Behind the Scenes: Making Armpits the Safest Place on Earth
Armpits don’t always get the best rap. But in reality they’re a special place; a space for your family to snuggle up and feel safe. Mustache agency and Native (promoting their toxin-free deodorant) teamed up to flip the perception of armpits on its head and show the importance of keeping pits safe for your loved ones.
Below is a Q&A with Brit Crawshaw, creative director at Mustache.
Mustache > What made the Native campaign a unique challenge?
Brit Crawshaw > Bringing the campaign to life meant producing a remote live-action shoot in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic. It was an entirely new puzzle compared to a traditional production, with many moving pieces across thousands of miles. The team really came together (figuratively, of course), and it felt BTS-worthy, so we put together a video that showed some of the hurdles we had to overcome.
Mustache > What was the largest challenge from a technical standpoint?
Brit > The director needed to be able to see the live feed of the camera and talk to talent at the same time. So, our DP created a unique rig that would allow our director to see footage being shot on one iPhone while simultaneously communicating with talent on another. The camera rig had to be mirrored by our equipment vendors and pre-staged before being shipped out to talent.
Mustache > What was the casting process like?
Brit > The Mustache team worked with our director and casting director to virtually cast three real families through video submissions and follow-up Zoom interviews. When we chose our onscreen talent, we were also choosing our locations and crew, since they would be recording themselves in their own homes. Their willingness to wear many hats is what made the shoot possible!
Mustache > What was the lead up to the shoot like?
Brit > A lot more preparation was needed than for a typical shoot. The production team coordinated shipping everything – props, wardrobe, camera and lighting equipment – to each of our talent. We conducted virtual location scouts, wardrobe fittings, and tech scouts with our talent, which included working through tech mishaps.
Mustache > What do you love most about the ad spots?
Brit > The spots are joyful and genuine. They feel like candid, un-staged moments from home videos that just happen to be shot beautifully.
Mustache > Overall, how has production shifted since the pandemic?
Brit > Production definitely doesn’t look the same as it did before, but with careful planning, innovation, and communication, it’s still possible to create quality live-action content. The Native campaign is one example of this.
