1stAveMachine Directing Duo Mathery Rolls Out Colorful, Surreal Campaign for OLLY

Production company 1stAveMachine partners with independent creative agency YARD NYC to develop and refresh the stylized Happy Inside Out campaign for one of the world’s leading multivitamin gummies, OLLY.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivG_X8SUdhY

Mathery, directing duo Erika Zorzi and Matteo Sangalli, bring to life the brand’s wide range of products and their benefits through aesthetically-rich textures, colors, lighting, and a touch of the surreal. “Our vision was to tell a cohesive narrative where each story of the supplements spoke the same visual language,” Mathery explains. “We created worlds where everything is possible and sometimes took each product’s concept to the extreme and other times added some romance to it.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOwpMWTsq2E

Each spot imagines various benefits of taking OLLY products. In the side-scrolling “Energy,” a woman literally jumps and flips with energy through life’s everyday challenges, while “Beauty” features another woman feeling beautiful while turning the heads of a parliament of owls. Meanwhile, “Stress” and “Sleep” go even more surreal with one woman unwinding from a giant ball of yarn, and another resting peacefully during the night via a sleep mask that never comes off.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3NHCYn0huU

Filmed with minimal VFX besides a few green screen moments, the team found themselves making decisions on the fly, constantly managing logistics for stunt choreography, animal performances, and wardrobe. According to Mathery, “The acrobatic moves and obstacle pieces in the ‘Energy’ spot were rehearsed on the same day of the shoot. We had to be mindful because the action was physically demanding on the talent. With the ‘Beauty’ spot, we didn’t have time to prepare with the owls. We had no idea if they would move their heads on command or try to escape and fly around the whole time. For the ‘Stress’ spot, we experimented with various costume designs and materials until we reached a look that humorously captured the concept.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPY9AlfjA0o

The campaign marks Mathery’s second collaboration with YARD NYC and OLLY, who brought the directing team into the fold very early on, during the initial stages of the project. This trust and familiarity gave everyone plenty of time to let the ideas breath, leading to a striking campaign that conveys the unique voice and energy of the OLLY brand. “Everyone was aligned on creative choices, which made this project a lot of fun,” says Mathery. 1stAveMachine’s Executive Producer, Peter Repplier agrees, saying. “We enjoyed working with Yard in establishing the look for their spots the first time around. This time, we focused even more on creating fun moments. Each of us has a different favorite, which we take as a good sign.”

Credits:

Campaign Name: OLLY

Client: OLLY

Agency: YARD NYC

Production Company: 1stAveMachine
Director: Mathery
Partner/Executive Producer: Sam Penfield
Executive Producer: Peter Repplier
Executive Producer: Michaela Mckee

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About 1stAveMachine:

1stAveMachine is a mixed media production company and storytelling outfit. They create video, digital, and experimental content for TV, print, web, and mobile, all with a unified singular vision. They have won numerous awards since their formation, including Gold, Silver, and Bronze Cannes Lions, AICP, One Show, and ANDY awards, and many others. Their work has been featured across the globe and during the Super Bowl, and their division 1stAve Content has been instrumental in pairing the perfect influencers and creators with agencies and brands.