• by Tanya Gazdik , August 1, 2023

Subaru of America is launching a campaign that shows how Deaf people experience the wonders of nature in a different way.

“A Beautiful Silence,” created by AOR Carmichael Lynch, calls attention to the importance of accessibility in the outdoors for all. It features 10-year-old, Emmy-nominated Deaf actor Keivonn Woodard.

The spot will run in 30-second format on national television and be featured in 15-second format in targeted digital and social media promotions throughout August.The 60-second version will be available on YouTube.

Featuring audio elements and American Sign Language, the spot shows a father and his young son, who is Deaf, drive through Yosemite National Park in a Subaru Forester Wilderness.

“We wanted to show that enjoying the outdoors and the beauty of our National Parks is for everyone, and that unique experiences with those we love are memories to be cherished,” says Brian Cavallucci, Subaru national advertising manager. “The Subaru Forester Wilderness is shown as a vehicle to help make those memories happen.”

This was the first time Subaru has worked with a Deaf actor in a commercial, he says. 

“Working with Keivonn and his mother, April, was an incredible experience,” Cavallucci tells Marketing Daily. “We invited his interpreter to join us on the production and he helped with our communication with Keivonn and our director and the production team. Keivonn was a joy to work with, and he really did a great job acting in this commercial, and we are very proud of how it all came together.”

The spot was filmed in three different locations in California, from the LA area up to Yosemite.

Fiilming in Yosemite was at the very end of the production.

“So it was an epic ending to our filming for everyone involved,” Cavallucci says. “Being with Keivonn and his mother during this whole trip and getting to spend time with them was really special for me personally. When I would see them at the hotel, we would use my phone to type each other notes to communicate, since I do not know ASL. And his mom taught me a few signs, too, so that was very meaningful to me.”

Through the National Park Foundation's Outdoor Exploration initiative and ParkVentures program, Subaru aims to help more people create life-long relationships with the outdoors, per the automaker. 

Last year, with support from Subaru, ParkVentures supported the efforts of more than 55 organizations to connect more people, including those with differing abilities, to meaningful experiences in United States national parks.

The automaker also developed a direct relationship with ParkVentures grantee Black People Who Hike, which aims to help address the lack of representation in parks by empowering, educating and engaging Black people in the outdoors.