Arbys wanted to say “loaded” to make the return of its limited-time Loaded Italian sandwich pop. Agency, Tombras, Blinkink and director, Zach Tavel delivered. A commercial that could not be any cheesier (and yes, that is an unfortunate, albeit unintended pun).

The video riffs on the late-night dating hotline genre, seducing viewers with lush, sensual imagery of glamorous Italians in lavish settings and the tantalising promise of “hot, juicy Loaded Italians in your area.” Those looking to connect are invited to text 929-ITALIAN. The reveal of the double meaning is not entirely unexpected. The “Loaded Italians” are not people at all, but Arby’s latest creation – sandwiches stacked high with premium Italian meats.

Just in case the campaign’s absurd humour isn’t attention Supaglue, it stars LA Rams quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, who joins an eclectic cast embodying different “Loaded Italians” – a leopard-print-clad woman reclining on a Venetian sofa and a suave long-haired gentleman. Each vignette also sneaks in Arby’s new Loaded Italian Sandwich (keen eyes will spot the framed painting in the dining room scene). Finally, the campaign extends beyond the hero film with a pair of mock-newsreel shorts documenting people who took the ad’s promise literally–expecting romantic encounters, only to find themselves at Arby’s with a Loaded Italian Sandwich in hand.

Director, Zach Tavel, was a tactical choice. He is a pro at subverting expectations and making people laugh. His work often takes inspiration from B-movies and old regional TV commercials and works with practical effects, handmade sets and non-traditional casting methods. Humour is at the core of everything Zach makes, from his quick-witted writing to his persistent experimentation with visual style, He is also the co-founder of US creative studio Easy Pete’s. The campaign was shot in Los Angeles on both 35mm and 16mm, and produced in collaboration with Easy Pete’s, bringing an extra layer of handcrafted satire to the work.

Tavel commented, “I don’t think I’ve ever read an ad script with so much horniness and hilarity all bundled into one (which I suppose is often one in the same, really), so the team and I tried to maintain that spirit throughout the process—by making pieces that feel as genuinely salacious as they are satirical, and trying to make ourselves laugh by how far we could extend the joke out. If every job would allow me to hang out with hot Italians in LA shooting on 35mm film, I wouldn’t be upset about it at all.

”Someone from Tombras was overheard saying, Let us be perfectly clear: this campaign concerns Loaded Italian sandwiches from Arby’s – nothing more, nothing less. Any insinuation to the contrary is unfounded and frankly absurd. We take no responsibility for those who believe they were meeting up with a Loaded Italian who would satisfy anything other than their appetite.”

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by EVAN MICHAEL CONIGLIO (@mreconiglio)

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