Mellow Mushroom - Cravings - (2016) :30 (USA)

Mellow Mushroom, a hippie-born pizza place in Atlanta, will roll out their first national campaign created by ad agency BooneOakley, Charlotte. The campaign consists of two :30s and two different :15 second edits, all playing on the old parody of pharma ads. Since "Mellow Mushroom" conjures up thoughts of the free-wheeling and pot smoking seventies when the chain was born, this old trope fits this brand better than most. In this spot we see a man suffering from "cravings", while the smooth VO asks “Do you suffer from irritability, boredom, and chronic cravings?” Meanwhile the ticker-disclaimer ensures you know that they didn't conduct any studies to back up these claims. "Not even one.”

Our protagonist finds that he feels better when he's on Magic Mushroom. The punch-line of the campaign is to “Ask your doctor about Mellow Mushroom," in this scene a lab-coated blond joins him in his booth and the VO declares "She may want to come with you."

The ads will run ACC, during every Saturday afternoon game of the 2016 season, Mellow Mushroom is the season’s exclusive Official Presenting Sponsor. A large group of college football fans love a good pizza place, and research showed that these viewers were unfamiliar with the brand.

Ad Agency: BooneOakley, Charlotte
CD: David Oakley
AD: Eric Roch von Rochsburg
CW: Mary Gross
Agency Prod.: Laura George
Production Company: Boulevard Films, Charlotte
Director: Glen Owen
DP: Jordan McMonagle
Exec Producer: Billy Patete
Producer: Angela Street
Post/Color Correct: Wondersmith, Charlotte
Editor: Chris Walldorf
Producer: Joe Murray
Telecine Artist: Clark Bierbaum
Sound: Groundcrew Studios, Charlotte
Engineers: Ross Wissbaum , John Causby