Gen Z inherited a modern black plague, accelerating natural disasters, dwindling job opportunities, sky-high student debt, and other dumpster fires that conspire to wipe out any hope of a promising future. But let’s not count them out just yet. Like the hardships of WWII that produced “The Greatest Generation,” overcoming today’s extraordinary challenges will create the Next Greatest Generation. That’s their call to arms. Let’s hope they answer it, because if they don’t, we’re all screwed.
I’d been wanting to work with Kathryn Bigelow for a long time, and on this campaign I got my chance. But the real stars of this production were the Guard members whose youth belies a palpable focus and maturity. If the future is in their hands, I’m feeling pretty damn good.
Prior to this campaign, the Army National Guard’s work had the look and feel of a corporate brochure. Our idea was to give the brand to the audience, both verbally and visually. We looked to youth brands and media properties as our inspiration to speak in their style of bravado—like they’re speaking to each other, rather than the language of a senior commander.
To give young prospects a sense of how they could solve problems in the most tangible ways, our “State of Emergency” VR experience traveled to high schools and career events. Participants experienced, vicariously, the functional aspects of the Guard’s response to wildfires, floods, chemical spills, and other threats to their communities.
WORK GALLERY
