Some ideas are just too good to go to waste.
Motivational Speaker
By Fresh Produce
At Fresh Produce, we have a special place for discarded Fresh Ideas called the Idea Lab. Routinely, ideas that weren’t right for one client reemerge from the Lab as the perfect creative strategy for another. A good idea is a good idea, even if it has to wait its turn.
As part of our 20-year celebration, we decided one idea had waited long enough.
“Motivational Speaker” is a guerrilla stunt where a literal speaker broadcasts motivational wisdom in high-traffic pedestrian areas to lucky passersby. It’s essentially sponsored positivity.
“It just seemed like a fun thing to try,” said Ted. “Nothing too brilliant about it, or strategic, or even necessary. Sometimes those are the ideas that mean the most.”
Calling back to our Idea Co-op roots, we called in some long-time Fresh Produce collaborators. Local artist Steve Bormes brought a psychedelic personality to our speaker with a massive, mask-shaped sculpture with glowing purple eyes. Jonathan Burns—a former FP writer and star of many past ads, like this one–provided the speaker’s motivational voice.
The installation was set up outside the State Theatre on Phillips Avenue where it could catch a steady stream of foot traffic. From an off-site location, Jonathan provided encouraging commentary while members of the Crew ran surveillance.
Was it a smash hit years in the making? See for yourself.
