Director Marie Schuller reintroduces Rosetta Stone as a modern language learning brand at a time when it faces competition from challenger apps
At a time when many Americans are finally taking to the skies for much-postponed international vacations, Duncan Channon is launching a new campaign launching today for Rosetta Stone, the most respected name in language learning. It’s the first work by Duncan Channon since being named Rosetta Stone’s new creative agency of record.
Entitled ‘There’s a Word for That’, the new campaign reintroduces Rosetta Stone as a modern language learning brand at a time when it faces competition from challenger apps and the trend towards gamification. ‘There’s a Word for That’ is inspired by the relatable experience of finding the perfect word to describe that familiar feeling you’ve never quite been able to. The campaign reminds the audience how satisfying learning a language can be – even if it’s just one word or phrase. Two TV spots ‘The Appointment’ and ‘Turf War’ unfold like quirky indie short films, using physical comedy that translates across languages and cultures.
“Everyone knows language learning is a process that takes time and effort, so we made an intentional choice to tell playful stories that focus on the other side of the coin – the joy that comes with even small wins in a new language,” said Kelly McCullough, creative director, Duncan Channon. ‘There’s a Word for That’ shows how satisfying it is to strike upon the perfect word or phrase in comedic vignettes that mark a fresh approach for the legacy brand.”
The clever spots are directed by RSA Films’ Marie Schuller, who is best known for her character-driven fashion and beauty work. In the stories, words in different languages are featured like main characters. Rather than imposing the typography digitally in post production, the words are painted, printed, stamped and embroidered into the physical set — adding cinematic detail. Intentionally inclusive, the spots feature voice talent from Belgium, Canada, Egypt, England, Nigeria and The Philippines. The result is a multicultural tapestry of voices from around the world.
“Duncan Channon asked us to turn these Rosetta Stone concepts into playful and strange movie trailers of foreign films that never happened,” said Marie Schuller, director, RSA Films. “I pushed for shooting 16mm film for a look that works perfectly with the cinematic feel of our worlds and highlights the charming ingenuity of our films. It’s massively rewarding for a director to work with creativity-led agencies like Duncan Channon.”
The campaign includes TV, digital video and paid social media including Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest. Duncan Channon also handled the media strategy and buying, which targets active language learners as well as those with a variety of cultural interests.
“For nearly 30 years, Rosetta Stone has offered the world’s most effective language learning experience, helping everyone from casual learners to language enthusiasts make deeper connections with the world,” said Paul Mishkin, CEO of IXL Learning, Rosetta Stone’s parent company. “When we were looking for a partner to develop fresh new ways to show how fun and approachable it is to learn with Rosetta Stone, Duncan Channon impressed us with their thoughtful creativity and humorous approach. We are excited to kick off our partnership with this clever campaign so that people from all walks of life are inspired to pick up another language with Rosetta Stone.”
CREDITS
AGENCY: Duncan Channon
EXECUTIVE CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Anne Elisco-Lemme
CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Kelly McCullough
ASSOCIATE CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Madeline Lambie
ART DIRECTOR: Luis Gonzalez
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF STRATEGY: Suzanne Montgomery
BRAND STRATEGIST: Adam Flynn
CEO + PARTNER: Andy Berkenfield
ACCOUNT DIRECTOR: Jamie Katz
ASSOCIATE ACCOUNT DIRECTOR + EQUITY MANAGER: Valerie Nerio
ACCOUNT MANAGER: Sarah Nassar
SENIOR PROJECT MANAGER: Arista Ware II
GROUP DIRECTOR OF COMMS PLANNING + PAID SOCIAL: Emily McCormick
DIRECTOR OF DATA + TECHNOLOGY: Robert Griffin
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF PAID SOCIAL: Sam Sickles
COMMUNICATIONS PLANNING SUPERVISOR: Michelle Gomez
SENIOR DATA ANALYST: Paul Callaway
COMMUNICATIONS PLANNER: Kacey Hsu
DIGITAL MEDIA MANAGER: Tilden Oliver
COMMUNICATIONS PLANNING ASSOCIATE: Sara Wiler
PAID SOCIAL MEDIA ASSOCIATE: Jessica Pressman
HEAD OF TV AND CONTENT PRODUCTION: Keenan Hemje
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Rita Ribera Channon
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Susan Crimely
PRODUCTION COMPANY : RSA
DIRECTOR: Marie Schuller
RSA US PRESIDENT: Luke Ricci
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Matilde Ramos Pinto
HEAD OF PRODUCTION: Carolyn Pedrossian
PRODUCER: Julie Sawyer
PRODUCER: Laura Diez
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: Carlos Feher
PRODUCTION DESIGNER: Jon Blud
WARDROBE: Isabel Greece
SERVICE COMPANY: Camino Films
SOUNDS DESIGN/MUSIC – HANDSOME SOUND:
SOUND DESIGN/MIX: Eben Carr
MUSIC COMPOSITION: Dario Tatoli
EDITORIAL – THE DEN:
EDITOR: Katie Cali
ASSISTANT EDITOR: Stephen Shirk
PRODUCER: Marta Navarrete
COLORIST: Gabe Sanchez
LEAD FLAME ARTIST: Game Sanchez
FLAME ASSIST: Denley Ryan
FINISHING PRODUCER: Lamont Lamar
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Jennifer Mersis
MANAGING DIRECTOR: Vic Palumbo
CLIENT : Rosetta Stone
CEO: Paul Mishkin
COO: Jennifer Gu
VP OF MARKETING: Jessica Lee
VP OF DIGITAL MARKETING: John Barth
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