The Neighbours
Free (Iliad)
Issue 55 | June 2020
Agency
Herezie
Creative Team
Executive Creative Directors Paul Marty, Etienne Renaux Art Director Rodolphe Pinta Copywriter Theo Castagne
Production Team
Producer Tanya Kozlova Production Company Eddy Sound Production Benzene Director Julien Zenier
Other Credits
Group Account Director Dimitri Boudnikoff Account Director Marine Chenu Account Executive Lisa Duchein PR Offcer Aliou Maro
Date
April – May 2020
Background
As a telecommunications brand that helps to connect people and bring them closer together, Free decided to encourage the French to stay at home by pointing out what they could gain from lockdown with the help of the Free network and the services it provides.
Idea
During lockdown, people are compensating for the lack of human interaction with Free technology. Four commercials zoomed into four cities to give four positive messages about online communications. Gamers compete to do the shopping for an elderly neighbour; music brings people together; video allows home schooling to happen; romance blossoms once phone numbers have been exchanged.
Free’s tagline was adapted for the occasion: “Free. They’ve got it. They’re staying at home.”
Results
Unknown
Our Thoughts
In these exceptional times, a lot of advertisers have been running commercials with tinkly music and empty streets and mellifluous voice-overs saying, “In these exceptional times… we’re with you/behind you/in it together.” In wanting to appear sensitive, they’ve become bland. What is refreshing about these ads from Free is that’s exactly what they are. Ads. Rather than public service messages. No sad music, no ripe voice-over, they are all about the product and how it can help in these… er… exceptional times.