At A.W. Media we value our client’s creative direction, however, to provide the best service that we can (in this case, commercial video production) we must also value our team’s own creative impulses. So, every now and then we take on personal projects that allow us to explore our creative potential, but also (hopefully) do some good. One of our most recent commercial video projects we worked on was written to get people talking about the need for better role models for teen-aged girls. While we certainly don’t expect to change the world with one simple ad, if we can get a few people talking, perhaps we can add a little light to the dimly lit path we have left for them.

To make this spot effective, the script couldn’t just be an expository piece, indicating the negative effects social media is having on our youth. We had to capture a “real” mother-daughter relationship (of course, with a bit of embellishment). The “Mom” in the spot, Elizabeth, would be fighting for her daughter’s attention, against the evil grips of “Social Media”. Her “daughter,” Sydney, wouldn’t be having any of it, as any typical teenager wouldn’t.

To really show the grip of Social Media, we decided to have the camera push in during text strings, to be broken only by the “annoying” attempts of her mom for her daughter’s attention.

To drive home the point of her daughter’s complete disinterest in her advances through the phone battle, we had to go one step further and have mom capture the perfect “selfie.” A selfie better than all mom selfies. A selfie, that would most certainly capture her daughter’s attention.

But of course the only thing that would capture her daughter’s attention would be her hard work and dedication, as admired by her “father.” This was pivotal. We needed to show that positive role models are determined based on their actions and achievements, and not on their looks, social following, or altered portrayals of healthy body image, or, as in this case, lame attempts at grabbing attention. If we could successfully show that, it would serve as a gentle reminder, that as long as we support the infrastructures that our youth are using to communicate, then we have an obligation to help guide the conversations on-line. Contributing to the “Lord of the Flies” situation that currently surrounds us, or thinking that ignoring the current on-line atmosphere surrounding our youth is somehow going to right itself is naïve and idealistic. So let’s join the conversations and start talking about positive role models. They’re out there, and they’re awesome.

#RealInspiration