Squarespace’s 12th Super Bowl ad, Unavailable, begins in horror film’s traditional, moody black & white with a scream and an ECU of a single eye followed by a distraught face – that of Emma Stone. Got your attention?
The commercial, Unavailable, was created in-house and directed by Stone’s frequent collaborator, Yorgos Lanthimos, and is the most sophisticated production to come to the Super Bowl this year. A 30-second version will run between the first and second quarters with a simple call to action – get your domain before you lose it.
Shot on black-and-white analogue film, Unavailable follows Stone as she tries to register emmastone.com — only to discover that the domain is already taken. Suspense builds with each of her attempts, capturing the frustration of discovering that a piece of her digital identity belongs to someone else.
The very direct call to action responds to the urgency that in today’s crowded digital landscape claiming a plot of virtual real estate matters more than ever.
“This commercial is based on true events. Having the opportunity to play myself in my own home was a joy and a memory I won’t soon forget, despite the pain that came rushing back. Thank you, Squarespace, for honouring my experience,” stated Emma Stone.
The game day spot is the centrepiece of a broader campaign showing Emma’s journey reclaiming her namesake domain. Additional films include The Negotiation, that captures Stone’s increasingly desperate attempts to get her domain name back…
…as well as A Message from Emma Stone, a PSA-style film highlighting the risks of waiting too long to claim one.
“We approach our Super Bowl spots like film rollouts,” stated David Lee, chief brand and creative officer at Squarespace. “That mindset pushes us to create a fully-realised world that feels cinematic rather than commercial. This year, Emma’s emotional performance paired with Lanthimos’ meticulous direction delivers a story where the stakes are immediately clear.”
Credits:
Squarespace In-House
Chief Brand & Creative Officer: David Lee
Group Creative Director: Mathieu Zarbatany
Senior Creative Manager: Ben Hodgin
Principal Creative Writer: Pepe Hernandez
Staff Art Director: Alex Thompson
Staff Creative Writer: Garrick Sheldon
Executive Producer: Wes Falik
Creative Producer, Digital: Dianne Kim
Head of Production: Erica Kung
Head of Business Affairs: Kiersten Bergstrom-Pavlik
Senior Business Affairs Manager: Madeleine Hale
Senior Director, Brand & Creative Strategy: Nate Skinner
Social Media Strategy: Celeste Scott
Design Lead: Albert Chang
Senior Designer: Ryan Carrel, Ryan Dutch
Designer: Jaycee Masucci
Senior Production Designer: Alex Tutelian
Senior Motion Designer: Videl Torres
Staff Photographer: Craig Reynolds
Senior Retouchers: Sara Barr & Derek Kalisher
Staff Video Editor: Sarah Harvey
Creative Developer: Siman Li
Production: Superprime
Director: Yorgos Lanthimos
Managing Directors & Executive Producers: Rebecca Skinner & Michelle Ross
Producer: William Green
Head of Production: Matt Sanders
Associate Producer: Masha Chernitskaya
Director’s Assistant: Stella Bizirtsaki
DOP: Robbie Ryan
1st AD: Hayley Williams
Production Designer: James Price
Costume Designer: Jennifer Johnson
VFX Supervisor: Adam Azmy
Edit: Trim NY
Editor (Unavailable): Tom Lindsay
Editor (A message from Emma Stone & The Negotiation): Alexander Morales
Executive Producers NY: Anne Lai, Luiza Naritomi
Executive Producers LDN: Noreen KhanAssistant Editors: Kevin Vu, Nanako Kawasaki
VFX: One of Us
Visual Effects Supervisor: Adam Azmy
Visual Effects Producer: George Butler
2D Supervisor: Jérôme Foucout
Visual Effects Production Coordinator: Simão Boucherie Mendes
Dailies, Color, & Finishing: Company 3 London
Senior Colourist: Greg Fisher
Additional Colour: Dominic Phipps
Assistant Colourist: Jack Kennedy
Finishing Editor: Toby Aldridge
Executive Producer: Ellora Soret
Senior Producer: Edwin Elkington
Audio: Wave Studios NY
Sound Design: Johnnie Burn
Mix: Austin Ferreira
Assistant Sound Designer: Simon Carroll
Executive Producer: Vicky Ferraro
Producer: Eleni Giannopoulos
Music Composer: Jerskin Fendrix
