ServiceNow Remake Humorous TV Campaign 'Take Care of Business From Home' in Current Covid-19 Climate

ServiceNow provides a cloud-based platform that enables digital workflows that create great experiences and unlock productivity for employees. Today, ServiceNow released a new TV campaign that strategically, and humorously, reflects how the company is continuing to support its customers in today’s environment.

The work is a timely remake of an ad that ServiceNow launched in January. The original TVC, “Celebration” also showed how the Now Platform proactively manages workflows so employees can do the work they want to do – that’s work worth celebrating. Set in a traditional office space, the film no longer fit with the current reality in which most Americans are working from home. So, the brand adapted, turning to creative agency partner BBDO San Francisco, to quickly create something more relevant and timely and get it into market.

Alan Marks, chief marketing and communications officer at ServiceNow, said: “ServiceNow makes work, work better for people. We’re all in this together, and we wanted to show our customers that we understand their changing needs and that ServiceNow can help. The spot provides a moment of levity, but it also conveys that ServiceNow’s technology enables people to stay connected and productive, anywhere in any environment. And it does so as a natural extension of the brand campaign we already had in market.”

The production itself was managed 100% remotely and to the highest safety standards. The final spot was shot on an iPhone 11s (shooting 4K through the front-facing camera).  Built-in laptop cameras dialed into video-conferencing were also used to create a low-res live preview, which allowed for fast reviews and communication. The director took virtual tours of the actors’ homes and closets via FaceTime, picking out the best locations and outfits. For the few items that needed to be delivered to the actors (microphones, external hard-drives, and a few key props), a producer fully sanitised each one and left them on each actor’s doorstep for no-contact delivery.

The actors set up their cameras and managed the recording, cutting, and uploading of footage to iCloud. And, in true “we’re all in this together” fashion, family members of the actors (already living with them) helped with wardrobe, background dressing, and tech issues.

“Our job has always been to help solve problems for our clients. Sometimes it’s a massive brand communication problem. Other times it’s a ‘producing-in-a-time-of-no-production’ problem. This unorthodox shoot is a great example of what can happen when agency, client and production partners come together and apply a little nimble creativity to whatever obstacles come our way,” said Matt Miller, CCO of BBDO San Francisco.

The work will run on TV channels like CNBC and the Golf Network, and online.