Squarespace: A Tale As Old As Websites
Squarespace needed to celebrate its 11th Super Bowl appearance by reinforcing its position as the definitive platform for entrepreneurs. Squarespace In-House New York was tasked with creating a high-impact film that highlighted the brand's long-standing role in the internet's evolution. The goal was to inspire anyone with a dream to professionalize their craft using Squarespace's design-led tools, targeting a massive global audience during the Big Game.
Creative Idea
An ancient Irish village receives modern websites delivered door-to-door by a donkey-riding Barry Keoghan.
Squarespace reimagined its history as a cinematic Irish folklore legend where Barry Keoghan delivers websites door-to-door. By placing modern tech in a rugged, ancient setting, it proved that Squarespace makes any dream real, regardless of how traditional the craft.
The Website Deliveryman and the Irish Storm
A Masterclass in In-House Production
Squarespace In-House solidified its status as a creative powerhouse by managing this 11th consecutive Super Bowl appearance internally. Led by CCO David Lee, the team collaborated with director Steve Rogers and production partners Biscuit Filmworks, Revolver, and Bodacious to create a high - art "Story - driven Brand Film." The campaign achieved an EDO Engagement Index of 204, proving to be 104% more effective at driving consumer searches than the average Big Game spot. It dominated its category with a 37% share of engagement, significantly outperforming competitors like GoDaddy and Salesforce.
Battling the West Coast Elements
Filming on the West Coast of Ireland presented extreme logistical hurdles. During the second day of production, a massive storm nearly overturned the production trucks. The crew was forced into a last - minute pivot, relocating to a protected cliffside to capture the remaining footage in a narrow window of daylight. This rugged backdrop served the "Banshees of Inisherin" aesthetic, leaning into the cultural "Irish Wave" in Hollywood. The sonic identity was equally deliberate; sound designers used a baleful bagpipe score and a rhythmic, mystical chant of the word "Squarespace" by Barry Keoghan to force viewers to listen more intently.
The Donkey and the Digital Template
The campaign featured Don Mosley, a donkey who became a breakout star. Squarespace extended the narrative by releasing a functional website template named "Mosley" and a comedic short film, *Barry and Mosley*, where Keoghan helps the donkey build a professional acting portfolio. Easter eggs throughout the main spot, such as Keoghan flinging laptops like 19th - century newspapers, added a layer of dry humor to the cinematic atmosphere.
Creative Strategy Deconstructed
Company
Squarespace's twenty-year history as a foundational platform for the modern internet and professional design.
Category
Tech brands often rely on futuristic, sleek aesthetics or feature-heavy explanations to prove their modern relevance.
Customer
Entrepreneurs want to feel that their unique, traditional, or niche passions are worthy of a professional global stage.
Culture
The global 'Irish Wave' in cinema provided a perfect aesthetic backdrop to tell a timeless, high-art brand story.
Company
Squarespace's twenty-year history as a foundational platform for the modern internet and professional design.
Category
Tech brands often rely on futuristic, sleek aesthetics or feature-heavy explanations to prove their modern relevance.
Strategy:
Mythologize brand longevity by reframing modern digital infrastructure as a timeless, essential service for all human craft.
Customer
Entrepreneurs want to feel that their unique, traditional, or niche passions are worthy of a professional global stage.
Culture
The global 'Irish Wave' in cinema provided a perfect aesthetic backdrop to tell a timeless, high-art brand story.
Strategy:
Mythologize brand longevity by reframing modern digital infrastructure as a timeless, essential service for all human craft.
Strategy Technique
Build a Brand Myth
By crafting a cinematic legend set in a fictionalized past, Squarespace moves beyond functional tech features to create an enduring brand origin story. This mythologizes their longevity, making the platform feel like a timeless, essential part of human creativity.
Explore Technique
Creative Technique
Make a Parody
The campaign parodies the cinematic aesthetic of 'The Banshees of Inisherin' and the classic American paperboy trope. This unexpected juxtaposition of ancient Irish rural life with modern digital tools creates a memorable, humorous origin myth for the brand.
Explore Technique
Craft Breakdown
The ad excels by juxtaposing gritty, traditional Irish heritage with sleek modern technology through a lens of magical realism.
The sweeping shots of the Irish coastline and the textured, moody lighting create a high-end cinematic feel.
The script uses a rhythmic, colloquial Irish vernacular that feels both ancient and fresh.
Barry Keoghan's charismatic and deadpan delivery anchors the surreal elements in a believable character.
The seamless integration of the flying donkey at the climax elevates the ad from a period piece to a modern fable.
The synergy between the rhythmic copywriting and the traditional bagpipe score creates a hypnotic, folkloric atmosphere.
