How Pika gave us the darkest app ad ever

Last week, AI video app Pika took us all by surprise by delivering one of the most darkly comic commercials in bleedin' ages.

Presenting the carefree snap-happy behaviour of a typically photogenic consumer, but planting her in the midst of some hellish (yet scarily relatable) dystopia, Pikapocalypse squeezed as much ink-black humour into its tidy two minutes as was humanly possible, creating a brand splash that could not be ignored.

We caught up with the in-house creative team Head of Brand and Content Lindsay Brillson and Creative Lead Monica Tan, RSA director Marie Schuller, and Abandon Editorial editor Val Thrasher about the delicuously deadly art direction, the cuts that made the comedy sing, and how the hell they got away with all of it.

Lindsay Brillson, Head of Brand and Content, Pika

First things first, this isn't exactly a conventional ad for a jolly app. What was the initial conversation and did you have any reticence in taking such a bold approach?

The approach is really rooted in the moment, the current mindset. No one we know is walking around thinking everything is rosy, so we wanted to reflect the zeitgeist, being aware and pushing the edges of the story. Rather than presenting Pika as something that is going to save the world or make something great even better, we took a look at what the product can actually do: make your reality a bit more magic, a bit more fun, a bit more unreal.

That led to the proposition – Reality is Optional. When we hit on the idea of presenting the woman in the apocalyptic world, we knew if we didn't push this far enough it would land in the nowhere zone. So we went full blast. Our CEO, Demi Guo, actually pushed us to go further, darker, as we were working on script iterations. It was freeing to be able to take it beyond the boundaries of where a brand might normally go.

Were there any different approaches to the script? Were dystopian elements added or was there anything that needed to be tuned down?

There were a handful of different concepts we considered for the brand campaign, but this one stood out for how well it reflected culture.

The idea was always rooted in a post-apocalyptic dystopia. Our early script had a black and white sketch of a lone house in a wasteland – it’s amazing how representative it was of the final product. 

We knew if we didn't push this far enough it would land in the nowhere zone.

In pre-production we refined exactly what was in the apocalyptic landscape. It was important to us that the world we created was not made of one singular massive disaster but rather an evolving hellscape composed of all the things that are going wrong in the world right now. This allowed us to weave in easter eggs throughout the spot to reinforce all the means to the apocalyptic end.

How's the reaction been? What were you hoping from the work (aside from getting more people to download the app!)?

Our goals for the launch are very straightforward – build awareness for the Pika brand, establish the brand as the leader in social-first AI video creation, and drive traffic to/interest in the app and our Web platform.

The reaction has been overwhelmingly positive. We clearly struck a nerve, tapping into the collective unease of the moment. The short film, and the product, offering a wild and strange escape, even if just in the moment.

So far we've gotten some wonderful comments – some of our favourites:

"This video is proof that Ai is just a tool...IMAGINATION is Everything!🔥"
"Never thought an ad could make me feel so seen ✨🤸🤸😀🫠😂"
"I approve this message."
"Wow, I haven't seen such a well-made app presentation in a long time. The video itself is super creative and beautifully done 🔥😍"

Monica Tan, Creative Lead Art, Pika

What was it about Marie Schuller that won her the job? What were you looking for in a production partner?

We were immediately drawn to Marie's body of work. She’s got a high fashion aesthetic, a clear creative vision, and makes unexpected and surprising choices in her work that feel original and memorable. We knew it was critical for the audience to care about our hero woman – even though they would only have a few seconds with her – in order for the story to hit. And we saw that in Marie's performances, we knew she could handle them with grace.

Creating something relatable required tapping into the deep and disturbing concerns of the moment and going further than might feel comfortable.

It was also important for us to bring beauty to the world – to balance the dark and grotesque – and after talking to Marie we knew she could thread that needle. We loved how gracefully she handled details and knew she'd be a genius at helping us integrate all the Easter eggs that bring a self-awareness to the piece.

The campaign walks a tightrope between comedically representing a hellscape and kinda acknowledging that things are pretty dire right now. Was that a difficult thing to balance?

The entire effort was a tightrope to walk to get to that right level of dark humour. Balancing the beauty and the grotesque in the art direction was critical. Building believability and empathy for our characters (from our woman, to our rat seller to the cat) was so necessary to sustain the sad, quiet joy of the narrative. Creating something relatable required tapping into the deep and disturbing concerns of the moment and going further than might feel comfortable. Can she really eat a rat? Should the cat really be dead at the end?

