Who says you can’t have a little fun in the office? That’s why Zapier is bringing an iconic song, some fancy footwork, and recurring character “Al” to its latest campaign, featuring a hilarious performance embodying the feeling of using Zapier’s AI Automation software.
Created by creative agency Strange Family, “Call me Al” re-enters the office world of Zapier’s recent Super Bowl spot featuring a helpful employee named “Al”. When he helps a coworker get started using AI automation, “Al” breaks into a surprisingly adept dance performance around the office, locked in a playful, Zapier-induced flow state backed by Paul Simon’s “You Can Call Me Al”.
Directed by Even/Odd’s Andy Madeleine, the new 60s spot expands on the comedic tone and characters first introduced by Even/Odd director Syra McCarthy in Zapier’s “We Got AL” Super Bowl spot. Drawing from his experience with music and performance-driven storytelling, Madeleine collaborated with choreographer Dana Wilson to craft a dance sequence that feels true to “Al” — earnest, approachable, and a touch goofy.
“Not only did we have to make it make sense within the pre-existing Zapier universe. We wanted to keep the bookends simple but comical,” says Madeleine. “That meant that everything from the tone of the comedy to the dance had to encapsulate the elements of ‘Al’s’ personality that people responded to from the first spot.”
The campaign is part of an ongoing collaboration between Zapier, Strange Family and Even/Odd, including last year’s Super Bowl LX spot “We got Al,” as well as “Zap for Zap,” “Zap, AI in a Can,” “The Enterprise Psychic,” “Magical Machines,” and “Unexpected Automators.” “Call me Al” debuts across Meta, YouTube and LinkedIn.
“Our agency’s creative mantra is ‘offbeat ideas for brands breaking norms’ and this is offbeat in every way,” explains Ben McNutt, Strange Family Founder & Executive Creative Director. “In today’s market environment, normal is just more noise, especially in tech where so many brands are telling a slightly different version of the same AI story. This campaign throws all of that out of the window and gets back to what brand creative should be — making people feel something that they can’t forget.”
