"Sluggish"

6 January 2025

60s

A relatable slug.

Wealthsimple put their faith in Epoch's Martin de Thurah to make a slug relatable in this US TVC. The Danish director, in turn, put his faith in Jon Abrahams's excellent voiceover to ensure the audience sees themselves in the intrepid beast. Well, we say 'intrepid' but, in reality, this is not a supremely confident slug... and that's really the point of the whole exercise because we all have doubts.

In an episode of 'The West Wing', political consultants Josh Lyman and Toby Ziegler are in a bar after being left behind by the presidential motorcade and find themselves in the company of a middle-aged man who has been accompanying his daughter as she contemplates her college options. The man ruefully says that he "knew it was going to be hard" to meet the financial obligations of supporting his family and that he accepts that, but adds that he just wishes it could be a"a little bit easier".

It was a simple idea and it became the basis of a short-lived political initiative within 'The West Wing', and something of its spirit lurks in the monologue written for the slug in this spot as he tackles the difficult business of reaching his destination.

Wealthsimple may not be able to make it easy, but perhaps they can make it just a little bit easier, and de Thurah's skill in bringing a VFX mollusc to life helps to convey the message.

USA

Financial Services