It lands because it taps into our shared concerns and fears but also presents a platform where we can let out this collective sigh, a recognition of the universal unrest and this small opportunity for release. Our hero woman brings us into her silly lightness – her inner joy – through the dumb and playful decisions she makes to bring levity to her existence. Both in watching the film, and playing with the Pika product, we are able to deliver on the promise of changing your reality – if only for a moment.

Marie Sculler, Director, RSA

What was key to get right in the world-building? How did you go about that?

This part was pretty fun because for once we were allowed to reference elements that usually immediately get you blacklisted on a commercial production. Agencies and clients are, I guess rightfully, scared of anything that might get misconstrued or seen as controversial. It's hard nowadays to push anything with a slightly challenging POV or unique voice because social media and the constant fear of receiving the wrath of the internet have stripped ads of their eccentricity. I remember opening my treatment with a selection of screenshots I saved from North Korean state television, thinking that surely this was going to lose me the job immediately, but once I passed that hurdle successfully, I could tell we were on the same page.

It's hard nowadays to push anything with a slightly challenging POV or unique voice because social media and the constant fear of receiving the wrath of the internet have stripped ads of their eccentricity.

It's stupidly obvious, but just because you reference something doesn't mean you praise or approve of it. 

Also just because something is bad, it still can have charisma, beauty or humour. That's the scary part of it. Things are not one-facetted and straightforward and PIKA seemed to understand this very well. Just because we offer a much needed comedic relief in dark times doesn't mean that you shouldn't give a shit. Those two things can apply at the same time. 

One thing that was important to us was that our Pikapocalypse was well balanced - imagine it like a perfect storm of everything rather than a pointed nod towards one destructive force. 

We littered our set with a million easter eggs that basically glorified the worst aspects of our current reality, exaggerated and dystopian, yes, but eerily close to the now. 

The only thing I wasn't allowed to have was a donkey with a smile, which I am still slightly peeved about.

Let's get into specifics - how gross was the rat kebab? What was your brief to the production designer?

That rat was bloody disgusting. 

The brief to Adrian [Cristea], our production designer, was pretty straightforward - fry a rat and let her take a bite, and make it as gross as possible. It's safe to say that he excelled at this task, however the real praise should go to Jessica who took a chunk out of that rat without a word of complaint. 

The brief to our production designer was pretty straightforward - fry a rat and let her take a bite.

The thing that made it all extra gross was the need for some type of goo to recreate the illusion of what I like to call 'bloodied rat gunk' that strings like melted cheese when she takes a bite. Those rats were made of styrofoam, covered in paint and benzene, then we took a chunk out of it and stuffed it with bits of Mars bar, which we then doused in some type of BBQ sauce. 

I knew I wouldn't get many takes out of Jessica, but we also had the added complication of hitting that perfect match-cut. I offered her a spit bag and she actually refused, saying it tasted quite alright. 

She nailed it in two takes. Big props to her. 

I asked her what it tasted like and she said 'Lentils and Gasoline'.

Val Thrasher, Editor, Abandon Editorial

What was it about the script that first grabbed your attention and made you want to be part of the project?

My first reaction after reading the script was, "Wow… that’s dark." And I loved it. I’ve never shied away from projects that are unusual or controversial, especially ones that aren’t afraid to explore complex themes like AI. 

Being familiar with Marie’s visual style and seeing her interest in blending live action with AI made it feel like a project I definitely wanted to be part of.

The film is rife with dark humour and has a slow-burn reveal – how did you approach pacing and editing to support those tonal shifts?

The pacing was about giving time to sit in the awkwardness of the scene. We allowed space between beats for things to land unforced.

My first reaction after reading the script was, "Wow… that’s dark."

It was great to work on something that didn’t need to rush, where we could let tension build gradually and guide the audience through the shifting world with intention.

There’s a strong sense of world-building in the film. How did you use editing to help reveal that evolving environment to a curious audience?

I wanted the environment to feel like it was unfolding alongside the viewer. The goal was to create a sense of discovery, where the audience feels like they’re piecing things together in real time. 

That approach lets the viewer stay with it, even as the world is in ruins.

Can you talk about your collaboration with Marie Schuller and how her vision influenced your editorial decisions?

Marie brought an incredibly strong sense of style to the film. She had a clear and focused vision, and as a creative partner you can't ask for much more than that. 

I wanted the environment to feel like it was unfolding alongside the viewer.

It gave me a solid foundation to work from while still allowing room for creative exploration.

What is your favourite moment in the spot?

A favourite? Honestly, who doesn’t love a good boop on a dog’s nose?