How The Local Collective Ran the ‘World’s Most Successful Case Study… Ever’
With Toronto-based agency, The Local Collective, just turning four, it seemed clear that some measure of celebration was in order. But for co-founder Matt Litzinger and the rest of the team, the nature of that festivity was very much up for debate. Was this the perfect moment to reflect on the awesome work of previous years? If so, what medium should be used? And what was the tone supposed to be?
As it turned out, the unifying answer was the idea of a fun video - one rooted in pure enjoyability from a viewer standpoint, with perhaps a pointed message to boot. Specifically, the team recalled the recent trend toward award show videos showcasing results that - sometimes - seemed a little too good to be true, and found the perfect satirical opportunity in that insight.
The result? the ‘World’s Most Successful Case Study… Ever!’ - a comedic video informing viewers that The Local Collective has secretly been responsible for every single time the word ‘local’ has been said, anywhere in the world, within the past few years. Insightful, silly, and made with the purpose of generating some laughs at the quirks of the industry, the short represents the combined efforts of The Local Collective’s talent, and is a piece of work which, according to Matt, “everyone had a lot of fun doin’!”
To learn more, LBB’s Josh Neufeldt sat down with Matt, discussing how this video transformed from concept to final, hilarious product.
LBB> This spot debuted to celebrate the agency turning four! As such, why was a satirical video the right way to commemorate the occasion and reflect upon the past years of work?
Matt> That’s a great question! In the past, around this time of year, we, like most agencies, produce an annual rip video of the great work we’ve been able to create alongside our incredible client partners. And the truth is, we’ll probably do that again. But this time, we felt like we’d been around as an agency for a while, so perhaps we should share a perspective on how we think, versus show the work we’ve done. (And, I think we have all started to notice a trend forming with regards to entry videos… so the timing just felt right).
LBB> Pretending that every time the word ‘local’ is said is a result of the agency is hilarious! How did this idea come to pass, and how did you approach satirising the industry in a clever but non-offensive way?
Matt> I think the general fatigue everyone (not just the peeps from Local) has been feeling with regards to award show case video results has been growing for some time. I have heard from so many of my contemporaries how the idea of the entry video being designed to ensure the ‘proven’ success of something is starting to create a bit of frustration. So, we figured the best way to talk about it is to own it, and decided to create the ‘World’s Most Successful Case Study… Ever!’.
LBB> The spot serves as a way to showcase how The Local Collective thinks. How did you go about reflecting this in the final project?
Matt> We take our process, our people, our relationships, and our work very seriously. But, we don’t take ourselves seriously. Ultimately, we believe one of our best qualities as an agency is having a lot of fun while we make things with our client partners. So, instead of telling people that, we thought, ‘let’s just make something really fun instead!’.
LBB> Tossing around buzzwords like ‘algorithm’ ‘rooting strategy’, as well as the bit with the flowers really fits the theme nicely. Where did these specific scenes and ideas come from?
Matt> Every judging jury I’ve had the honour of being on.
LBB> Does writing with self-referential and satirical humour pose any challenges? And how did the process compare to normal campaign writing?
Matt> The writing process is always fun - especially for something like this where you are really writing for yourself. From a challenge standpoint, being funny is always a delicate balance, and we also wanted to not ‘spoil’ the joke too soon. So, the ridiculousness builds slowly, culminating in the ‘trillion impressions and 10,000 language’ bit.
Compared to writing for our client partners, it’s just as fun and creative, with maybe a little extra dose of freedom.
LBB> Everything, from the narrator to the footage really creates a brilliant piece. What was the casting and assembly process like?
Matt> In terms of the narrator, it’s really an incredible job done by our directing team. We briefed them on the types of individuals we wanted, and they found the perfect cast member! His delivery, his steadfastness, and especially his ability to never break character elevates the piece brilliantly!
As for the footage, that was sourced and brought to life by our incredible editor. Lots of effort went into the flow of the story, as well as finding the correct material, and we are so pleased with how this turned out.
LBB> What was post like? How long did it take to put together the video?
Matt> Post was smooth. It was a lot of work, but honestly, everyone that was involved in this continued to make it better. Once the concept was explained and the script was written, everyone ‘got it’ right away. The whole process was a little over a month - from filming to finish.
LBB> What challenges have you faced during this project? How did you overcome them?
Matt> Honestly, the biggest challenge was just trying to make sure the balance of comedy and self-effacing humour was correct. Luckily, we were surrounded by many talented people, so the project landed exactly as intended.
LBB> Is there anything you’d like to say about the past four years of being an agency?
Matt> We are very lucky! The last four years have been amazing for us. We get to work with people we love, on things we love, in an industry we love. And, we get to have our own, original way of looking at the world. We can’t wait for what’s coming next!
LBB> Is there anything you’d like to add?
Matt> I’m incredibly thankful to have such an incredible group of humans to work with every day. All our partners, clients and co-workers are just the best. And luckily, they love having fun as much as I do.
