SAS and Guesthouse Take the Mania Out of Data Management
The single best line in this funny new campaign for SAS, a data and AI solutions company, has got to be ‘HR nixed the goat idea,’ as a handful of office drones, clad in Druid-style robes, prepare for the ritual sacrifice of some poor piece of office tech that’s driving them crazy.
Being able to better manage wayyyyy too much data is the underlying theme of this integrated campaign that includes thirty and fifteen second spots and social media videos. gin that includes. It’s the first work for the advertiser from Atlanta-based independent agency Guesthouse, which landed the account earlier this year.
The global campaign, for the brand’s SAS Viya product, “From data to ta-da,” is an extension of the brand’s “Get more done” campaign, initially launched with McCann New York.
The new work breaks in late September across digital and CTV platforms, and five social videos to run across digital and social media. It will run in North America, Europe, Asia, and Latin America. Wes Whitener, Co-Founder and Creative Director at agency/production company Guesthouse, directed the spots.
“The team at SAS shares our philosophy that no one likes advertising – especially in the dry B2B software space – but they do like things that entertain them,” says Mitch Bennett, Guesthouse Co-Founder and Creative Director. “From the first meeting, the SAS team pushed for the funniest, most ritual-sacrifice-y concepts.”
“We want people to think, ‘SAS Viya can help me get more done,’” adds Anson Burtch, Brand Strategist at SAS. “The previous campaign showed that too much data can be overwhelming. Guesthouse helped us show the benefit - that SAS Viya can instantly make sense of it all.”
The spots depict real-life office situations and how co-workers respond to them. In one spot, a team faced with working all night realizes SAS Viya helped them finish early, just as the pizzas arrive, and the delivery guy makes the mistake of assuming they don't need them now. He gets a polite smackdown from one of the workers: “The pizzas stay! This is their home now.”
In the aforementioned sacrifice spot, the team is trying to extract data insights from that poor printer. Another colleague stumbles upon the scene and announces he’s already used SAS Viya to complete the project . A third spot taps into the fact that even when everything is under control, some co-workers just prefer freaking out.
“From day one Guesthouse really understood the project, really understood what we do, and helped distill it down to the essence of the story we were trying to tell,” notes Shawn Gillen, Creative Brand Strategist at SAS.
CREDITS
SAS Viya Credits:
VP Marketing, Brand & Creative: Natalie Osborn
Brand Creative Director: Shawn Gillen
Brand Campaign Marketing Lead: Natalie Benson
Brand Activation Manager: Cassie Lutterman
Sr. Manager, Video Communications: Todd Johnson
Producer, Video Communications: Nikki Gusse
Brand Content Strategist: Evan Markfield
Agency & Production: Guesthouse
Creative Director & Director: Wes Whitener
Creative Director: Mitch Bennett
Head of Brand Growth: Jeff Quick
Line Producer: Matt Ackerman
Post Producer: GBZ Pro
Social DP: Billy Coker
Finishing: Hero Post
Editor: Jeff Jay
Head of Production: Molly Baroco
Producer: Jessica DeLillo
VFX Artist: Andrew Pope
