The art of a fight scene

What's the play

Instead of a talking head testimonial, make your best customers the action heroes of a genuinely cinematic video. Clay hired a Hollywood kung fu director, a Marvel fight choreographer, and pro wrestlers, then put its actual customers into a full contact fight scene set to a punk track.

What was the alternative?

A standard customer testimonial video no one rewatches.

Results / what moved

Clay made 'The Art of a Fight Scene,' a full contact kung fu video starring real customers, GTM Engineers from Canva, Intercom, and more, directed by filmmaker Pete Lee with Oakland Hoodslam wrestlers and a YARD soundtrack. It celebrated its power users as heroes and anchored its 'Every artist has a medium. GTM has Clay' campaign alongside billboards on the 101 and MTA ads.

Cost breakdown

A real production: director, choreographer, crew, and talent

Time to pull off

Weeks to plan and shoot

Would you run it again?

Yes. Clay ran it as one of many creative events behind its out of home campaign and clearly plans more.

Steps

1. 1

   Make customers the heroes

   Build the piece around your actual power users, not your product or your team.

2. 2

   Hire real film talent

   Bring in a genuine director, choreographer, and crew so it looks cinematic, not like a corporate skit.

3. 3

   Pick an over-the-top concept

   Choose something bold, like a full contact fight scene, that no B2B company would normally attempt.

4. 4

   Cast committers

   Choose customers willing to fully send it, since a half-hearted performance kills the whole thing.

Notes

Cast your actual power users as the heroes, since the point is that your customers kick ass, not that you do. Hire real craftspeople so it looks genuinely good, not like a corporate skit. Pick customers with the nerve to fully commit to the bit, because half-hearted ruins it.

Receipts

Clay: GTM Engineers step into the limelightJessica Jin's LinkedIn postClay teaser post