Every Millennial remembers their first bold, patterned Vera Bradley bag. Now, the iconic lifestyle brand is leaning into that nostalgia with its first-ever original short film, Most Perfect Couple, developed with agency CALLEN. The playful campaign stars none other than Final Destination’s Devon Sawa, delivering a millennial dream straight out of fan fiction.
The film follows Kristen Mulrooney, Vera Bradley tote in hand, as she’s dumped by her high school boyfriend—only to be swept off her feet by Sawa himself. The short blends humor, romance, and just the right amount of aughts-era melodrama, reminding former fans why they fell in love with Vera Bradley in the first place while introducing the brand’s spirit to Gen Z. Watch below:
“We were thrilled to see the renaissance of Vera Bradley across places like TikTok and Instagram, with content that underscores girlhood as a time when you are championed for being yourself, having fun, and going with your gut,” said Alison Hiatt, CMO at Vera Bradley. “Callen understood that nostalgia and brought it to life in a fresh, modern way through this new campaign. We couldn’t be happier with the result.”
The work—Vera Bradley’s first collaboration with Callen since naming the agency AOR this spring—launched August 19 across social platforms and OTT. “Our goal here was to harness the nostalgia around Vera Bradley to cultivate contemporary cultural relevance,” said Craig Allen, Founder and CCO at CALLEN. “To be a part of Vera Bradley is to be an advocate of joy. This campaign taps into the beloved bag brand’s spirit in a playful way, and, we hope, unforgettable for the women who grew up with it.”
With Sawa’s wink to Y2K-era stardom and Vera Bradley’s joyful patterns back in the spotlight, Most Perfect Couple is more than a short film—it’s a love letter to every Millennial who once carried a quilted tote and a reminder that the brand’s next chapter is just as bold and fun as its first.
CREDITS:
BRAND: Vera Bradley
- CMO: Alison Hiatt
- Director, Brand Strategy: Nikki Yoerg
AGENCY: CALLEN
- Founder, CCO: Craig Allen
- Creative Director: Casey Rand
- Creative Director: Jaclyn Crowley
- Group Brand Director: Courtney LeBlanc
- Sr. Strategy Director: Cristina Pansolini
- Sr. Creative Strategist: Carla Lozano
- Junior Strategist: Leah Smith
- Assistant Account Manager: Anna Wesley Dubach
Partners:
Media Agency: Belardi Wong
Influencer Management Agency: Birdie
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