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Sandy Hook Promise “Just Joking” 2023

Sandy Hook Promise “Just Joking” (2023) is a Sandy Hook Promise commercial directed by Henry-Alex Rubin for BBDO, produced by Smuggler. It won 8 awards, including Clio Health 2024 Gold — Film / 61 Seconds to Five Minutes, Cannes Lions 2024 Film Silver and Epica 2024 Silver Public Interest – Health & Safety.

Comedians deliver jokes that turn out to be actual threats made by school shooters, highlighting the chilling reality of gun violence.

Video: Sandy Hook Promise on YouTube

Shot by shot

  1. A female comedian with dark hair and a patterned shirt performs stand-up comedy on stage, holding a microphone against a blue background.© Sandy Hook Promise0:18
  2. A male comedian in a patterned shirt performs stand-up comedy on stage in a dimly lit club, gesturing with his hands to an unseen audience.© Sandy Hook Promise0:24
  3. A Black male comedian in his 30s performs stand-up comedy on stage at a brick-walled club, holding a microphone and gesturing.© Sandy Hook Promise0:40
  4. A male comedian with a beard and a cap stands on stage, holding a microphone and smiling at the audience in a comedy club.© Sandy Hook Promise0:47

Stills © Sandy Hook Promise. Made by BBDO, Smuggler and Henry-Alex Rubin.

Every shot, full-quality frames and clips, and search across every commercial. Free account.

The idea

Comedians unknowingly deliver real school shooter threats as jokes.

Tagline: “These are all real threats made by school shooters. But everyone thought they were joking.”

dark humorunsettling revealfound footage stylemisdirectionreal-life quotescontrast

The cut

Length
107 s
Shots
27
Average shot
4.0 s

What creatives use Sandy Hook Promise “Just Joking” for

  1. 01Reference frames for your treatment

    Pitching something with the feel of Sandy Hook Promise “Just Joking”? A screenshot from a video player won't hold up in a deck.

    Download any frame of this spot at full quality, with its credits, or search every spot for the same look.

    A female comedian with dark hair and a patterned shirt performs stand-up comedy on stage, holding a microphone against a blue background.© Sandy Hook PromiseA male comedian in a patterned shirt performs stand-up comedy on stage in a dimly lit club, gesturing with his hands to an unseen audience.© Sandy Hook PromiseA Black male comedian in his 30s performs stand-up comedy on stage at a brick-walled club, holding a microphone and gesturing.© Sandy Hook PromiseA male comedian with a beard and a cap stands on stage, holding a microphone and smiling at the audience in a comedy club.© Sandy Hook Promise
    Frames from Sandy Hook Promise “Just Joking”

  2. 02Shot list example: how it was cut

    You need the structure of a great spot, shot by shot, for your storyboard.

    Every shot of Sandy Hook Promise “Just Joking” in order, with its length, framing and what happens in it.

    A female comedian with dark hair and a patterned shirt performs stand-up comedy on stage, holding a microphone against a blue background.© Sandy Hook PromiseA male comedian in a patterned shirt performs stand-up comedy on stage in a dimly lit club, gesturing with his hands to an unseen audience.© Sandy Hook PromiseA Black male comedian in his 30s performs stand-up comedy on stage at a brick-walled club, holding a microphone and gesturing.© Sandy Hook PromiseA male comedian with a beard and a cap stands on stage, holding a microphone and smiling at the audience in a comedy club.© Sandy Hook Promise
    Length: 107 s · Shots: 27 · Average shot: 4.0 s

  3. 03Ad ideas: every spot built on a dark humor

    Before you present an idea, you need to know who has done it, and how.

    Sandy Hook Promise “Just Joking” is built on a dark humor. Search the library by idea to see every spot that uses it.

    Studena “A Cry For Hydration”© StudenaIKEA “Lamp”© IKEAManscaped “Hair Ballad”© ManscapedLife360 “I Think of You Dying”© Life360
    Studena · IKEA · Manscaped · Life360

More commercials by Henry-Alex Rubin

  • Budweiser "American Icons" (2026) commercial still© BudweiserBudweiser “American Icons” 2026Dir. Henry-Alex Rubin · BBDOAICP Awards Winner 2026
  • Marmite "Smugglers" (2025) commercial still© MarmiteMarmite “Smugglers” 2025Dir. Henry-Alex Rubin · adam&eveNYCANDY Awards Gold 2025
  • Google "Dream Job" (2025) commercial still© GoogleGoogle “Dream Job” 2025Dir. Henry-Alex Rubin · Google Creative LabAICP Awards Winner 2025
  • Apple "Heartstrings" (2025) commercial still© AppleApple “Heartstrings” 2025Dir. Henry-Alex Rubin · TBWA\Media Arts Labshots Awards Gold 2025
  • Dove "Most Likely To" (2025) commercial still© DoveDove “Most Likely To” 2025Dir. Henry-Alex Rubin · Ogilvy CanadaThe One Show Gold 2025
  • Sandy Hook Promise "Back-To-School Essentials" (2019) commercial still© Sandy Hook PromiseSandy Hook Promise “Back-To-School Essentials” 2019Dir. Henry-Alex Rubin · TBWA\Media Arts LabEmmy (Outstanding Commercial) 2020

More from BBDO

  • Pepsi "Pepsi Super Bowl LX" (2026) commercial still© PepsiPepsi “Pepsi Super Bowl LX” 2026Dir. Taika Waititi · BBDOANDY Awards Gold 2026
  • Neutrogena "Neutrogena Remembers" (2026) commercial still© NeutrogenaNeutrogena “Neutrogena Remembers” 2026BBDOEffie Awards Gold 2026
  • OKX Crypto "What is OKX" (2023) commercial still© OKX CryptoOKX Crypto “What is OKX” 2023Dir. Andreas Nilsson · BBDOshots Awards Gold 2023
  • Change the Ref "Manuel & Patricia" (2021) commercial still© Change the RefChange the Ref “Manuel & Patricia” 2021BBDOLondon International Awards Gold 2021
  • Snickers "Grandma" (2019) commercial still© SnickersSnickers “Grandma” 2019Dir. David Shane · BBDOLondon International Awards Gold 2018
  • AT&T "Train" (2019) commercial still© AT&TAT&T “Train” 2019Dir. Dougal Wilson · BBDOKinsale Sharks Gold 2019

Award-winning public service & ngo commercials

Questions

Who directed the Sandy Hook Promise “Just Joking” commercial?

Henry-Alex Rubin directed it, produced by Smuggler, for the agency BBDO.

Which agency made Sandy Hook Promise “Just Joking”?

BBDO created it for Sandy Hook Promise (2023).

What awards did Sandy Hook Promise “Just Joking” win?

8 awards, including Clio Health 2024 Gold — Film / 61 Seconds to Five Minutes, Cannes Lions 2024 Film Silver, Epica 2024 Silver Public Interest – Health & Safety and Clio 2024 Bronze — Film Craft / Casting/Performance.

What is the tagline of Sandy Hook Promise “Just Joking”?

“These are all real threats made by school shooters. But everyone thought they were joking.”

Sources for the credits and awards

en.wikipedia.orgaicpawards.comThe WorkThe Workwinners.epica-awards.comweb.archive.orgclios.comclios.com