# Ad summary
The ad features a heartwarming story of a family who lost everything in a flood. Through a collaboration between Montana Knife Co., country singer Chase Rice, and the non-profit We Must Protect, a significant amount of money was raised to build the family a new home. The video captures the emotional moment the family is told they will be getting a new house, intercut with footage of the flood damage and interviews with the benefactors and the non-profit representative, emphasizing the direct impact of the donations and the family's journey from hardship to renewed hope.
# Brand positioning
Montana Knife Co. (implied by Josh Smith's shirt and hat, and Chase Rice's hat) is presented as a socially conscious brand rooted in outdoor lifestyle, leveraging its influence and product (custom knives) for philanthropic causes. It aligns with values of community support, direct impact, and tangible aid in times of crisis. The brand's involvement, alongside country singer Chase Rice, suggests an authentic connection to the affected area and a commitment beyond commercial interests. This positions the brand as empathetic and proactive in addressing real-world problems, pushing against purely transactional business models by integrating genuine charitable action into its identity. The positioning is emotional, focusing on the positive change brought about by their initiative.
# Product
The 'product' is a charitable initiative focused on providing housing assistance to families severely impacted by natural disasters, specifically a family in Yancey County, North Carolina, whose home and access bridge were completely washed away by a storm. The initiative works by raising funds, notably through the sale of custom knives made from elk antlers (contributed by Chase Rice) and other donations, and partnering with a non-profit organization ('We Must Protect') to ensure direct, transparent allocation of resources. The funds, exceeding $300,000 in total, allowed for a $150,000 commitment to build a full house for the family. A key USP highlighted is the direct impact: funds go 'straight directly to this family' rather than being absorbed by overhead, and the beneficiaries are those who 'fell through the cracks' of other aid organizations due to modest income. The ad emphasizes that this initiative provides a 'light at the end of the tunnel' and a new 'home' after nine months of hardship in a 'camper.'
# Visual style
The visual style is a hybrid of polished commercial footage and raw, authentic UGC. The commercial segments feature well-lit, composed shots with natural light in an outdoor setting, suggesting a professional yet grounded production. The editing rhythm is generally medium-paced during interviews, slowing down during emotional family moments and picking up slightly for the reveal. Visual motifs include natural landscapes, close-ups on emotional faces, and the use of authentic, shaky, low-fidelity video to convey the raw impact of the disaster. The audio-visual sync is clear, with spoken words directly correlating to on-screen actions and reactions. This blend creates a sense of both credibility and emotional resonance.
# Hooks
Spoken: Man, y'all had no idea what it's been like with, with, you know, the pressure and then the kids and, uh, I can't even- This is, this is, this is, this is awesome. This is awesome.
Text overlay: VRINDAVAN BELLORD / CHASE RICE
Visual: A medium shot captures a Caucasian man, approximately 40s, with short brown hair and a beard, wearing sunglasses on his head and a black long-sleeved t-shirt. He is looking right, partially obscured by a woman's reddish-brown hair in the foreground. The background is a blurry green forest. The shot is stationary, third-person, focusing on the man's contemplative expression. / A medium shot shows the same Caucasian man embracing a Caucasian woman, approximately 40s, with long blonde hair and sunglasses. Her face is turned away, pressed into his shoulder, and she appears to be crying, wiping her nose with her hand. The man has his arm around her, kissing the top of her head. The background is the same blurry green forest. The camera is stationary, third-person, capturing an intimate, emotional moment.
# Funnel stage
Middle of funnel (Consideration)
# Pain points
The central pain point is the devastating loss and prolonged hardship experienced by families after a natural disaster, specifically the feeling of being 'nowhere' despite hard work and having 'no way forward' due to being overlooked by other aid organizations. The family's house and bridge were 'completely washed away,' leaving them without a home or access to their land.
# Value propositions
- Montana Knife Co. and Chase Rice are committed to making a tangible, direct impact in communities.
- We Must Protect is dedicated to helping families who are overlooked by traditional aid, ensuring no one is left behind.
- Your donations, through this initiative, directly translate into a new home for a family in crisis, providing transparency and real results.
# Benefits
- Provides a 'light at the end of the tunnel' for families in distress
- Offers renewed hope and stability after devastating loss
- Ensures funds directly help those in need, fostering trust
- Alleviates the burden of rebuilding after a disaster
- Restores a sense of community and support for vulnerable families
- Transforms an 'idea' into a 'home' and reality
# Features
- Collaboration between a brand (Montana Knife Co.), a celebrity (Chase Rice), and a non-profit (We Must Protect)
- Fundraising through unique product sales (knives made from elk antlers)
- Direct financial aid to families affected by natural disasters
- On-the-ground support from a non-profit for effective distribution of aid
- Building new homes for those who 'fell through the cracks' of other organizations
- Raised over $300,000 for the cause
- $150,000 committed to build a whole house for the featured family
# Call to action
None used.
