CLIENT: MORGAN STANLEY / AGENCY: HUGE

WORKED WITH A TEAM OF WRITERS TO DEVELOP MESSAGING FOR MORGAN STANLEY’S FAMILY PORTRAITS CAMPAIGN. WROTE SHORT COPY FOR BANNER ADS AND CRAFTED SCRIPTS FOR RADIO AND VIDEO.

MORGAN STANLEY: PRE-ROLE :30 VIDEO SCRIPTS

The concept here was to use humor to expose our cultural apprehensions about discussing financial matters with our family. The goal was to present the Morgan Stanley financial advisor as someone who can help families negotiate these difficult conversations about money. In the end, Morgan Stanley thought the humor was a bit off-brand, so we went back to the drawing board. Nevertheless, our team at HUGE really enjoyed them.

THE SHED

 EXT - BACKYARD - LATE AFTERNOON

 Establishing shot of a backyard. Somewhere in America. A thin layer of snow covers the ground. A small shed is in the foreground. We hear voices off screen.

 OS1: No. You can’t back out. You need to be the one.

 OS2: Why me?

 We cut to the interior of the shed. It’s cramped and cluttered with tools, gardening supplies, paint etc. SIMON and MARY, both in their early forties, are huddled together awkwardly with a flashlight illuminating the scene. It’s cold and we see their breath.

 MARY: Because none of us can talk about money with dad. We don’t know how.

 SIMON: What are you talking about? You guys are all accountants. I’m a pediatrician.

 The door suddenly opens. BILL, a man in his seventies, stands staring at Mary and Simon.

 BILL: What are you guys doing in here?

 SIMON & MARY: Nothing.

 VO: Some topics are not so easy to talk about. Morgan Stanley. Let’s put it on the table.

THE REHEARSAL 1

 INT - BATHROOM - NIGHT

 Close up on a young man’s face.  ALEX is in his thirties and staring forward with intensity. Sweat is beading on his forehead. He takes a deep breath.

 ALEX: Listen. (pause) I know…

 He stops. He closes his eyes. He takes another deep breath.

 ALEX: Listen. (pause) I want to talk about…

 He stops again.

 ALEX: We want to talk about your will.

 Alex stares forward. He swallows. We hear someone knocking on a door. Alex turns. We cut to a man standing at a door in the hallway of a house. He knocks on the door again. We cut to a medium shot of Alex. It is revealed that he is alone in a bathroom, talking to himself in the mirror.

 ALEX: Just a minute.

 VO: Some topics are not so easy to talk about. Morgan Stanley. Let’s put it on the table.

THE REHEARSAL 2

 INT - BATHROOM - NIGHT

 Close up on an elderly man’s face. JAMES is in his seventies and distinguished looking. He stares forward solemnly.

 JAMES: Listen son. (pause) Some things…

 He stops. Closes his eyes. Breathes.

 JAMES: Listen son. (pause) Death (pause) death is mutual…

 James stares forward. We hear a woman’s off screen voice.

 OS: Mutual? Death is mutual?

 We cut to a wide shot of James and his wife HELEN standing in their large bathroom. They are at separate sinks in front of a mirror. James is wearing a towel around his waist. Helen is in a bathrobe with lipstick in her hand.

 JAMES: What?

 MARY: Mutual?

 JAMES: Yeah. You know. It’s mutual. Isn’t it?

 VO: Some topics are not so easy to talk about. Morgan Stanley. Let’s put it on the table.

THE GARAGE

 INT - GARAGE - NIGHT

 Close up on a young woman’s face. JENNY is in her thirties and she stares forward intensely. She takes a deep breath.

 JENNY: I have something to ask you. (pause) I…

 Jenny closes her eyes. She breathes.

 JENNY: Bill and I. (pause) We’re looking to buy a house…

 We hear a knocking sound and a man’s voice off screen.

 OS: Jenny?

 We cut to a wide shot of BILL standing in a garage next to the driver’s door of a mini van. He knocks again on the window.

 BILL: Jenny? What are you doing, honey?

 Cut to medium shot of Jenny in the car. She grabs her phone from the passenger seat.

 JENNY: Forgot my phone.

 Jenny exits the car. The two walk into the house.

 VO: Some topics are not so easy to talk about. Morgan Stanley. Let’s put it on the table.