Good Behavior's Pete Marquis Directs Mad Scurry of Live Squirrels in Latest NJM Spot
Brownstein and NJM Insurance Group premiered “Nuts,” a new spot for their fully-integrated campaign geared towards the insurance company’s commercial customers – and it’s a little bit nutty (no, really).
“Nuts” follows others in this campaign (such as “Banana” and “Bull”), and builds off the idea that NJM is more than you’d expect by showcasing business scenarios that have surprising outcomes. It is set inside a nut factory, and opens with what looks like a looming accident: a loose bolt drops a nut into the machinery among dozens of peanuts. Just when the audience braces for the obvious, the scene takes an unexpected turn as the nut is freed from the peanuts while an air duct collapses – spilling dozens of squirrels loose into the factory. The reversal reinforces NJM’s campaign premise: much like the scenarios on screen, NJM’s service goes beyond what business owners anticipate, providing reliability in places they may not expect.
Directed by Pete Marquis and produced by Good Behavior – recently named a 2025 Ad Age A-List Production Company Standout – the work is highly visual with no dialogue, relying instead on cinematic reversals and comedic timing. The shoot combined live-trained squirrels with visual effects, blending realism and whimsy to heighten the unexpected outcome.
“We wanted to push the campaign’s signature reversals in a way that felt totally unexpected yet true to NJM,” said Gary Greenberg, chief creative officer at Brownstein Group. “This spot leans into dry humor and visual storytelling to highlight NJM’s no-nonsense approach to business insurance. We joked that the squirrels were actually the easiest part of the shoot. We just gave them peanuts and a path to run, and they delivered. It was a perfect metaphor for NJM: Sometimes the unexpected ends up being the most reliable part of the process.”
“The challenge and joy of this concept was striking the right balance between the surreal and the grounded,” said Pete Marquis. “We wanted the humor to feel earned, not exaggerated. Collaborating with Brownstein allowed us to build a world where squirrels invading a nut factory somehow feels totally plausible—and even more, on brand for NJM.”
This campaign launched in September across CTV/OTT, social, and digital channels.
Credits
NJM Insurance Group
Cam Maio, VP Marketing
Steven Goldman, AVP – Sales/Policyholder Services
Lauren Vescio, Marketing Manager
Brownstein Group
Gary Greenberg, VP, CCO
Meredith Schwindler, Group Creative Director
Chris Granier, Group Creative Director
Adrian Castillo, Creative Director
Ryan Cook, Associate Creative Director
Jennifer Betit, Art Director
Nicole Lundy, Executive Producer
Jennifer Judge, Producer
Ryan Paton, Group Account Director
Kiran Sardar, Account Director
Amelia Mulvaney, Account Executive
Good Behavior
Pete Marquis, Director
Victoria Guenier, Executive Producer
Adam Lawson, Producer
Ashley Krick, Production Supervisor
Daniel Scott, Production Coordinator
Zach Voytas, Director of Photography
Laurent Turlure, Production Designer