# Social proof
- 'I was in Buncombe County, and Cragtown was two miles from my house. That was where my high school football coach lost, um, eleven family members, thirteen people died total in that area. My first thought was to go down there, but, you know, through good people, they had a GoFundMe.' – Male 3 (Celebrity)
- 'She heard about your story from the Sheriff, and so we raised enough money to build you guys a new house.' – Male 2 (Brand Partner)
- 'Thank you guys so much.' – Female 1 (Customer)
- 'You guys have been through so much.' – Female 2 (Non-profit Representative)
- 'We got a light at the end of the tunnel, and a hell of a view.' – Male 1 (Customer)
- 'I love you.' – Female 1 (Customer)
- 'Not every day I get to hug a country star.' – Female 1 (Customer)
- 'And it just feels surreal right now.' – Female 1 (Customer)
- 'Surreal, but awesome. Blessed.' – Female 1 (Customer) and Male 1 (Customer)
- 'It definitely feels like a a light that we've not seen since since the hurricane came through.' – Female 1 (Customer)
# Point of view
- Customer 45% – The initial and concluding segments of the video show the family directly experiencing and reacting to their hardship and the news of their new home, including their own emotional statements and personal video footage of the flood aftermath.
- Brand 35% – The representatives from Montana Knife Co. and We Must Protect explain their roles, the fundraising efforts, and the overall mission, communicating the initiative's purpose and impact from an organizational perspective.
- External source 20% – Footage of the devastating flood is shown from an unknown source, capturing the raw, objective reality of the disaster that caused the family's hardship.
# Storyline
- 00:00–00:16 A man and woman appear somber and emotional in a wooded area, discussing past hardships.
- 00:16–00:21 The man comforts the woman, embracing her as she sheds tears, emphasizing their bond amidst their struggle.
- 00:21–00:32 The woman expresses her frustration, stating they've worked 'so hard since the storm' but feel they've 'gotten nowhere,' then hugs another woman, suggesting the start of external support.
- 00:32–00:54 Three individuals (Josh Smith, Vrindavan Bellord, and Chase Rice) are introduced in a forest clearing, setting the scene for a collaborative effort in Yancey County, North Carolina.
- 00:54–01:15 Chase Rice shares his personal connection to the area, affected by the storm, and explains how a GoFundMe campaign, initiated by 'good people,' led to 'We Must Protect' building homes.
- 01:15–01:36 Josh confirms over $300,000 was raised and asks Vrindavan ('V') to explain the family's story on the land where a new home will be built.
- 01:36–01:53 V describes how the affected family's house and bridge were completely 'washed away,' and how other organizations had deemed them ineligible due to income, highlighting their vulnerable situation.
- 01:53–02:17 Archival footage shows a raging, muddy river with a house partially submerged and swept away, providing visual evidence of the family's devastating loss.
- 02:17–02:31 Handheld video from the family shows the father and children walking along a damaged road next to the swollen river, illustrating their displacement and the extent of the destruction.
- 02:31–03:00 V explains that the family, despite their modest professions, were not 'rich people' and had 'fallen through the cracks' of other organizations, putting them on 'We Must Protect's' waiting list.
- 03:00–03:15 V expresses excitement that Josh committed $150,000, enough to build a whole house, while Josh humbly states he and Chase 'did the easy part.'
- 03:15–03:30 Josh praises V for her 'hard work day after day, month after month' on the ground, acknowledging the heavy lifting done by the non-profit.
- 03:30–03:51 V acknowledges the necessity of public donations and expresses immense gratitude to Josh and Chase, emphasizing their critical role in moving forward with the family's home.
- 03:51–04:08 In a selfie-style shot, V shares her excitement that Josh is about to tell the family they're getting a house, noting their nine months of hardship.
- 04:08–04:25 The family walks through the trees and is greeted by V, who introduces Josh Smith and Chase Rice, building anticipation for the big announcement.
- 04:25–04:44 Josh explains to the family that 'everybody that follows us' and 'a bunch of other brands' raised money, working with 'We Must Protect' to ensure it reached 'good people.'
- 04:44–04:54 Josh reveals to the family, 'we raised enough money to build you guys a new house,' met with the mother's surprised smile and the father's stunned, emotional reaction.
- 04:54–05:15 The father, overwhelmed, struggles to speak, while the mother expresses profound gratitude, saying, 'That's awesome... This is huge for us,' tears welling in her eyes.
- 05:15–05:21 The father wipes his eyes, expressing relief, 'We got a light at the end of the tunnel, and a hell of a view,' signifying renewed hope.
- 05:21–05:35 The mother and father embrace V and then each other, showing the raw emotion and shared joy of the moment.
- 05:35–05:50 The mother reiterates their struggle, 'We worked so hard since the storm... and feel like we've gotten nowhere,' highlighting the profound shift in their circumstances.
- 05:50–06:14 The mother removes her sunglasses, her tearful face turning into a smile as she hugs V and then Chase Rice, adding a touch of celebrity excitement to her joy.
- 06:14–06:23 The mother describes the feeling as 'surreal' and asks for time for the news to 'sink in,' overwhelmed by the reality of the situation.
- 06:23–06:58 The father reflects on their journey from 'nothing' to a 'camper' and now a new 'house,' emphasizing the long, hard road they traveled, while the mother speaks of faith.
- 06:58–08:38 Chase Rice speaks to the camera, expressing the 'wild feeling' of seeing his idea (turning elk antlers into knives) directly fund a home for a family, emphasizing the transparency and genuine gratitude.
- 08:38–09:07 Josh asks the couple how it feels, and the mother responds, 'Surreal, but awesome,' while the father adds, 'Blessed,' both acknowledging the 'light' they haven't seen since the hurricane.