“It Could Happen Today” Campaign

YouTube Link

Challenge & Objective

While two-thirds of the United States’ earthquake risk lies in California, less than 15% of residents opt for earthquake coverage, often due to a lack of awareness regarding the limitations of standard insurance policies. The objective was to penetrate this widespread complacency with a campaign that acknowledged the scientific reality of earthquakes while offering a clear, accessible path to preparation via CEA. 

Runyon Saltzman agency had reached out for a proposal on a statewide TV commercial campaign, and emphasized a creative strategy designed to move beyond traditional fear-based messaging. The creative concept employed a moody, contemplative vibe, capturing the quiet, reflective moments of early morning when thoughts on life, choices, and profound questions co-occupy the receding haze of a night’s rest.

This strategy resonated keenly, inspiring us to construct a visual proposal reflective of the atmosphere and scenery it composed in our minds. We set out with an approach more akin to a fly-on-the-wall, vaguely anonymous yet familiar. The visual narrative would follow mundane moments of early dawn hours across a variety of California settings, evoking an intimate self-recognition on the part of viewers across the state. We hoped to ask the question without provoking fear, but reassuring that while the thought of a major earthquake is indeed very troubling, preparatory steps are available that can at least mitigate the potentially catastrophic financial impacts such an event can have on individuals and families.

Our agency friends at RSE certainly registered a vote of confidence in our execution abilities with this particular project, as it came with a hefty list of deliverables, a wide geographic footprint, and a rather less-than-ideal deadline. Thankfully, we were more than fortunate to arrive on the project with most of the heavy creative lifting well done and set.

Campaign Deliverables:

• (2) Hero versions for statewide run (:30 master & :15 cutdown)
• (8) Targeted versions (:30 masters & :15 cutdowns)
  1. Los Angeles
  2. San Francisco
  3. San Diego
  4. Renters
• (3) Language versions each to ensure broad, equitable statewide reach: English, Spanish, and Chinese
• (2) Audio versions for radio broadcast
• (25) Photos for print & web

Production Scope & Execution

Our rather aggressive timeline would consist of just two weeks from onboarding to day 1 of shooting, and just two weeks from shooting to final delivery! With such a tight window and broad scope for the project, we’re incredibly proud of our results on the entire undertaking. We truly couldn’t have pulled it off without such seasoned professionals pressing alongside us every step of the way; that includes the client and agency as well as our core crew and day players.

Key Production Metrics:

• Pre-Production: 2 weeks
• Total locations: 16
• Total Shoot Days: 5
• Post-Production: 2 weeks
• Total Deliverables: 55

Location & Style:

The production involved a week of cross-state travel, capturing placid scenes during twilight hours—just before or after sunrise and sunset.

• Exterior Locations: Residential and downtown settings in Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Francisco, plus neighborhood and park exteriors in midtown Sacramento.
• Interior Filming: All home interior scenes (kitchen, bedroom, living room) were filmed in a single large house in Dixon, meticulously styled to represent different California homes.

Core Production Team:

• Director: Rusty Prevatt
• Cinematographer/DP: Dave Prevatt
• Agency Creatives: Laura B. and Josh C.
• Producer: Stefan Anderson 
• Line Producer (Southern CA): Elliot Sisson
• Production Manager: Brittany McMahon

Never content to phone it in, we signed up for more than just the on-site logistics of a production spread across California’s metropoles; we ran the casting, secured locations and permits, facilitated still photography production for web and social content, and directed the talented Maya Tuttle through recording an iconic voiceover.

Outcome

The campaign was a complete success. RSE’s first viewing with the client was met with surprisingly positive feedback which reportedly included standing applause and tears, underscoring the deep impact of the message and creative. CEA saw increased growth over the campaign’s run, confirming the creative strategy’s effectiveness in encouraging action.