Revelator is an Ad Age “Editor’s Pick”

Our new campaign highlights that life can be hell, but when Ad Age selects your new campaign as their Editor’s Pick? Well, we consider that a delightful reprieve. Ad Age was kind enough to highlight Revelator’s Better Mortgage project for our agency friends at ButterCo, which blends heightened scenarios with creativity and a powerful message. In a world where daily stress levels are at an all-time high, we were excited that ButterCo and Better Mortgage were taking a bold approach to connect with their potential audience through this series of refreshingly comedic commercials. We jumped at the opportunity to work with them on a campaign that brings humor and relief to the often daunting process of securing a mortgage.

The trio of ads, directed by Revelator’s own Matt Muir, places the spotlight on an air traffic controller, a detective, and a bomb disposal specialist—three archetypes of high-stress professions. Each spot showcases these characters as they battle the intense demands of their work, only to find themselves facing yet another seemingly insurmountable challenge: getting a mortgage. But in a twist, Better Mortgage steps in to simplify the process, allowing these harried professionals to experience a rare moment of relief.

We knew the strength of the campaign lived in its simplicity and sharp writing. So, ads are shot with a simple approach that puts the focus squarely on the characters and their dialogue. But, just because it LOOKS simple, doesn’t mean that was the case. Due to the campaigns timeline and budget, we thought the moody sets would be enhanced by being designed and executed for the volume stage. So, we worked with our client to craft the perfect set of environments and shot them at Virtigo Pictures, right here in Austin, Texas.

Because of the heightened scenarios, we worked hard with the creative team to make sure the humor was dry, with just the right amount of absurdity to keep viewers engaged. Whether it’s the detective’s exasperated delivery of the word “fissure” or the bomb defuser’s incredulity at the idea of another complication, the performances needed to balance the line between abdurdist comedy and the dramatic pressures of real life.

Michael Rosenau, head of design and creative at Better, explained to Ad Age the strategy behind the campaign: “Better is still a relatively unknown brand. We wanted to take a swing at presenting the product and the brand in a fun and unexpected way. Home loans are not cool, exciting, or fun. But what customers get from one can change their lives. We were looking for a surprising way to communicate that.”

Rosenau’s sentiment resonates deeply in the current cultural climate. With so much pressure on consumers in their daily lives, the last thing anyone needs is a complicated mortgage process. We think the campaign acknowledges this reality with a tone that’s both empathetic and humorous—qualities not often associated with financial services advertising. Jeffrey Butterworth, founder of ButterCo., also tells Ad Age, “This is the first of three campaigns we’re doing with Better, and we were given a lot of rope. We knew there were core messages to get across, but how we went about getting to those is where all the fun lies.”

We loved that the initial scripts didn’t shy away from the absurd, with humor that ranges from the subtly ridiculous to the delightfully bizarre. Revelator is the kind of production company that loves to provide creative options to our client so we worked with ButterCo and our actors to make sure the scripted moments were delivered, but that we also had a lot of options to craft the perfect balance for our funny bits. And as Butterworth points out, the jokes are never gratuitous. “We’re never afraid of the absurd, random, and even potty jokes, but they have to be in service of the message. This campaign is right in line with what that blend of quasi-dumb humor offset by a super practical product offering can look like when it hits right.”

We were so excited to create this campaign with our collaborators at ButterCo. and Better Mortgage. With the word of mouth off to such a strong start with this campaign, it’s clear that our partners are committed to breaking the mold of traditional mortgage advertising. By tapping into the universal experience of stress and pairing it with unexpected humor, we believe that we’ve created a campaign that not only entertains but also reassures potential homebuyers that, with Better Mortgage, at least one part of their life can be made easier. We’re so excited that viewers can enjoy the cathartic humor of these spots, knowing that even in life’s most stressful moments, Better Mortgage has their back.