Who: Prestige Consumer Healthcare Inc., with Fuse Create for strategy and creative, Soft Citizen for production (directed by The Perlorian Brothers), School, Alter Ego, Fort York for post-production, and UM for media.
What: “Get the Sleep You’ve Been Dreaming Of,” new brand advertising for Prestige’s over-the-counter sleep aid, Sleep-Eze.
When & Where: The new ad is running in English and French on TV and online as both 30- and 15-second formats until March 27.
Why: Prestige wants to drive purchase intent among adults 35 to 55 who are having occasional trouble with insomnia due to overwork, tiredness or fatigue. To stand out from other sleep aids, Fuse put the focus on how Sleep-Eze can lead to a better day after a good night’s sleep.
“We started from the insight that a good night’s sleep is priceless, not because of the sleep itself, but because of what it brings the next morning—feeling rejuvenated, focused and energetic,” said Steve Miller, executive creative director at Fuse Create.
Creatively, they wanted an approach that stood out, shaped by the unique stylings of Canadian director duo the Perlorian Brothers.
A 30-second TV ad “creates the strongest connection to a brand as it allows for the best opportunity for storytelling,” said Patrick Kane, senior marketing director, Prestige Brands Inc. “‘Get the Sleep You’ve Been Dreaming Of’ is definitely a story worth telling, and one with a happy ending.”
How: The ad focuses on a man who wakes up and gets out of bed, but the world around him is, well, slightly odd. He’s wearing a purple Nudie suit instead of pyjamas, the door from his house is tiny, he looks out from his front step and sees himself driving by in a truck and…oh, he now has a duck in his hands.
The ad cuts back to the man in bed, awakened again by his alarm, and the viewer realizes they were watching the man’s dream. “Get the sleep you’ve been dreaming of,” says the voiceover. “Sleep-Eze. It’s a sleep come true.”
“While we wanted to depict a bright, energized morning—the true benefit of getting a good night’s sleep—we still wanted to communicate a good night’s sleep,” said Miller. “A deep and immersive dream allowed us to do just that, and to do so in a way that was engaging, provocative, and entertaining.”
The ad is quirky and surreal, but only in the way dreams often are. “The surreal-ness was to depict a dream-like state, but also to keep people who are watching the spot on their toes,” said Miller.
And we quote: “Sleep-Eze knows that a good night’s sleep sets the foundation for a good day ahead,” said Kane. “It’s not the experience itself, but what it promises for the day ahead—feeling rejuvenated, focused and full of energy and possibility.”
