How HONE and Schlotzsky’s Brought the Ultimate Drive-Thru Experience to Life
To capture audience attention in the modern marketing landscape, bold and innovative creative is essential. Leveraging their deep experience of the food and beverage sector, Atlanta-based production agency, HONE went all-out for the latest Schlotzsky’s campaign, with an intuitive, production-first approach. HONE was brought into a video concept and script idea fully-baked by Devour, GoTo Foods in-house agency. HONE elevated paid media executions and helped ideate digital video specific versions with world-class creative input and flawless post production.
Looking to showcase the uniquely diverse offerings available at Schlotzsky’s drive-thru, the Devour team took inspiration from the traditional advertising tropes seen in luxury car commercials.
Kyle Lewis, Devour executive creative director, tells LBB about tackling the execution of the initial concept. “We had an idea we felt was very special and could be executed in a number of different ways. We needed a production partner who could deliver on our extremely high expectations for the final product.”
This is where HONE impressed on the pitch. Citing their previous experience with food and beverage brands such as Coca-Cola, Denny’s and Edible, the team put together a realistic pitch that would expertly execute the client’s vision. “After seeing the brief, we knew that the creative required heavy VFX or fully realised CG,” said Kevin Wilson, co-head of production at HONE. “The knowledge that we could use still-food assets alleviated the need for a full food shoot, and we could put that money toward a fully CG solution.”
Impressed by HONE’s prowess and prior experience, the two teams embarked on a journey to create a spoof that would be engaging, memorable and have real stopping power.
The teams faced a series of challenges throughout the production process. The first being the limited budget. “The task at hand was to create a :30 spot, and make it look like we had unlimited resources. It was up to each bidder to solve the problem,” Kevin recalls.
“For the budget, there was no way to do a live action shoot with a car, and talent, and have money to do great VFX to truly sell the visual gags. Even if you shot a car, you would have to remove all identifiable logos, so we knew that Flame and VFX work would be needed for that, too.”
Recognising both the budget limitations and exciting creative potential, HONE engaged in early discussions with close partners to explore feasible solutions, ensuring a realistic approach to the project. Crafting a CG-only ad required specialised expertise and coordination to deliver high-quality results.
Leveraging the agency’s robust rolodex of partners, Kevin reached out to the best in the biz in search of a solution. “We went to close partners to discuss what was feasible, before we engaged in the project officially,” Kevin tells me. “Having done so many CG and animated spots in the past, I was able to identify an amazing CG partner in My Active Driveway, and map out a production plan to maximise the budget and deliver great work.”
As with many of HONE’s previous projects, this initial connection led to introductions to a variety of other creative partners. “Our CG partner had relationships with top talent across the globe: a car modeller in Sweden; an animator in Greece; and a sound designer/audio engineer in Atlanta.”
The next challenge HONE tackled was the social media adaptation. In order to maximise impact across digital platforms, the campaign needed tailored versions optimised for social media consumption.
Collaborating closely with the Devour creative team, HONE facilitated brainstorming sessions to ideate social-specific versions. Resourceful Budget Management: Recognising the budget limitations, HONE engaged in early discussions with close partners to explore feasible solutions, ensuring a realistic approach to the project.
By creating tailored versions for social media platforms, including the inventive "Hood Ornament" and "Salad Fork" iterations, the campaign effectively engaged with audiences across digital channels. Building upon their extensive experience with food and beverage brands, HONE demonstrated their prowess in navigating the unique challenges of the industry, further solidifying their reputation as leaders in the field.
This debut collaboration between HONE and Devour exemplifies the power of innovation, collaboration, and strategic thinking in modern advertising. Reflecting on the project, Kyle tells me how HONE’s excitement for the work and experience across all aspects of the creative process helped GoTo Foods’ in-house team exceed their wildest expectations for the project. “HONE absolutely crushed it!”
By pushing creative boundaries and leveraging their collective expertise, the partners not only delivered a standout campaign but also paved the way for future success in the dynamic landscape of advertising and brand promotion.
“We are obsessed with the spot,” Kyle Lewis adds, “It delivers on the luxury car parody with sleek, hi-tech, tongue-in-cheek humour while highlighting Schlotzsky’s crave-worthy drive-thru menu. Honestly, we’re just waiting for an automotive brand to pick this up and incorporate it into their next concept car. I mean, who wouldn’t want a voice-activated pizza table?!”
