Funerals don’t have to be elaborate. That’s a naked truth.
Bare was founded by two blokes who challenged the pomp and the expense of funerals. Agency, Born, has given bare the campaign that underlines its intention perfectly. The campaign defies the pomp, and probably the expense, of funeral category advertising. It’s straightforward, unembellished and honest.
The campaign is led by a 60-second commercial, The Most Bare Funeral Ad Ever, that not only cuts through the category’s advertising like a scalpel, it also cuts through the mystique and the “imperative” that push people to sign up for elaborate funerals, that often they didn’t really want.
Bare was founded in 2019 by Sam McConkey and Cale Donovan, from a desire to improve the funeral industry, which, through personal experiences of loss, they found to be opaque, overly complicated, and unnecessarily costly. They gave themselves a mission to simplify, personalise and reduce the cost of funerals.
Born was appointed by Bare earlier this year, with the brief to develop a campaign that communicated Bare’s core brand proposition, Hard, made easier.
David Coupland, Born co-founder and strategy director, stated,“We have always admired Bare, and so being given the chance to work with them on their first ever TVC was a real privilege. Through our discussions, it became clear that the most authentic way to convey what makes Bare different, was to just let Sam and Cale speak directly to the audience. The story Bare needed to tell was not just about what they do, but why they do it. This campaign was designed to relate to their baby-boomer audience, a generation who are often mismarketed to, and who resonate with narratives that include themes of resilience, perseverance, and authenticity.”
“From day one, our mission at Bare has been to strip back the layers of complexity and cost that have clouded the industry for too long,” added Sam McConkey, co-founder of Bare. “With The Most Bare Funeral Ad Ever, we’re inviting people into an honest conversation about what funeral services can be – simple, affordable, and focused on the needs of the families we serve. Partnering with Born has allowed us to articulate this vision in a way that we believe will resonate deeply with Australians. It’s not just about changing an industry; it’s about changing the experience of one of life’s most significant moments, making it more authentic and accessible for everyone.”
The TVC, produced with indie production company, Last Humans, is just one component of a broader campaign strategy that includes print, and digital elements, all designed to reinforce the message that funerals can and should be approached differently.
Credits:
Client: Bare
Co-founder: Sam McConkey
Co-founder: Cale Donovan
VP of Marketing: Kacy Ratta
Agency: Born
Creative Director: Jenny Lennon
Strategy Director: David Coupland
Production Company: Last Humans
Creative Director: Jenny Lennon
Producer: Autumn Loveday
DOP: Matthew Cresswell
Editor: Mariam Raymone
1st AC: Josiah Atkins
Gaffer: Nik Damaniakis
ELX #1: Blake Hull-Moody
Sound: Joseph Dutaillis
Make-up: Lucy Jackson
Runner: Thea Hayes
Photographer: Tim Jones
Digi Operator: John-Paul Westlake
Stills Assistant: Joey Clarke
