Destruction videos are all the rage in the digital space. So when Hanes sought to promote its new super soft ComfortBlend line of crews, socks and v-necks, it wanted to tie in this phenomenon to how its ultra-soft apparel can "soften the blow" for most any type of physical destruction. I created this treatment/presentation for a very successful commercial director. I wrote up his vision for the campaign, pulled the visuals, and laid it all out. And though he *didn't* get the job - WTF?! - we made a pretty good run at it.

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SOFTEN THE BLOW
TREATMENT BY
SCOTT KENEALLY!
words, visuals, layout
scott@scottkeneally.com
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Let’s face it, few things are more exciting than
watching things being smashed, crashed,
obliterated and destroyed. No matter how much
we “grow up” or how high up the corporate
ladder we climb, at the end of the day we all
love seeing what an Uzi can do to a pineapple.
And herein lies the genius of this campaign.
“Soften the Blow” indulges our demolition
fantasies in a series of unique experiments,
while cleverly positioning Hanes ComfortBlend
as the Hero. It’s a very smart construct, and
with the addition of our interactive sweepstakes
giveaway, this has all the makings of an instant
Internet sensation. So I’m totally thrilled by the
chance to collaborate with you in bringing this
all to life.
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With that said, I’d now like to dive into the
various elements of my approach…

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While this will be in the same language of YouTube destruction videos, our films will be more professional and
polished. We’ll use great natural lighting, interesting locations and thoughtful compositions to give this
campaign a sharp, cinematic edge. This isn’t to say it will be over-the-top. There’s no beauty lighting or dollies,
and we’re not using a Phantom camera or 35mm. It should always feel like guerrilla-style point-and-shoot
filmmaking. Ultimately, the key is to strike that balance so that it looks fantastic but still feels authentic and
true to the tradition.
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As to graphics and titles, I’m just as excited by the possibilities as you are. And I’m thrilled to hear that you
have a creative team of designers and copywriters to help out. This element can add a lot of depth and
dimension to these films… and humor.

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It’s hard to understate the importance of finding the
right HOST. He’s the face of the campaign, the field
correspondent relaying the play-by-play, and he
needs to be engaging, credible and instantly likable.
And of course, he should be funny without trying too
hard... without trying at all, actually.
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The comedy is subtle, and should live in the
juxtaposition between his serious, professional
demeanor and the sheer absurdity of these demos.
And to this end, I think he should be older than the
deck suggests. If he’s too young I think we lose some
of the power and punch that lies in that contrast. If
he’s a little older, like early 40s, his participation in
such experiments becomes odder and funnier. I like
the idea that he’s a physicist from MIT, able to riff on
all the calculus and physics and minutia behind these
experiments. He’s an expert on impact. It might also
be fun if he was foreign and spoke with a vaguely
foreign accent (a la Kyle Myers of FPS Russia fame).
Whatever the case, he should have some funny
idiosyncrasies and strange quirks that make him both
memorable and totally endearing. I kind of envision
him as a bit of a lunatic genius, like a younger
Werner Herzog.
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As much as I like the idea of a ‘Top Secret Test Facility’, I think that might feel too contrived and lose
some cred. Rather, we should capture these experiments in an array of locations that feel texturally
different and randomly selected. We’re not making a specific point with the setting. They should have
some visual appeal but nothing so striking that it distracts us from the action. And I’d like some of
these settings to have at least some hint of humanity. For instance, if we film one in an open field,
maybe there are low-end suburban houses in the distance… something that gives us a sense of place
and semblance of civilization.

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It almost goes without saying, but this is the
heart and soul of the campaign. It’s the MAIN
EVENT, so to speak, and is the thing that will get
everyone talking. In the next few pages I touch
upon your four main scenarios as well as some
simple, cheaper alternatives. Given the realities
of the budget, I think we’ll have to aim for some
combination of these ideas. At this stage I just
wanted to throw out as many options as possible
and see what excites you. Once I get a sense of
what you dig, we can map those scenarios out
together and come up with a plan of attack.
And without further ado, here we go...

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No matter which way you slice it, this is a super cool
idea. While a catapult has its own medieval appeal, I
think a cannon is the way to go with this one. We can
reach greater speeds with a cannon, and the
gunpowder and fire will add a real theatrical element.
There’s a real Evel Knievel cool factor here. One
option would be to strap a Hanes-wrapped Xbox to
the tip of a mortar and aim it directly into the side of
an abandoned factory building or cliff or something.
And we can rig it with some simple explosives. More
for show than anything else. The flashier the
experiment, the better.
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Our crate falls from the sky, hitting terminal velocity
before shattering on the ground. It’s a very clever play
on the classic Science Fair Egg Drop contest, and is sure
to strike a chord with anyone who made it through high
school physics. That said, I’d like to suggest we use a
small prop plane instead of a helicopter. Something
that skydivers would jump out of. We’ll be able to drop
it from a much higher altitude, and I like the idea of
seeing someone shoving it out.
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Alternately, it might be cool to drop the crate from an
extremely tall bridge and have it smash on the surface
of the water. I think most people would be surprised to
find out just how hard water is when you hit it at
those speeds. Plus, it’d be great to see our host racing
to the scene in a boat. This is just an idea, and one I’d
be happy to explore if it piques your interest.

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This one is a no brainer. I love the idea of a Mack
truck smashing into a crate in the middle of a road.
(And so will everyone watching.) To heighten the
tension and raise the stakes, I suggest the truck be
carrying a heavy load. Maybe a bunch of cars? Sure,
it might take longer to get up to top speed, but
when it crashes into the crate it’ll have that much
more force.
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I’ve got to be honest, I’m not crazy about using an
elephant for this one. Animals, no matter how well
trained they are, just make everything a lot more
complicated. Furthermore, an elephant seems a
touch too precious for this adrenaline-driven,
ultimate destruction world. A military tank on the
other hand… THAT would be pretty badass. Of course,
I’m open to discussing this further with you, but I
think there’s something much more macho about a
tank, earthmover or some other heavy machinery.

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SKEET SHOOTING
We wrap a small porcelain duck figure with a t-shirt and launch it to the sky like a skit. A hunter guns it
down with a shotgun.
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TRASH COMPACTOR
We wrap a tennis racquet in t-shirts and put it through a massive garbage truck compressor.
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JUNKYARD COMPRESSOR
We wrap a Vespa in t-shirts and run it through a junkyard compressor.
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ANGRY GIRLFRIEND
We give a very hot, very angry woman a baseball bat and have her smash the hell out of a t-shirt-
wrapped guitar or Rolex.
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TNT
We wrap a China set with Hanes and detonate a small charge of TNT (old-school style).
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CASE DROP
We wrap a case of beer with t-shirts and drop them from the top of a roof, twenty stories up.
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KARATE CHOP
We wrap a brick with t-shirts and have a black belt karate dude chop it. Will the brick break?
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SLAPSHOT
We wrap an iPhone in a t-shirt and have a hockey player smack it. Or maybe a golfer takes a swing.
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KICK IN THE NUTS
A dude puts a nut inside a t-shirt and then stuffs it down his pants. Then he gets kicked in the nuts. Will
the nut crack?

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I’m really happy you sent this my way. This is exceptional
creative, and the more I think about it the more psyched
I become. I’m looking forward to to make some noise
with you.
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Thanks again.
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Let’s chat soon!