We still have no real idea where BBDO will take Subway after the country’s largest fast food chain lost its spokesperson to jail and infamy. The first new ad launched in October after BBDO beat out incumbent MMB, The Martin Agency and McCann to win the business, but it was a one-off promoting a deal tied to “National Sandwich Day,” and that Star Wars cantina spot was by McCann because of the whole Disney thing.
A new social campaign by 360i and the chain’s PR agency Catalyst probably won’t give us much of a hint either, but it is new work for a massive client and it does star Tony Hale, who is both a C-list actor and a youth pastor.
The theme is “lunch break,” as in Mr. Hale trying to convince his co-workers (?) to take one.
Listen to the voice in your head!!! Get out and #SaveLunchBreak! @SUBWAY https://t.co/LBvQ2YBsx0
— Tony Hale (@MrTonyHale) December 15, 2015
Hale wrote these scripts himself, so again they are completely unrelated to whatever BBDO has planned. We’re told there will be additional efforts from Hale today and tomorrow, but they’ve yet to launch. The company also got some “Vine stars” involved in the campaign, though sources tell us no one uses that app anymore.
My lunches were boring until I broke my routine! Show me how you #SaveLunchBreak! @SUBWAY #collab https://t.co/VyShZhcF36
— Jessica Cook (@Jessicamcook) December 14, 2015
They’re all pretty much like that, and the hashtag has been running for a while along with some partnerships like a sponsored content project from some site called “Buzz Feed.” Here’s an earlier video, which completely falls apart about halfway through but not because lunch breaks are a relic and everyone eats at their desks except–maybe–account people.
PSA: Don’t let THIS happen in YOUR workplace! #SaveLunchBreak https://t.co/U3fZ4zD5X2
— SUBWAY® (@SUBWAY) December 3, 2015
Subway also just hired Coke’s former CMO to work with its chief advertising officer Chris Carroll, who happens to be the brother of TBWA CEO Tom Carroll and a former EVP/chief client officer at Zimmerman. We might like to listen in on their conversations.
Client: Subway
Title: “#savelunchbreak”
Director: Charles Hood
Producer: Kevin Mann
Producer: Rachel Miller
Producer: Chris Boyd
Director of Photography: Adrian Correia
B-Cam Operator: Herbert Wei
First AC: Nathan Kelley
First AC: Carlos Medina
Gaffer: Sean Tanner
Best Boy: Gabriel Lewis
DIT: Patrick Burke
Sound Mixer: Kevin Rosen-Quan
Production Designer: Ayse Arf
Script Supervisor: Tracey Merkle
Key Hair/Make-up Artist: Kristin Turner
Key Costume/Wardrobe: Megan Lian
Editor: Grant Surmi
Music: Kevin Blumenfeld
Producer’s Assistant: Ace Hasan
Production Assistant: Adam Federman
Production Assistant: Jennifer Maizlish
Production Assistant: Derek Klezmer
Production Assistant: Blair Scott