Still life with credit card

The Stockholm-based agency Kurppa Hosk Communications has created a campaign for re:member that stands out in a category often defined by heady lifestyle imagery. 

Instead, this duo of films, directed by Gustav Egerstedt through Giants & Toys, are defined by an oddly meditative, deadpan tone and slow pace. The concept centres on the fact that, ironically, consumers are having a hard time recalling the brand’s name. To address this they homed in on repetition – the mother of all learning. 

Each film lingers awkwardly, unfolding around an everyday situation in which a credit card appears and becomes the sole focus of attention. There is no urgency, no explanation and no attempt to attach meaning beyond the object itself. 

The characters simply observe the card, allowing repetition, framing and silence to do the work. “I love the idea of taking the product and just looking at it. No metaphors, no drama, no escalation. Just people calmly acknowledging what they’re looking at. It’s a very honest ad," says director Gustav Egerstedt. 

Note pleasing details in Sofa, such as the soft bubbling of a fish tank and an odd leopard sculpture. In Back, no explanation is given as to why a squash player in a changing room has a credit card stuck to his back.