Richard Henderson, Leo Burnett
Editorial: Glorily Velez, Whitehouse, Chicago
Audio: Katy Mindelman, Particle, Chicago
Post Production: The Mill, Chicago
Production Company: O Positive
Director: Peyton Wilson
EP: Ralph Laucella
Line Producer: Carol Haak
DP: Jac Fitzgerald